Why Every Educator and Parent Needs to Tune Into “Sold a Story”
If you’ve ever watched a child struggle to read—stumbling over simple words, guessing based on pictures, or avoiding books altogether—you know how heartbreaking it feels. You want to help, but what if the problem isn’t the child? What if the problem is how we’re teaching them to read?
A recent podcast series, Sold a Story, has ignited a long-overdue conversation about reading instruction in schools. Hosted by Emily Hanford, it exposes a troubling reality: Many educators still rely on outdated, ineffective methods to teach kids how to read, despite decades of scientific research showing what actually works. The stakes are high. Millions of children are being set up for failure, not because they can’t learn, but because we’re not teaching them properly. Let’s unpack why this matters—and what parents and teachers can do about it.
—
The Reading Crisis No One’s Talking About
The statistics are alarming. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only about one-third of U.S. fourth graders read at a proficient level. For low-income students and students of color, the numbers are even worse. Yet this isn’t a story about “kids these days” or screen time ruining attention spans. It’s a story about systemic failure.
For years, schools have embraced a philosophy called “balanced literacy,” which emphasizes immersing children in books and encouraging them to guess words using context clues, pictures, or memorization. Popular programs like Fountas & Pinnell or Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study promote these strategies. But here’s the problem: Science tells us that guessing isn’t reading.
Decades of cognitive research show that skilled reading requires decoding—the ability to connect letters to sounds and blend them into words. Without this foundational skill, even bright kids hit a wall. They might memorize enough words to get by in early grades, but by third or fourth grade, when texts become more complex, they falter.
—
The Science We’re Ignoring
So what does work? The answer isn’t new. It’s called structured literacy, an approach rooted in phonics and explicit instruction. Phonics teaches kids to crack the “code” of written language by mastering sound-letter relationships. For example, a child learns that the letter c makes a /k/ sound in “cat” and a /s/ sound in “city.” Over time, these skills become automatic, freeing up mental energy for comprehension.
Study after study confirms this. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) found that phonics-based instruction significantly improves reading outcomes, especially for struggling readers. Brain imaging even shows that structured literacy methods activate the regions of the brain responsible for skilled reading.
Yet, as Sold a Story reveals, many teacher training programs barely mention this science. Instead, educators are taught to prioritize “meaning-making” over decoding. Some argue that phonics is boring or stifles creativity, but the truth is, not teaching phonics stifles potential. Kids who can’t decode become frustrated, disengaged, and trapped in a cycle of remedial classes.
—
Why Are Schools Stuck in the Past?
If the research is so clear, why hasn’t classroom practice changed? The podcast points to a web of factors:
1. Misinformation: Influential educators, including authors of popular curricula, have dismissed phonics as outdated, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
2. Profit Over Progress: Publishing companies profit from selling expensive “balanced literacy” programs, which often include leveled readers and scripted lesson plans.
3. Teacher Training Gaps: Many teachers enter classrooms without learning the science of reading. They’re handed a curriculum and told to follow it—even if it’s flawed.
One teacher interviewed in Sold a Story admitted, “I taught guessing strategies for years because that’s what I was trained to do. I had no idea I was harming kids.”
—
What Parents and Educators Can Do
The good news? Change is possible. Parents and teachers are demanding better—and some states are listening. Mississippi, for example, overhauled its reading instruction in 2013, prioritizing phonics and teacher training. By 2019, it went from ranking 49th in fourth-grade reading to matching the national average.
Here’s how you can be part of the solution:
1. Listen to Sold a Story. The podcast breaks down the issue in an accessible, compelling way. Share it with your child’s teacher, principal, or school board.
2. Ask Questions. If your school uses “balanced literacy” or leveled readers, ask why. Request evidence that their methods align with scientific research.
3. Advocate for Training. Teachers want to succeed. Push for professional development in structured literacy and science-backed curricula like The Reading League or Orton-Gillingham.
4. Support At-Home Learning. For younger kids, use decodable books (which focus on phonetic patterns) instead of relying on picture clues. Apps like Teach Your Monster to Read make phonics fun.
—
The Bottom Line
Reading is a civil right. When we fail to teach kids properly, we limit their opportunities—to learn history, explore careers, or even read a prescription label. The science of reading isn’t a political issue or a passing trend. It’s about giving children the tools they need to unlock their potential.
As Emily Hanford says in Sold a Story, “This isn’t rocket science. We know how to teach kids to read. The question is: Will we do it?”
Let’s make sure the answer is yes.
Please indicate: Thinking In Educating » Why Every Educator and Parent Needs to Tune Into “Sold a Story”