Why Johnny Can Read

Abstract

year-old British boys and girls read so fluently and write so easily, as I observed them on a recent visit to England. And even more incredible as I looked around was the absence of textbooks, ability grouping, reading circles, pre and post tests, and report cards or grades! What a striking contrast to the average American school! What techniques were the British using with such success? The American parent is bombarded with the importance of reading scores. The American student is subjected to formal standardized tests to get the magic number that will rate him into supposedly accurate reading levels. The American student, regardless of our devious ways, always knows if he is in the low, average or high reading group. Many text books are prescribed for the child to read, along with answering specific questions at the end of each story, along with daily use of workbooks and lesson sheets which are, in essence, more testing. In England I looked for workbooks and dittoes and found none. I looked for phonic books and drills and found none! I looked for five and six