For many years, teachers walked into their classrooms doing everything they were told to do—planning to engage lessons, using colorful books, and providing plenty of activities.

Yet a quiet question remained in the minds of many educators:

Why do some children still struggle to read confidently despite all this effort?

The answer is not a lack of dedication.

It lies in the approach itself.

This is where the Science of Reading helps us understand what went wrong—and how to fix it.

🤔 What Did Traditional Methods Assume?

Many traditional reading approaches were based on one inaccurate assumption:

Reading is a natural skill that children will develop over time, just like speaking.

Because of this belief, instruction often focused on:

• Early exposure to texts
• Encouraging children to “try” reading
• Using pictures and context to guess words

This may appear supportive,

but the child was often never given the tools needed for real reading.

❌ Where Did the Problem Begin?

1️⃣ Guessing Instead of Decoding

When children are encouraged to:

• Look at pictures
• Predict words from the sentence

They are not actually reading—they are guessing.

This might work with familiar words,

but it completely breaks down with new vocabulary or longer texts.

2️⃣ Skipping Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is a child’s ability to:

• Hear individual sounds in words
• Segment them
• Blend them together

Many programs moved directly to:

• Letters
• Words
• Sentences

Without building this essential listening skill,

children were asked to read without a foundation.

3️⃣ Inconsistent or Unclear Phonics Instruction

In some classrooms:

• Sounds are taught randomly
• Phonics is left for students to “discover”
• Instruction moves faster than children can process

📌 The brain needs:

clarity, sequence, and repetition.

Without these, learning becomes confusing rather than effective.

4️⃣ Confusing Memorization with True Fluency

A child who reads a familiar text quickly may have:

• Memorized it
• Recognized its visual pattern

But when faced with a new text,

hesitation and struggle return.

True fluency does not come from memorization—it comes from strong decoding skills.

🧠 What Does Research Tell Us?

Research behind the Science of Reading—drawing from:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive psychology
• Linguistics

Clearly shows that:

• The brain is not wired to read naturally
• Most children need explicit instruction
• Guessing interferes with building strong neural pathways

📌 Children must be taught how to read, not simply encouraged to try.

⚖️ How Did the Science of Reading Change the Direction?

The Science of Reading does not remove joy, stories, or engagement from the classroom.

Instead, it restores balance by emphasizing:

✔ Phonemic awareness first

✔ Explicit, systematic phonics

✔ Decodable texts

✔ Skill-based assessment rather than impressions

The result?

Children who can read confidently—even without pictures.

🏫 What Does This Mean for Teachers Today?

This does not mean you were “teaching wrong.”

It means you now have a clearer roadmap.

With the Science of Reading:

• Confusion decreases
• Instruction becomes intentional
• Student progress becomes visible and measurable

✨ Final Thoughts

Traditional methods failed not because of teachers,

but because of inaccurate assumptions about how reading works.

The Science of Reading offers a simple message:

Stop guessing. Teach reading the way the brain learns it.

When we build the right foundation,

we create real readers—not word guessers 🌱