An Open Letter in Support of Emily Hanford’s Sold a Story

Recently, a group of 58 educators signed a letter responding to Emily Hanford’s latest podcast, Sold a Story, saying it “is irresponsible to reduce the teaching of reading to phonics instruction and nothing more.”

We reject this gross misrepresentation of both Hanford’s reporting and the extensive body of research known as the science of reading.

Who are we? We are teachers, pre-service teachers, tutors, researchers, parents, and advocates who have devoted our lives to helping all children learn to read. We see Hanford’s work as not just beneficial, but essential for anyone who believes literacy is a civil right.

The letter criticizing Sold a Story never asks: why are so many children not learning to read, and what can we do about it?

Over the pandemic, America’s longtime literacy crisis exploded into a full-blown emergency. In 2022, only 32% of 4th graders were proficient in reading. In 2019, it was only 34%. When we look at the numbers based on race/ethnicity and socio-economic status, we see a mirror of societal inequalities, with reading proficiency rates even lower for most students of color and those eligible for school lunch programs.

Illiteracy has lifelong impacts: more than 80% of students who fail to earn a high school degree were struggling readers in third grade. Of children involved with the juvenile justice system, 85% are struggling readers. Two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in prison or on government assistance. These statistics are even more appalling because these young people are capable of reading.

Research shows that  95% of children, regardless of background, are cognitively capable of learning to read when they receive sufficient direct instruction on the foundational skills of reading. Sold a Story asks why other methods that may be ineffective and even detrimental to reading development have been adopted by so many districts.

Emily Hanford has been reporting on literacy for over five years and has provided coverage on many aspects of the science of reading. Contrary to what detractors say, the science of reading is not only “phonics,” but rather a body of research that has emerged from multiple disciplines, including cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics. Thousands of research studies over the last 40-plus years have helped us understand how the brain learns to read and provided us with guidance on how to teach reading.

Hanford’s reporting is not part of “a new reading war.” Science is not about fighting, but about presenting evidence and changing your mind and practices when the evidence demands it. Research has shown us the best methods to teach reading. Most schools are not using these methods. 

We thank Emily Hanford for challenging us all to stop wasting time and, instead, follow the science. Millions of kids - who have been failed by our educational system for decades - can’t wait any longer. 

Jennifer Schuberth, Oregon Kids Read

Angela Uherbelau, Oregon Kids Read

Lisa Lyon, Decoding Dyslexia, Oregon