Literacy: Were We Sold a Story?
As I prepped for holiday visitors this Christmas season, I found myself diving into the Sold a Story podcast. For those unfamiliar, it’s an investigative, documentary-style podcast that explores the topic of literacy in our schools. The staggering statistics about the lack of literacy among children in our country are eye-opening, and I couldn’t help but wonder what’s really going on. I found the podcast both fascinating and maddening at the same time.
With my own kids about to start elementary school and my passion for writing children’s books, early literacy is deeply important to me. Did you know that approximately 40% of 4th graders across the country aren’t able to read at a basic level? This statistic, cited by The National Literacy Institute, is echoed in the podcast as well. That’s almost half! How is it possible that so many of our nation’s children can’t read?
As parents, we are often told that if we read to our children from a very young age, it will help them recognize words and develop a love for reading. But what I’ve learned is that simply reading to our kids doesn’t necessarily mean they will become great readers. You might be wondering: How do we even learn to read?
Before listening to this podcast, I didn’t realize that there are different strategies used to teach reading. When I was growing up, we learned to read through phonics. That meant learning how to sound out letters to form words, and I’ve been using this approach with my own kids—helping them sound things out so they can learn. But it turns out, a massive number of school districts across the country are teaching a different curriculum that doesn’t include phonics.
I understand that this topic can be a touchy one, especially after listening to interviews with various teachers in the podcast. The series began by reporting on the challenges faced by children with dyslexia and schools lacking the proper funding to support them. But it quickly expanded to highlight even deeper issues within the reading curriculum being used across the nation. What started as a conversation about dyslexia and insufficient resources revealed a much larger problem.
The podcast is divided into 10 episodes, with additional updates on legislative changes that have been implemented since its original release. I can honestly say I couldn’t stop listening. I felt a deep sadness for the children who felt like they weren’t “smart enough” to read. I also felt anger—especially as I started to see how much of this issue might be linked to corporate greed. And as a parent, I felt a sense of worry thinking about the curriculum my little boy will be exposed to when he starts kindergarten this fall.
This podcast isn’t your typical, dry statistic-filled report that will put you to sleep. It’s a jaw-dropping investigation that will leave you questioning the way our kids are taught to read, and why things have unfolded this way. Without giving too much away (because you really should go listen for yourself), the series sheds light on the phonics-based method of teaching reading versus a balanced literacy approach. If you’re at all curious about this topic, I highly recommend checking it out on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
As parents, we often feel overwhelmed by all the information out there—especially with the constant noise from social media. Am I doing enough for my kids? How much dye is in their food? Did I spend enough quality time with them today? The amount of advice and opinions can feel like a lot to juggle, and the pressure is real. What I remind myself is this: I love my children with all my heart, they have a roof over their heads, a warm bed, food, and clean water. The basics are covered, and though it’s great to continue learning and growing, it’s important to not let all the noise take over. Don’t lose sight of the joy in parenting.
I hope you get a chance to listen to the Sold a Story podcast—it’s an eye-opening experience. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, and as always, happy reading!
Katie Marie
