Rating: 
Summary: Understand of why so many adults read so poorly
Review: This is another of my favorite books that I found so useful, as a teacher. One on one I taught children who were poor readers learn how easy and fun reading really could be. Their reading, spelling, other schoolwork and their attitude towards themselves improved quickly. Flesch's attack on the Boston school district and the method reading was taught(kid sees picture of cow, associates it with "cow" and can now read the word cow without the need to learn the phonetic sounds of the letters and letter combinations first). At that time his views were concedered far from 'politically correct'. Many teachers, after reading his book, pushed for abandoning this new "revelation" in reading. This brought us back to phonics. I have also purchesed his later book, "Why Johnny Still Can't Read". I'm looking forward to reading it too,
Rating:
Summary: Very sensible
Review: This should be on every required reading list for teachers and parents - it covers basic problems with reading instruction in public schools, and what we, as parents, can do about it.The author explains how reading is currently taught in school, and why it doesn't work for every child. He explains how to teach a child using phonics, and he even gives word lists that you can use with your child. I use these lists with my kids - it's not the only thing I use to teach them to read, but it is one of the things I use. And it works! I have a house full of readers. A must read for every parent with school-age (or younger) children.
Rating: 
Summary: If you have children, you probably need this book
Review: Why can't Johnny read? Because he's being taught in the wrong way, says Flesch, and he's right. I know. I was being taught that way in 1959, and I couldn't learn to read either. What can you do about it? Well if it's your own child, teach them yourself, using phonics. Flesch lays out a comprehensive course, usable by anyone who can already read. My mother taught me with phonics (she had no training or experience in teaching, by the way), and I quickly jumped to number two in my reading class. But if the question is, what can you do about the failure of our schools, the answer is "Nothing." Here is the only place Flesch falls down. This book was published in 1955. After 44 years, the situation has only gotten worse. This is because the people running the public school system want it this way, and the country's parents won't fire them all. Sad but true. Save your own while you can.
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