SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — New test results released this week show American teenagers have made no progress on reading in nearly two decades. The testing agency says about 20% of all 15-year-olds don’t have the reading skills that should be mastered by the age of ten.
In a separate report, Forbes Magazine says many elementary school teachers have never been trained in how to teach systematic phonics, which is considered essential for a young child to learn how to read.
And a new survey by Education Week Magazine found many reading textbooks and programs widely used by teachers also fail to teach phonics properly.
But in Central New York, there appears to be one shining example where systematic phonics and other proven methods are being used to teach reading with astonishing results.
In a special edition of Newsmakers this week, Dan Cummings takes us to Lyncourt, where an organization called The Reading League is helping teachers and students succeed.
Extra Reading:
Reading Scores on National Exam Decline in Half the States – New York Times
The Root of Teenagers’ Mediocre Test Scores Lie In Elementary School – Forbes Magazine
