Sixty years ago, Marie Clay developed a way to teach reading she said would help kids who were falling behind. They’d catch up and never need help again. Today, her program remains popular, and her theory about how people read is at the root of a lot of reading instruction in schools. But Marie Clay was wrong.  

Read: Emily Hanford’s reading list 
Read: Transcript of this episode 

Watch: The story behind Sold a Story
Organize: Sold a Story discussion guides
Support: Donate to APM Reports 
Listener survey: Tell us about yourself
More: soldastory.org 

Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit.

Lee Gaul watches his daughter’s lessons during Zoom school and discovers a dismaying truth: She can't read. Little Zoe isn't the only one. Sixty-five percent of fourth graders in the United States are not proficient readers. Kids need to learn specific skills to become good readers, and in many schools, those skills are not being taught. 

Read: Emily Hanford’s reading list 
Read: Transcript of this episode 

Watch: The story behind Sold a Story
Organize: Sold a Story discussion guides
Support: Donate to APM Reports 
Listener survey: Tell us about yourself
More: soldastory.org  

Dive deeper into Sold a Story with a multi-part email series from host Emily Hanford. We’ll also keep you up to date on new episodes. Sign up at soldastory.org/extracredit.

Nationally acclaimed journalist Emily Hanford's work is changing the ways schools around the country teach reading. In this award-winning podcast, she investigates why so many schools use an approach that cognitive scientists debunked decades ago.

More: soldastory.org