Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Why kids can't read (and what we can do about it), with Kate Crist


Listen Later

1062. Did you know that 21% of U.S. adults struggle with basic literacy? In this eye-opening episode, literacy specialist Kate Crist talks about the literacy crisis in America, how reading is taught incorrectly in schools, and what we can do to fix it. She has real stories of students and adults overcoming reading struggles, the science behind learning to read, and practical advice for parents, educators, and anyone who wants to help.

Resource list 

Literacy rates:

PIAAC, NAEP

Why do we have these low rates of literacy?

  • Two great films - The Truth About Reading [OFFICIAL TRAILER] [NOW STREAMING] and Right to Read
  • Podcast = Sold a Story

How can I help the readers in my life?

  • Family Guides from Seek Common Ground (what your kids should know at grade level)
  • FULCRUM for advocacy resources
  • To understand how we learn to read, this graphic guide cannot be beat: How We Read (written for adolescent students, it’s great for adults too)
  • Tools to use at home: Reading Buddies, Toddlers Can Read, Learning Dynamics, How to Teach your Kid to Read in 100 easy lessons 
  • For older readers City Stories and this set of recommendations from the Literacy Architects (and if you want to get super nerdy, this article from Reading Rockets 
  • And if you have the money/are low-cost resources in your community: Get a literacy tutor.

What is phonics?

  • Really, it's part of the science of reading ( body of interdisciplinary research about reading: studies done all over the globe for the last 5 decades. There is a preponderance of evidence to inform how to read and what instruction should look like) The Reading League has this cool definition guide.
  • Phonics is part of foundational skills, which is only part of what kids need to learn to read. Check out:
  •    Early reading accelerator quick start guide
  •    This graphic from FULCRUM  Or this from the AZ department of education give a visual for the full picture of what a reader needs to become a good reader.


🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books

🔗 Join GrammarpaloozaGet ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or SubtextLearn more about the difference

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
  • Director of Podcast: Brannan Goetschius
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Publicity Assistant: Davina Tomlin
  • Digital Operations Specialist: Holly Hutchings
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTubeTikTokFacebook.ThreadsInstagramLinkedInMastodonBluesky.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better WritingBy QuickAndDirtyTips.com

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

2,800 ratings


More shows like Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

View all
Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

Nature Podcast

761 Listeners

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over by Hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

2,228 Listeners

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,658 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,847 Listeners

TED Talks Daily by TED

TED Talks Daily

11,256 Listeners

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

1,203 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,786 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,086 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,135 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,149 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,237 Listeners

The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

The New Yorker Radio Hour

6,590 Listeners

Something You Should Know by Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media

Something You Should Know

4,249 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

15,883 Listeners

No Stupid Questions by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

No Stupid Questions

3,696 Listeners