If You Don’t Know Anything, What Would You Think About?

 

The title is the question posed by a retired SPED teacher on Twitter. 

My Answer After Teaching 80+ Smart Kids Who Couldn’t Read"

@SciAdapt, Spot on! The big picture is just a series of small steps—and when we teach those steps right, the rest often falls into place.  I’m an accountant, not a trained teacher. Years ago, I started working with a bright boy who had finished kindergarten + Grade 1 but still couldn’t read a single sentence in English. I knew nothing about phonics, so I grabbed a set of Peter and Jane books. I read a sentence, he repeated it after me. We did this for six months until he could read on his own. Then we flipped it—he read while I helped only on tricky words.  That success made me curious.

The Innate Spark — Why Many Children Can Read Before We Teach Them

Children aren’t broken. Our teaching methods are. Discover why decoding is often innate — and how confusion poisons the path to literacy.

Sections:

🔍 What We’re Missing

• Most children who read do so by figuring it out — even when phonics is taught incorrectly.

• Decoding ≠ comprehension. Let’s stop conflating the two.

🧠 The Brain’s Highway System

• Harvard research shows reading relies on smooth neural pathways.

• Wrong phonics = stoplights. Correct input = free flow.

🚨 Instructional Casualties

• Many “dyslexic” children are victims of confusion, not disorder.

• Early exposure to wrong sounds (TV, kindergarten) blocks natural decoding.

🧒 Real Stories, Real Insight

• My first student learned to read without phonics — just Peter and Jane books.

• I’ve seen children “unlock” reading overnight when confusion is removed.

Call to Action: Let’s stop blaming children. Let’s start fixing instruction. 

Read the full post below

For years, I’ve argued that many children possess an innate ability to decode written language — an ability that’s often overlooked, dismissed, or actively suppressed by flawed teaching methods. This claim has sparked heated debates, especially on Twitter, where educators like Pamela Snow have blocked me rather than engage with the evidence. But the truth remains: many children figure out how to read despite — not because of — formal instruction.

 

🚸 Decoding vs. Comprehension: Let’s Be Precise

When I say “reading,” I’m talking about decoding — the ability to recognize and sound out words. Comprehension is a separate skill, and I leave that to experts in that field. The confusion between these two has led to widespread misunderstanding about what it means to “learn to read.”

My 7th day with Jack and an explanation of my lesson plan.

 

18.5.2022 was my 7^th day with Jack.

We covered word family ‘ot’ and ‘oo’.

I explained that this was the short ‘oo’ as in book, look, cook.