Across the nation, legislators and policy makers are dictating the course of literacy educationall in the name of "indisputable scientific evidence." Unchallenged, this research has impacted just about every area of reading instruction. Now, just in time, nationally renowned educational psychologist Gerald Coles enters the discussion, offering the first comprehensive, clearly written critique of the so-called evidence. This important book examines the studies of leading researchers who have testified in various hearings and promoted policy and legislation on behalf of skills-emphasis learning, especially those financed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). No other book has systematically and comprehensively analyzed this work. Coles not only identifies each claim, he analyzes the research that backs it up. Chief among them are
Another short book debunking the so called science of phonics instruction and skills-based approaches to teaching reading. He challenges this research and offers alternative theories on the learning to read.