Why Johnny Couldn’t Read

I had trouble learning how to read as a child in the 1960s.  I was not dyslexic. I had to work harder than other students but eventually learned to read well. I’m sure some teachers considered me lazy. Math was also a sore spot. I’ve always wondered if I could have been a case of undiagnosed ADHD. 

The phrase "Why Johnny can't read" was popularized by a book of the same name written by Rudolph Flesch in 1955. The book was critical of the way reading was taught in American schools and claimed that the method used, which emphasized the memorization of individual words and rules, was ineffective and resulted in many children struggling to learn to read.

Flesch's book was part of a larger public debate about reading instruction in the United States that was taking place at the time. The book had a significant impact on the public's perception of reading instruc…