Sold a Story: Episode 8 - The Impact

Released on May 18, 2023 by APM Reports

Emily Handford delves into the profound effects of the "Sold a Story" podcast in Episode 8, titled "The Impact." This episode explores how the podcast has influenced educators, policymakers, and parents nationwide, sparking legislative actions aimed at overhauling reading instruction based on scientifically-backed methods.

1. Legislative Momentum: Indiana's Pioneering Bill

The episode begins with Emily introducing Aaron Freeman, a state senator from Indiana, who shares his personal struggles with reading in his early education years. Moved by the "Sold a Story" podcast, Freeman channelled his emotions into legislative action.

Freeman recounts, "[00:49] I had two competing emotional thoughts listening to your podcast. I literally had a tear in my eye, and I was heartbroken for what we've done as a society. And second, I wanted to do physical injury to somebody."

Determined to make a change, Freeman collaborated with Andrea Hundley, a freshman state senator and former educator, to draft a bipartisan bill focusing on the science of reading. Their legislation mandates the adoption of curricula grounded in scientific research and explicitly bans the three cueing method, which the podcast criticized.

Hundley explains, "[02:26] This just really draws the line in Indiana that says, this is how we teach reading, and we teach it in ways that are based on science."

2. Nationwide Response: A Wave of Legislative Actions

Emily highlights a significant surge in legislative interest across 14 states, each introducing bills to reform reading instruction. From Ohio to Minnesota, states are moving away from local control over curricula to standardized, scientifically-backed reading programs.

Mark Seidenberg, a cognitive scientist featured in the podcast, emphasizes the scale of this movement: "[04:34] It's happening everywhere."

The episode details how states are not only mandates specific curricula but also creating approved lists that school districts must adhere to, sidelining the traditional autonomy of local educational boards.

3. The Three Cueing Ban: Eliminating Outdated Practices

A central focus of the legislative changes is the ban on the three cueing method—a strategy previously popularized in reading instruction but now deemed ineffective by scientific standards.

Seidenberg asserts, "[02:52] You cannot require the science of reading and also leave in three cueing in. Order to do this correctly, you have to adopt the science of reading and you have to outlaw three Cueing."

As of the episode's recording, states including Indiana, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Minnesota have introduced such bans, with Arkansas, Louisiana, and Virginia already implementing them.

4. Expert Insights: Navigating the Complexity of Educational Reform

Mark Seidenberg and Claude Goldenberg provide nuanced perspectives on the ongoing reforms. Seidenberg cautions against over-reliance on legislative mandates, suggesting that while banning ineffective practices is beneficial, the replacement strategies are equally crucial.

Seidenberg warns, "[16:00] I think they probably are. I think that we've tried so many times to change reading instruction... They've never uprooted that practice."

Goldenberg introduces the concept of a pre-mortem, a strategic approach to anticipate and prevent potential failures in implementing new reading programs.

Goldenberg explains, "[20:10] It's called a pre mortem as opposed to a postmortem. A pre mortem is something you do before you put a plan into place to try to prevent the plan from failing."

5. Balancing Urgency with Realistic Goals

The episode addresses concerns about the ambitious reading proficiency goals set by some states. For instance, a district aiming to increase reading proficiency from 38% to 80% within a year is criticized for being unrealistic.

Christopher Peek reflects, "[19:49] Everyone's going to work really hard and get to that. And you think, well, what would it take to really do that?"

Both Seidenberg and Peek emphasize the importance of setting attainable objectives to avoid the perception of failure, which could undermine the science-based reforms.

6. Political Implications and Listener Reactions

A poignant listener message from Andrew Carr, a children's book editor, underscores the political tensions arising from these educational reforms.

Carr shares, "[12:23] It was truly like glimpsing an alternate reality."

Emily voices her concerns about the partisan divide, noting that support for the science of reading spans across the political spectrum, despite attempts to politicize the issue.

Emily Handford remarks, "[13:47] I worry about the science of reading getting caught up in partisan politics."

7. Strategies for Successful Implementation

To ensure the effectiveness of the new reading programs, experts suggest comprehensive strategies beyond merely changing curricula. These include:

• Pre-mortems to foresee potential challenges.
• Diverse Approaches to avoid over-reliance on a single method.
• Continuous Evaluation to assess the efficacy of implemented strategies.

Goldenberg advocates for collective foresight: "[20:08] This can actually be a way to get people to take off their blinders and stop kind of the group think and shared assumptions..."

8. Conclusion: Hope Amidst Challenges

Despite the complexities and potential pitfalls, Emily expresses optimism rooted in the dedication of teachers committed to improving reading education.

Hundley shares her success, "[22:14] As I've implemented Science of Reading practices over the last two years, the reading abilities of my students has exponentially increased. I've got confident, happy little readers."

The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to engage with the podcast, leave reviews, and stay informed through additional resources available on the show's website.

Notable Quotes:

• Aaron Freeman [00:54]: "I had two competing emotional thoughts listening to your podcast. I literally had a tear in my eye, and I was heartbroken for what we've done as a society. And second, I wanted to do physical injury to somebody."

• Andrea Hundley [02:26]: "This just really draws the line in Indiana that says, this is how we teach reading, and we teach it in ways that are based on science."

• Mark Seidenberg [02:52]: "You cannot require the science of reading and also leave in three cueing in. Order to do this correctly, you have to adopt the science of reading and you have to outlaw three Cueing."

• Christopher Peek [19:49]: "We have to set realistic goals here. Not to say we shouldn't be really urgent and help the kids out there who are struggling with reading, but if we set unrealistic goals, there's just no way it won't fail."

• Claude Goldenberg [20:10]: "It's called a pre mortem as opposed to a postmortem. A pre mortem is something you do before you put a plan into place to try to prevent the plan from failing."

This episode of "Sold a Story" underscores the ripple effect a single piece of investigative journalism can have, igniting a nationwide conversation and prompting significant legislative reforms aimed at improving reading education based on solid scientific foundations.