Instructional Audio for Rudolf Flesch's
Why Johnny Can't Read and what you can do about it
Phonics-First Reading Program

Copyright © 2005 Donald L. Potter. All Rights Reserved

In 1955 Dr. Rudolf Flesch published his best-selling Why Johnny Can't Read and what you can do about it. The dual nature of the title reflects the dual nature of the book. Flesch first presents the Problem and then provides the Solution. The Problem was the look-and-say method and the Solution was Phonics-first. It is extremely easy to prove that Flesch is correct on both accounts by simply putting his phonics-first method to the test: teach some students with it. I have personally done just that and am thoroughly convinced that Flesch was correct. Phonics-first means just that: teach phonics before any sight-words. To assist parents and professional educators who wish to save children from the ravishes of illiteracy, I am producing this easy-to-follow set of audio lessons (mp3 format) for teaching the five-steps of Flesch's phonics-first program. Flesch's program is unsurpassed for both beginning students and remedial students of all ages. Flesch's book can be purchased from your local book store or Amazon.com.

The Five Steps of Flesch's Phonics-First Home Primer.

  1. The Five short vowels and all consonants spelled with one letter. Exercises 1 - 12
  2. Consonants and consonant combinations spelled with two or three letters. Exercises 13 - 23
  3. Vowels and vowel combinations spelled with two or three letters. Exercises 24 - 39
  4. The five long vowels. Exercises 40 - 59
  5. Irregular Spellings. Exercises 60 - 71

Supplementary Written Material

  1. I highly recommend the Miller Word Identification Assessment for making sure children are not developing whole-word dyslexia.
  2. My Natural Phonics Primer™ materials which analyze Flesch's method.
    a. 44 English Speech Sounds - Chart
    b. Natural Phonics Primer™- How to Make One
    c. Natural Phonics Primer™ - How to Teach It
    d. Natural Phonics Primer™ with Blend Phonics
    e. Natural Phonics Primer™ Progress Chart
    f. Foundation for Phonics 23 Letters for 44 Sounds
    g. Natural Phonics Primer™ - Certificate of Completion
  3. Notes to Parents and Teaches - From Teaching Johnny to Read (1956)

An Immodest Proposal

I would like to invite anyone with lots of money and a heart to help kids to enable me to purchase thousands of copies of Rudolf Flesch's Why Johnny Can't Read and what you can do about it to give to parents of school children. With the help of the audio instruction I have published above, any parent can make absolutely sure that their child can learn to read well. You may contact me at don@donpotter.net.