Episode 358: Literacy for Sale—The "Science of Reading" Illusion

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Recorded17 Sep 2025

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Today’s episode critiques the "Science of Reading" (SoR) as a marketing slogan and industry rather than genuine science, asserting it's a corporate-industrial project designed to mandate phonics-based instruction. This framework, the author of the source article argues, systematically excludes and pathologises Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs), who acquire language in patterns and meaning rather than individual phonemes. Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, the author, details how the SoR industry uses lobbying, narrative control, and “evidence mills” to create a manufactured consensus and monetise remediation for students who don’t fit its narrow model. Ultimately, she advocates for a responsive, context-first approach to literacy that honors diverse language acquisition methods and challenges the SoR's “enclosure of literacy” as a marketable product.Here’s the link to the source article: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/literacy-for-sale-how-the-scienceLet me know what you think.The AutSide is a reader-supported publication. To support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit autside.substack.com/subscribe

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