I found this podcast from this 
post:
I subbed today for a 7th and 8th grade teacher. I’m not exaggerating when I say at least 50% of the students were at a 2nd grade reading level. The students were to spend the class time filling out an “all about me” worksheet, what’s your name, favorite color, favorite food etc. I was asked 20 times today “what is this word?”. Movie. Excited. Trait. “How do I spell race car driver?”
I've only listened to one episode so far, but it's really well produced, seems well-researched and very well put together.
From what I gather so far, the ways that the American public school system "teaches" kids how to read is not only completely wrong, but actually saddles them bad habits which fundamentally hinder their reading comprehension.
A huge swath of American adults are functionally illiterate, and I think I'm starting to understand why.
But how can they check if they don't know what the letters say? This seems like such an odd idea.
It's always good with several different ways of learning something, but this doesn't seem to be teaching the subject at all? Like it's just guesswork, and it's guesswork that still requires the ability to parse letters, which at that point just teach 'em to read.
context, syntax, and the first couple of letters. they teach them phonics but prevent them from using it to sound out words.
Cutting off kids fingers so they can get past the crutch of counting using their fingers
Cutting off their fingers so they can refine their motor skill by trying to write with their stubs.
Wild. Thanks for taking the time to explain it to me
You are taught to use context clues or whatever word comes to your head at first thought.
You might even say it's reactionary. Imagine trying to explain something to someone but they're reading a totally different sentence, based on years of US education.