On Jan. 7, Northwest Passages, in partnership with the Spokane branch of the NAACP and The Black Lens, held a screening of the documentary “The Right To Read” at the Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, which highlighted the literacy deficits implied when phonics based instruction is replaced with whole language, balanced literacy. The latter model leaves many students unable to decode words because phonics is deemphasized and replaced by memorization, picture clues and context to build a literacy foundation.
The documentary highlights that such a method is not based on the science of reading, and does not use letter sound recognition. This has resulted in lower-than-average reading levels across the board, which are more pronounced in historically marginalized communities. The panel (pictured in order) consisted of Reading Specialist Dororthy Whitman; Executive Director of Communities in Schools Deb Raub; founder of Little Scholars Development Center and Raze Development Center Kerra Bower; and retired educator Bernice Buchanan. Editor of The Black Lens, April Eberhardt (seated center) moderated the panel.
Two high school seniors at St. George’s School, Braden Chambers (back left) and Bryson Hill (back right) shared their capstone project – a literacy initiative wherein they built little libraries to support reading in underserved communities.
The little libraries will be utilized by Glow Early Learning Center.
As a follow-up to the documentary, reading circles were held by The Black Lens and the Spokane NAACP where teenagers read to smaller children, done as a service initiative in honor of Dr. King’s legacy.