Attacks the whole-word, or "look-say," method of teaching reading, widely used in the United States since 1836. Cites evidence to support this method as the sole reason for the high functional illiteracy rate in the U.S. Recommends the use of intensive phonics as the solution to America's reading problem. (NJ)

Since thousands of the men who entered military service during World War II were illiterate, the Army developed an "Army Reader," a four-part series featuring Private Pete, that led learners through literacy levels 1-4. Part 1 introduced Private Pete and talked about the things the men experienced when they entered the Army. Part 2…