In this episode of Learning Unboxed, we dive into reading skills development with Tim Waldron, CEO of Readable English. We explore why so many students—especially in upper elementary, middle, and high school—are still reading below grade level and what it takes to close that gap quickly. The stakes are high: student confidence, classroom participation, and long-term success in college, career, and beyond.

Tim explains how English’s irregular spelling makes decoding harder than in phonetic languages. Readable English offers a research-backed approach—adding syllable breaks, grayed-out silent letters, and 21 glyphs tied to English phonemes—to reduce cognitive load and speed fluency and comprehension. This method supports the science of reading and Scarborough’s Rope by freeing up brainpower for meaning-making.

We also look at implementation: browser-based tools that mark up any digital text, short daily “reading power-ups” aligned to CTE pathways, and a light lift for teachers through two virtual trainings. Tim shows how schools can help students make up to two years of growth in a semester. Getting kids reading at grade level opens doors to deeper learning, authentic participation, and real opportunity.

To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.org

We unbox:

The decoding problem: why English spelling slows fluency—and how glyphs reduce cognitive load.
A multi-sensory, research-backed approach that accelerates accuracy, rate, and comprehension.
Practical school rollout: minimal PD, browser tools, and daily practice that scales.
Supporting multilingual learners and older struggling readers without derailing core instruction.
Career-connected literacy: CTE-aligned reading “power-ups” to build relevance and motivation.

Resources:

Readable English — Explore the methodology, research, and request a demo
Classroom Browser Extension — Let students double-click any word for markup, pronunciation, definitions, and L1 translation; pilot it with a small group to see immediate impact

Produced by NOVA

Jude Law

Fresh Air

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