Editor's note: With low reading proficiency scores across the state, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin is exploring the causes and consequences of low literacy. This article is part of the By the Book ...

Phonics is a cornerstone skill, both in the context of the Science of Reading as well as across curricula. If students do not have the basic ability to read words on a page, any other instruction a ...

To the editor: English is a phonetic language, so as soon as children learn letters and sounds, they can start to write simple messages. Most people go on to write well enough for practical purposes, ...