As we approach the Super Bowl, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that age is no barrier to improving one’s reading skills. To the contrary. The patience, insight, and maturity gained as we grow older can be valuable in realizing that many of our intellectual limitations are the products of chance and circumstance, and are not carved in stone. We learn that we can go beyond them.
So, …. how does that relate to the Super Bowl? I have attached a link to an episode from Amplify’s podcast series the Science of Reading. This podcast episode is an interview of Malcolm Mitchell, a former wide-receiver for the New England Patriots. (Among his other accomplishments on the field, Mitchell caught a touchdown pass from Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI.) Mitchell recounts how in his first year in college he came to realize that he could only read at a very basic level. He then began the process of teaching himself to be a proficient reader, starting with children’s books. Reading, he says, “allowed me to become the best version of myself.” He has written three children’s books (as of the date of this interview, 2023) and is an advocate for literacy through his non-profit foundation. If you know someone who is struggling to become a better reader, the interview is inspiring and motivational.
On a related note, the Science of Reading podcast series is excellent. While this series focuses on teaching reading to beginning students, and my books are aimed at high school and college students and their teachers, I’ve learned much from it. I expect you will too.
Episode 10: From football to phonics, with Malcolm Mitchell | Amplify
Reading Argumentative Texts 