Welcome everyone to Family Talk. It's a ministry of the James Dobson Family Institute, supported by listeners just like you.

I'm Dr. James Dobson, and I'm thrilled that you've joined us.

Well, welcome to Family Talk, the broadcast division of the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute.

I'm Roger Marsh. Imagine sitting in a classroom every single day knowing that you can't read a single word on the page, and really having no idea why that is the case.

Well, that was the reality for our guest today here

on Family Talk, John Corcoran. John was a man who somehow graduated from college, actually

became a teacher, and reached the age of 48 before he finally learned to read. His story is a

powerful window into the hidden pain of illiteracy in America and the hope that's possible for millions still living in silence.

On today's edition of Dr. James Dobson's family talk, we're going to get into that conversation.

Let's do that right now.

Well, I recall, you know, in second grade, and remember, children are innocent, we go to school

with an open slate, in a sense, innocent, looking to learn to read, write and spell.

And I didn't know what reading and writing was.

In the second grade, I was put in the dumb row because I had a problem processing language.

Surely the teacher didn't call it the dumb row.

No, the teacher did not call it the dumb row, but everyone else called it the dumb roll, and it's the beginning of your, you know, a low self-esteem. If you can't read or write in school, basic fundamental skill to survive in school. Fortunately, I had some math skills, and I had some social skills and some athletic skills. But when it came to

reading, writing, and spelling, I had no skills and didn't know what I was supposed to do. But I

definitely knew that, you know, in the second grade, the third grade, the fourth grade, the fifth

grade, the sixth grade, I was in the Dumro or I was in the buzzard group. You know, we were in a group, but I didn't know why or how I got there.

And I'm sure the teacher set up that system to motivate the kids in the dumb row so they could

work towards the smart role. But I didn't know what the rules were.

I didn't know what to, how to perform or satisfy.

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