The Science of Reading | Toby Johnson

In this episode of the Walkabout Elevations Podcast, I sit down with Toby Johnson, Founder and Director of Education at USA English, whose work spans over 16 years building English learning systems across China and now Vietnam.But this conversation is about what actually happens when people try to learn.Toby spent over a decade in Beijing working inside one of the most competitive private education markets in the world. What he saw there (and what most people miss) is a fundamental gap in how reading is taught.We break down why so many students spend years studying English but never become confident readers… and what actually needs to change.We also explore:The reality of building an education business in China vs VietnamWhy “easy words” aren’t actually easy for most learnersThe phonics gap and what it means for second-language learnersThe Science of Reading movement and why it matters nowHow Toby built Phunics and why decodable books change everythingThe role of technology, data, and phoneme tracking in modern learningWhat parents should really look for when choosing English programs for their kidsThis is a conversation about systems, not shortcuts.If you’re a parent, educator, or someone interested in how people actually learn, this one will shift how you think.🎙️ Walkabout Elevations PodcastReal conversations about performance, mindset, and growth.