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Outlook Weekend: The School Teacher Who Couldn't Read

John Corcoran never learned to read or write. He managed to keep his secret for more than 40 years, even when he was a high school teacher.

John Corcoran grew up in the US during the 1940s and 50s. As a kid, John was really looking forward to going to school like his older siblings. But once he got there, he realised he had a problem: he couldn't learn how to read and write. John felt demoralised and degraded, but he kept his secret for more than 40 years. During that time he managed to finish school, graduate, and he even became a high school teacher. How did he do that?

Image: book with letters flying off the page
Credit: efks/Getty Images

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Sun 15 Apr 2018 09:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 14 Apr 2018 21:06GMT
  • Sat 14 Apr 2018 23:06GMT
  • Sun 15 Apr 2018 09:06GMT

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Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

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