Why John Can't Spell The title echoes Rudolf Flesch's Why Johnny Can't Read, but Johnny is now John and can barely read and can't spell at all. An illustrated discussion on why this is so follows. The best solution, of course, is to start Johnny out with first readers like the Easy Speedy Series and by the time he is John, the feller will not only be a good speller but a good reader. Fair-haired Jane will most likely be a fair distance ahead of him.