The Human Mind Is Like the Human Egg: Why Educators Resist Phonics + Memorization Despite Quick Wins for Dyslexic Kids

 

The following discussion on Facebook is another excellent example of ‘The human mind is like the human egg’. Once an initial idea or belief gets in—especially about how children learn to read—the mind forms a protective barrier, shutting out contradictory logic, evidence, or real-world success stories, much like a fertilized egg blocks additional sperm. No amount of logic or examples can change a person’s line of thinking once that first “sperm” (a firmly held teaching philosophy) has taken hold. Educators and researchers often cling to their preferred methods despite clear counterexamples from actual teaching.

Dysteachia, Not Dyslexia

 

I read the following Tweet by @SciAdapt and replied him.

Questions and comments are welcome

Adapt And Thrive @SciAdapt Apr 16

Bro. I'm a sped teacher and 1000% yes. I've expressed this concern with my admin, the psychs, anyone who will listen. The refrain is they should've been identified sooner. Or? I have handled 12 referrals in 4th grade alone this year.

If You Don’t Know Anything, What Would You Think About?

 

The title is the question posed by a retired SPED teacher on Twitter. 

My Answer After Teaching 80+ Smart Kids Who Couldn’t Read"

@SciAdapt, Spot on! The big picture is just a series of small steps—and when we teach those steps right, the rest often falls into place.  I’m an accountant, not a trained teacher. Years ago, I started working with a bright boy who had finished kindergarten + Grade 1 but still couldn’t read a single sentence in English. I knew nothing about phonics, so I grabbed a set of Peter and Jane books. I read a sentence, he repeated it after me. We did this for six months until he could read on his own. Then we flipped it—he read while I helped only on tricky words.  That success made me curious.

From Shame to Triumph: Intelligent Children, Prison Literacy, and Global Contrasts

Many intelligent children falter not because of lack of ability, but because of shame avoidance. When early struggles in reading are met with ridicule or punishment, these children misbehave to mask their difficulties. In supportive systems, they thrive; in punitive ones, they derail.

A comment on LinkedIn and my reply

 

I Received a comment on my post ‘Stop Blaming Kids' 'Poor Phonemic Awareness' — It's the Wrong Letter Sounds, Stupid!’ LINK

Here is the comment by Deanna White - Interdisciplinary Studies Major

Sir, while your success in helping students is commendable, neuroscience offers a clearer explanation for why your "letter-naming" method works—and why "rote memorization" isn't actually what is happening in the brain.

Dyslexia, Disengagement, or Poor Initial Instruction? A Candid Discussion on Reading Failure, Orthographic Mapping, and Rapid Recovery

 

Here is an on-going discussion with a lady who is very knowledgeable and open to discussion.

Cynthia Shevel CALT /TCRS Therapy

Cynthia:

As a Certified Academic Language Therapist, Wilson Practitioner, and Intervention Specialist, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how dyslexia is identified and supported here in Ohio—and what families actually experience through the process.

For clarity, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language and are often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

 

Stop Blaming Kids' 'Poor Phonemic Awareness' — It's the Wrong Letter Sounds, Stupid!

 

Here are extracts from a Facebook comment on a post I read today.

Emma Hartnell-Baker

It’s difficult as most have poor phonemic awareness and phonological working memory.

My thoughts:

Here they go again. They teach the wrong sounds of letters and then claim that kids have poor phonemic awareness. Read one of many posts on this at: LINK

The Graduation Gap: US Edition – and Lessons for Malaysia

 

A new analysis by Chad Aldeman for The Collaborative for Student Success reveals a stark “Graduation Gap” across US states: high school graduation rates remain high, yet math proficiency lags dramatically behind.

Examples include Florida (90% graduation vs. 44% proficient in Algebra/Geometry), Connecticut (89% vs. 31% college-ready on SAT math), Rhode Island (84% vs. 23%), Washington D.C. (86% vs. 15%), and Tennessee (92% vs. 29%). Gaps are wider in math than reading, larger with externally validated tests, and especially pronounced for low-income students, English learners, and those with disabilities.

Talk Shows Won’t Fix Education — Early Literacy Will

 

Here are extracts from the talk-show by YB Khairy Jamaluddin.

Malaysia’s grade inflation debate misses the deeper crisis: failing to identify and support intelligent children who struggle with reading early on. Until literacy reform takes priority, more A’s will mean less progress.

We are getting more A’s but our international Benchmarking is getting worse.

Is it because of grade inflation?

These are all views and comments that we hear but no one is incentivized to touch this because parents, students, teachers and the education industry, we have a huge tuition industry, everyone is incentivized to just continue to churn As, and not actually sit down and say, ’Hey, wait a minute, more A’s but Benchmark Internationally we are still doing badly’.

The Joy of Reading and the Scandal of Child Illiteracy by Dr Marlynne Grant, March 31, 2026

 

Original article link

 

As usual, here are extracts and my comments:

The Pike Effect, ISA Shadows, and Why Malaysia Struggles in PISA

 

I recently reached out to Enc. Khairy Jamaluddin for a Zoom meeting after listening to the latest Keluar Sekejap podcast. In that episode, he and Enc. Shahril Hamdan highlighted a striking contrast: more than 13,000 students scored straight A's in SPM 2025 — yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to fall badly. The discussion raised uncomfortable but necessary questions about whether our education system is delivering real excellence or just an illusion of success.

The Pike Effect in Malaysian Education

 

Why We Read, Watch, and Stay Silent — Even When the Glass Barrier Is Gone

Recently, the popular podcast Keluar Sekejap (hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan) sparked an important discussion: In SPM 2025, more than 13,000 students achieved straight A's — a number that looks impressive on paper. Yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to decline. The episode asked a pointed question: Is our education system truly producing excellence, or are we creating an illusion of success? Many of us watched or read about that episode (and similar critiques). We nod in agreement privately. We share the concern about "shut-down kids," rote learning, dyslexia being overlooked, and students who master exams but struggle with real-world application and critical thinking. But how many of us actually comment publicly on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or even in the comments section? Very few!

 

Here is the video link to Keluar sekejap: https://x.com/i/status/2040334125614383385

"The Paradox of Stealth Dyslexia" by Melinda Karshner on Substack

 

You may read the Substack post here. LINK

The article explores stealth dyslexia in twice-exceptional (2e) children — kids who are both highly gifted and dyslexic. Their intelligence allows them to compensate so effectively that their reading difficulties are often hidden, making them appear “fine” on most classroom measures.

Why Children Shut Down and Disengage from Learning to Read

 

For many bright, logical children—especially those labeled dyslexic—learning to read English can trigger a sudden mental shutdown. They sit in class, eyes open, but their minds check out. They hear the teacher but stop listening. What was once eager curiosity turns into blank resistance. This disengagement isn't laziness, defiance, or low intelligence. It's a logical mind protecting itself from what it perceives as nonsense.

Are Teaching Methods at Fault?

 

Are Teaching Methods at Fault?

For decades, dyslexia has been framed as a disability rooted in phonological deficits. Yet my years of teaching show a different reality: many bright, healthy children struggle not because of innate flaws, but because they are taught the wrong sounds of letters. This initial confusion snowballs. English’s inconsistent spelling system only makes matters worse, while these same children read fluently in Malay or Romanized Mandarin — proof that the issue lies in method, not mind.