I engage in discussions in forums under Literacy for
Reluctant and Struggling students in Linkedin. A teacher there keeps talking about
scientific method of teaching being the only way to improve literacy. When I
asked her specifically and the group in general as to why the rate of
illiteracy has not come down since the 1970’s she nor the group responded. I
asked her why scientific method of teaching has not been implemented in schools
and if it has why then there is no improvement in literacy even after George Bush’s
‘No child left behind policy’ introduced in 2001. Again there is no answer.
Whatever I had said in Linkedin about my teaching experiences with dyslexic kids is brushed
off as anecdotal and has “no place in scientific teaching”.
I find
that most of these so called scientific educators in that forum are there only
to sell their wares.
In the
last few posts I have written about my Face Book discussion with Rova Rose- Bob
(Retired MD) who insists that the
solution to illiteracy is to teach kids to handwrite alphabets fluently. This
was despite the fact that I told him that I taught my daughter to read fluently
without teaching her to write any of the letters. I also told him that in
Malaysia most of our school going kids can write the alphabets fluently but are
unable to read fluently but Rova Rose does not care to listen. One kind thing
he had said is that I am logical in what I am saying..... and yet he won't listen to what I have to say.
Dr. Rova
Rose keeps saying the same thing despite Kate Gladstone saying on 1.7.2015 in
Bob’s face book page: "Actually, I've met
seriously struggling readers who could churn out page after page of impeccable
cursive or ball-and-stick printing ... and who could not read even what they
had just copied."
Kate Gladstone repeated by saying: “I see kids (and grown-ups) who are whizzes at rapidly
naming alphabet letters... and who cannot read, other than naming letters
rapidly”.
The
above incidences in Linkedin and with Rova Rose remind me of a video on You
Tube which I recommend you all to watch until the end. I believe this video
clearly shows that once something has been embedded in one’s mind it is almost
impossible to alter it. No amount of proof is going to change Dr.Rova Rose’s
stand when he says that “the
best indicator of future reading success is the ability of kids to name random
alphabet letters quickly. Many studies have shown that handwriting is the best
way to teach letter names”.
Someone
had said that handwriting is the best way to teach letter names and Bob has
extended that and is now saying that handwriting is the solution to illiteracy.
Please
watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0
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