I vehemently disagree with what
Rachna Varia says in her video.
This video shares what dyslexia is, what it's not, and what needs to be done!“Dyslexia is a language based learning disability that impacts phonological processing in reading…”“Phonological processing is the ability to see or hear a word, break it down to discrete sounds, and then associate each sound with letter/s that make up the word”.
My comment: Both the statements above are erroneous. It is
PhD holders like her who write as if they are authorities on subjects that they
know little about. This is one of the problems that hinders the progress of
education.
I have written many articles in my blog saying that dyslexia
is not a language based disability unless of course, Rachna Varia thinks that
English is the only language in the world. The late PM of Singapore,Lee Kuan Yew, who was a
dyslexic spoke 6 languages. All my dyslexic students over the past 11 years
could read in languages other than English when they first came to me. As such,
how can one say that Dyslexia is a language based learning disability?
There are reports in my blog here which state that kids who learn to read in Italian are dyslexic when it comes to reading in the English language. As such it is not a language based learning disability.
Rachna Varia’s definition of ‘Phonological processing’ is
incorrect.
Phonological processing is the ability to recognize and
manipulate the sounds of spoken words.
You cannot SEE the word, you can only HEAR it.
Phonological processing includes phonemic processing which is
the ability of recognizing and manipulating phonemes in spoken words.
Rachna and many teachers have not grasped the differences
between phonemic and phonics awareness.
Very simply put, phonics has to do with printed words. It
deals with letters and various sounds represented by those letters. It is an
academic skill. In other words phonics starts with letters first and children
are taught the sounds that those letters make.
Phonemic awareness which falls under the umbrella of phonological
awareness has to do with the oral sounds in spoken words. It has nothing
directly to do with letters. It is a mental/linguistic skill.
Therefore phonics awareness is not the same as phonological
awareness.
A simple way to differentiate the two is to remember that
phonemic awareness and phonological awareness can be done with the eyes closed
whilst phonics cannot. Phonemic awareness and phonological awareness deal with oral input whilst phonics
deals with visual input.
I repeat ‘Phonological Awareness’ is the awareness of sounds
only. It is void of print. No letters are introduced and no sound to symbol
correspondence is taught.
Herein lies the problem with reducing the illiteracy rate.
The PhD’s say that Phonological processing is the problem with dyslexics not
being able to read and teachers believe what the PhD’s say and continue barking
up the wrong tree. If you look for a solution to a nonexistent problem how do
you reduce illiteracy rate?
NOTE: I do not like to use the word dyslexic kids. I prefer the term shut-down kids.
6 comments:
I agree. My kid shuts down every time we ask him to read!
Thank you Kevin for this confirmation.
I saw one of my students today after 10 years. Her name is Yoshini Thiagarajan and she is in form 4 (grade 10) in St. Francis Convent in Kota Kinabalu.
She is the girl who had refused to say the word fox as to her it should have been sounded by me as 'fuh- ox'.
I am happy to say that she is now in the top 5 in her school.
She represented the State of Sabah in National Coral Speaking in Selangor in 2013.
I will write about her soon.
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Hello Halton Hills Christian School and thank you for your comment.
I wish you well.
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Thank you Mary Jacknow.
Yes, my blog posts are useful for those who find it useful.
I wish you well.
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