America’s Gods of education

One of the most important business of God to be done on earth is to reduce the illiteracy rate. I have written many posts on how the number of kids leaving school each year as illiterates may be reduced and know that many people read my posts but I hardly get any ‘likes’ let alone comments in LinkedIn. Most of the likes are from connections in LinkedIn who are not teachers. 

I believe the reason is simply because most of my connections are afraid to get into the wrong books of the ‘Gods of Education’ of US. Yes, this is another creativity of America that is not acknowledged.

Here are some comments from members in LinkedIn which are sent to my message box in LinkedIn and some to messenger on Facebook.

From UK

11.9.2017

I think that in England we have an education system that is increasingly not fit for purpose and you're right there is huge disengagement with formal learning. Let's create a debate as with new ideas out there maybe things will start to change and young people will actually get the education they deserve? I send you all best wishes and kindest regards.

14.9.2017

Many thanks for your lovely and informative message and I love some of your articles and your approach as I think you're seriously on to something. As the mother of an acutely dyslexic but majorly intelligent child I can only attest to the long struggle we've been through to get her where she should be i.e. starting University next week!

From US:

Yes. He (Timothy Shanahan) is just a close-minded fool who perpetuates bad teaching practices and theory. A lot of what is wrong with how the Anglo countries teach reading stems from him.

Luqman, I can get most dyslexic kids reading at their grade level in a year. All it takes is a logical teaching method with systematic teaching of how the spelling patterns in English work. I know you know this, but it breaks my heart that others don't realize this.

I do like Dr Reid Lyon though. He is for the systematic teaching of Reading using methods that work for these kids. You might disagree with how he finds and identifies the kids but he is for teaching methods like you and I use. However, I have never corresponded with him. I just saw his YouTube videos.

A comment from the above writer in a subsequent post.

Excellent blog Luqman.  So well written and very true. Love how you turn their arguments against them!!

A few comments from members of my blog and Facebook who are not on LinkedIn.

Malaysia:

Brother Luqman, They ignored you because you don’t have a Dr. in front of your name. Sad because of their pride, they have stopped learning.

Bro...PhD can also mean Permanent Head Damage :D on Extracts of interview – Timothy Shanahan in COTC (Part 2)

Malaysia:

Experience comes with in-depth understanding of the causes and improving it over time. However, there are people with only one year experience but repeating over 50 years thus claiming to have 50 years experience. This shows the difference between someone who is very dedicated to helping disconnected kids and improving their lives as against those who want to promote themselves without understanding the issues at hand. on Coincidence or Grace

Australia:

Most people tend to think that their opinion is the only one that counts, and base this on their experience. Fifty years experience is often only 12 months experience repeated. In your case you have identified the learning problem with children and have proven to yourself and others, that persistence with a correct method overcomes initial incorrect direction. Tim doesn’t understand that substantial research does not match a positive result. It doesn’t matter how many studies there are, unless the correct answer is found and formalised, it is all a waste. The old saying about a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, definitely applies with your teachings. on Coincidence or Grace

Malaysia:

Simply put. This problem arises from a disease call ‘Intellectual Arrogance’; period. on Facts Don’t Change People’s Minds. Here’s What Does

Here is an email from someone in UK in 2010 in response to my email which may be relevant. The last sentence is vital.

To:luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk

13 Mar 2010 at 02:02

I read your email with interest.  The biggest difference in what you see and what centres and schools teach is the difference between phonics and phonemes. Dyslexic students -and I think all students-  need to hear and understand phonemes before they can grasp phonics. Phonics combine the sound with the letter through a key word most times - a as in apple. Well if the child cannot segment the sound of /a/, then putting it into a word serves no purpose to him.  So each and every sound - needs to be taught in isolation- as a phoneme or sound. Then introduce the different orthographic representations.  Dyslexia by definition tells you that the student has trouble with language. This means that they struggle with the sound/symbol relationship. Take those "symbols" or letters away and focus on sounds. Whew you will be amazed!

Of course adding phonemes at the end of an isolated phoneme is criminal -for example, /bu/ instead of just /b/.  This is hard to do but it must be done. I explain it saying /b/, not /bu/ because it could be /ba/, /bi/, /bo/, /bl/, etc.