Verifiable 'Truths'

Here are some extracts of what one of my connections, Anne McDonald, had written in LinkedIn. She is the Founder, owner, Scotland Study Centre.

“…We have the right to believe whatever we want, no matter how illogical, but we should spread only objective information and verifiable "truths." Spreading unsubstantiated belief systems and propaganda is dangerous.  We need to develop the critical thinking and language skills necessary to distinguish verifiable facts from propaganda/beliefs.

General belief systems aren't a threat, but it's important to combat incorrect and dangerous views when they have a chance of pervading greater society."

My comment: How does one verify 'truth' when one does not discuss matters openly. For instance, back in 2010, I wrote to several universities and to many professors and extensively on the internet that the age-old theory that 'phonological awareness deficit cannot be the cause of dyslexia. No one agreed even though I gave them anecdotal evidence.

That theory was debunked in 2015 after research reports surfaced.

Anne’s response: Hi Luqman.  Yes, discussion is necessary.  But if you have research, you have to be careful about how you share it.  You have to publish it under your name, as people will otherwise steal it as theirs.   

My comment: Yes, many have stolen my ideas but that does not bother me. Many have taken my ideas from my book 'Shut down kids' and that helps the masses and that is all that matters to me. 

I debated on phonological awareness deficit with the giants on that subject and some students who visited my blog in 2010/2011 did some thesis on it. The important thing is that now I don't see many articles claiming phonological awareness deficit as the culprit as I used to see between 2004 and 2010.

Even our friend Timothy Shanahan who vehemently disagreed with my theory in 2015 calmed down in 2017. 

You may read a few of my articles and comments on blogs in 2010 by Googling 'Phonological awareness deficit Luqman'.

Luqman Michel: If David Boulton had discussed without pulling ranks by asking me for my credentials, we would have reduced illiteracy a great deal by now.

We have been waging reading wars for decades shifting from whole language to phonics back to whole language when in fact phonemes are taught wrongly thus confusing many kids. 

Is there anyone here to discuss this openly?

Luqman Michel: I know, many kids are confused because of being taught the wrong phonemes of consonants. This is a verifiable fact and I have verified it. But when I write about it, I am asked for research reports. Where do I find research reports?

Luqman Michel: Another one of my 'theory' is that many kids shut down from learning to read because of confusion. Thorndike had emphasised the importance of initial input in as early as 1903.

Read more in my blog post here.  

When initial input is inaccurate many kids disengage from learning to read.

Now, isn't it common sense that consonant sounds should not be taught with extraneous sounds?

Why then are many schools throughout the world teaching phonemes wrongly and blaming phonics as the culprit?

I have taught more than 70 over kids and observed them and interviewed them over a period of 15 years.

Almost all my students could read in Malay but not in English. 

When I 'interview' them and find out the reason why and write about it, I am asked for research reports.

Where do I find research reports to say that Consonants should not be taught with extraneous sounds?

Subscribe to my YouTube channel on why many smart kids shut down from learning to read and are then wrongly classified as dyslexic.