Katherine Billington vs Luqman Michel (Part 2)

This is a continuation of my messages with Katie on Twitter.

Katherine Wang

"There are regional differences in the pronunciation throughout the English diaspora of the phonemes and it does not impact the illiteracy rate."

Luqman Michel

Katherine, do you really think I don't know this? You have been hoodwinked into believing that it does not impact literacy. I ask you a direct question. Did you take time to listen to my 5 videos that takes only 15 minutes? Answer me yes/No?

My comment now: It does not matter whether it is the UK, the US or OZ, people have lost the art of discussion. I ask a direct question and when they cannot answer it they:

1.       Ignore the question as if they did not understand as done by Katie Billington above.

2.       Disconnect you like done by Dr.David Boulton, Sara Peden, Stephen Parker and a few others.

Ask them why they disconnected and they will not have a clue.

3.       Give some lame excuse that they are busy like done by Dr.Reid Lyon.

4.       Say that they do not have to respond like our friend Pamela Snow.

5.       Say that questions are irrelevant as responded by Nathaniel Swain.

6.       Don’t respond or comment at all like our Diane Ravitch, Robert Slavin, Jennifer Buckingham and JeffreyBowers,

7.       Push the responsibility to others like ACER.

8.       Give some stupid answer like that given by La Trobe University.

9.       The media, APM Reports and its senior reporter Emily Hanford who promised to look into my findings and never did anything about it.

10.   AND many others

Is it any wonder why there is no improvement in educational standards?

Katherine Wang

It's makes the child responsible for the fact it cannot read and actually the reason the child cannot read is usually poor instruction.

This is why today in the US, the most significant expert on learning to read difficultly uses the term low reader

Katherine Wang

The UK govt uses this term... 20% lowest readers

It does not say these children have dyslexia because in the UK teachers think dyslexia is a get out of jail card. There is something wrong with the child not my teaching. And I can't teach that child it needs a specialist teacher.

Apr 25, 2020, 5:24 PM

My comment: ‘Poor instruction’ – another statement without knowing what it means. Terms like this and ‘instructional casualties, dysteachia etc. are used freely but has anyone ever said what it is that is wrongly instructed for beginner readers that causes kids, to disengage from learning to read?

No! They have been looking for an explanation and when I give it to them they simply cannot accept it.

They cannot be that naïve can they?

Here is a comment from a reader on LinkedIn which says it all.

Luqman Michel, The system has people in fear.

The fear I see all too often in people when their ideas, thoughts and realities are challenged. They are shut down themselves. Via that very fear.

We can either choose to learn from ALL the information available or cherry pick our faves.

There is no way organisations, systems and even people can be either that obtuse or ignorant.

They mess up our kids with such aplomb and consistency it must be deliberate. (Occams razor)

In the meantime, the children they are purporting to help are still struggling.

All the best with it.

I support you.