A Twitter discussion with Renee Harding -19.7.23

 

Here is a Twitter discussion with Renee Harding on kids figuring out how to read.

Luqman Michel @luqmanmichel

No! There is absolutely no need to teach all the phonemes. I have said several times that even when phonemes are taught wrongly a majority of kids somehow figure out how to read.

Renee Harding @rhardin29556971

If the majority of kids were somehow figuring out how to read (i.e., stumbling upon, “discovering,” or activating that “innate” ability [that doesn’t exist]), then why are so few students reading proficiently?!

My comment:

A majority of kids who read are kids who had somehow figured out how to read. I have several videos on how children who are taught sounds represented by letters with extraneous sounds can read nonsense words fluently. Perhaps, Renee will be kind able to shed some light.  LINK

I am talking about decoding or reading as it was defined when I was growing up. Today reading is defined as being able to comprehend what is being read. So, I am talking about decoding and leaving comprehension to the experts in that field.

How does Renee know or decide that reading is not an innate ability? I have repeatedly said that these educators should not say anything that they do not know anything about. I have seen kids suddenly figuring out why they had been unable to read. From that moment on, the graph of their reading level that had been horizontal to the x-axis suddenly moves upwards at a steep incline.

How did my first student learn how to read simply by us reading Peter and Jane books? At that time, I did not know phonics. Let Renee give her views before we move on. Here is one of my post in 2010 on how I taught my first student. The mind figures out the phonemes of letters.

 

Luqman Michel @luqmanmichel

The majority of kids who somehow figure out how to read are those who have learnt to read. The rest simply shut down and are forgotten and many are classified as dyslexic. If teaching is done correctly there will be more who will be able to read.

 

Renee Harding @rhardin29556971

Only a minority of Students learn to read, spell, & write language through exposure alone. Most require DI to efficiently reach full literacy.

There is no way to know which student will struggle with language. To prevent failure, the needs of the most vulnerable students must be met.

 

Luqman Michel @luqmanmichel

What are the needs of the most vulnerable students?

I have stated that they disengage from learning to read because of three main reasons.

1. Do you disagree with any of the 3 reasons?

2. Do you know of any other reason kids disengage from learning to read? 

 

Let us wait patiently for Renee’s reply before we continue with this discussion/ debate.