Sunday, January 26, 2025

Facts and reason may not be enough to shift firmly held views

                                                                   



In 2010, I approached the dean of the University Malaysia Sabah and requested that researchers investigate my theory that dyslexia is not caused by a phonological awareness deficit. However, the dean was not interested. Fortunately, someone from another country did conduct the research.

 

We, in Malaysia, are in a unique position to explore why students can read in Malay and Pinyin but struggle with English. I would welcome any research students interested in investigating this phenomenon. They are free to use the materials on my blog, and there is no need to mention my name - I will be more than happy to assist anyone who wants to pursue this as a research project, as it could make for an excellent PhD thesis.

I make this request as even in the face of evidence and reasoned arguments, people's opinions and beliefs can often remain stubbornly entrenched. This phenomenon highlights the limitations of relying solely on facts and logic to change someone's mind. They have a strong tendency to seek out and interpret information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs and biases. This makes people resistant to counter-evidence that challenges their preconceptions. Individuals also often engage in biased processing of information, prioritizing arguments that support their preferred conclusions and dismissing or discounting contradictory evidence.

 

Furthermore, logical arguments may fail to effectively address the underlying emotional attachments people have to their views. Acknowledging new information that conflicts with existing beliefs can create an unpleasant state of cognitive dissonance, which people often instinctively try to resolve by rejecting the new information.

 

Given these powerful psychological and social dynamics, simply presenting facts and reasoned arguments may not be enough to shift deeply held beliefs. Properly conducted education research is welcome, as it catalyzes our next investigations and invites critical analysis from thoughtful educators. Research informs our decisions, but it rarely identifies definitive action.

 

We should ask questions we rarely have time to explore, such as:

 

i.                    Why can’t many intelligent kids read in English but can read in Malay, Pinyin, and other languages?

ii.                  What happens during the intervention that gets these dyslexic kids to read at grade level and maintain them at grade level?

iii.               How must I teach to ensure kids predisposed to shutting down do not disengage from learning to read and classified as dyslexic?

iv.                What might I be missing in the teaching-learning dynamic?

v.                  What assumptions am I making with this teaching practice, and how are they getting in the way of student learning?

vi.                What biases do I need to shed?

 

That said, caution and prudence are certainly warranted when considering new approaches. By adopting a balanced, evidence-informed, and innovative mindset, we can responsibly push the boundaries of instructional practices and ensure no child is left behind.

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