The Human Mind Is Like the Human Egg: Why Educators Resist Phonics + Memorization Despite Quick Wins for Dyslexic Kids

 

The following discussion on Facebook is another excellent example of ‘The human mind is like the human egg’. Once an initial idea or belief gets in—especially about how children learn to read—the mind forms a protective barrier, shutting out contradictory logic, evidence, or real-world success stories, much like a fertilized egg blocks additional sperm. No amount of logic or examples can change a person’s line of thinking once that first “sperm” (a firmly held teaching philosophy) has taken hold. Educators and researchers often cling to their preferred methods despite clear counterexamples from actual teaching.

Dysteachia, Not Dyslexia

 

I read the following Tweet by @SciAdapt and replied him.

Questions and comments are welcome

Adapt And Thrive @SciAdapt Apr 16

Bro. I'm a sped teacher and 1000% yes. I've expressed this concern with my admin, the psychs, anyone who will listen. The refrain is they should've been identified sooner. Or? I have handled 12 referrals in 4th grade alone this year.

If You Don’t Know Anything, What Would You Think About?

 

The title is the question posed by a retired SPED teacher on Twitter. 

My Answer After Teaching 80+ Smart Kids Who Couldn’t Read"

@SciAdapt, Spot on! The big picture is just a series of small steps—and when we teach those steps right, the rest often falls into place.  I’m an accountant, not a trained teacher. Years ago, I started working with a bright boy who had finished kindergarten + Grade 1 but still couldn’t read a single sentence in English. I knew nothing about phonics, so I grabbed a set of Peter and Jane books. I read a sentence, he repeated it after me. We did this for six months until he could read on his own. Then we flipped it—he read while I helped only on tricky words.  That success made me curious.

From Shame to Triumph: Intelligent Children, Prison Literacy, and Global Contrasts

Many intelligent children falter not because of lack of ability, but because of shame avoidance. When early struggles in reading are met with ridicule or punishment, these children misbehave to mask their difficulties. In supportive systems, they thrive; in punitive ones, they derail.

A comment on LinkedIn and my reply

 

I Received a comment on my post ‘Stop Blaming Kids' 'Poor Phonemic Awareness' — It's the Wrong Letter Sounds, Stupid!’ LINK

Here is the comment by Deanna White - Interdisciplinary Studies Major

Sir, while your success in helping students is commendable, neuroscience offers a clearer explanation for why your "letter-naming" method works—and why "rote memorization" isn't actually what is happening in the brain.

Dyslexia, Disengagement, or Poor Initial Instruction? A Candid Discussion on Reading Failure, Orthographic Mapping, and Rapid Recovery

 

Here is an on-going discussion with a lady who is very knowledgeable and open to discussion.

Cynthia Shevel CALT /TCRS Therapy

Cynthia:

As a Certified Academic Language Therapist, Wilson Practitioner, and Intervention Specialist, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately on how dyslexia is identified and supported here in Ohio—and what families actually experience through the process.

For clarity, the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language and are often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction.

 

Stop Blaming Kids' 'Poor Phonemic Awareness' — It's the Wrong Letter Sounds, Stupid!

 

Here are extracts from a Facebook comment on a post I read today.

Emma Hartnell-Baker

It’s difficult as most have poor phonemic awareness and phonological working memory.

My thoughts:

Here they go again. They teach the wrong sounds of letters and then claim that kids have poor phonemic awareness. Read one of many posts on this at: LINK

The Graduation Gap: US Edition – and Lessons for Malaysia

 

A new analysis by Chad Aldeman for The Collaborative for Student Success reveals a stark “Graduation Gap” across US states: high school graduation rates remain high, yet math proficiency lags dramatically behind.

Examples include Florida (90% graduation vs. 44% proficient in Algebra/Geometry), Connecticut (89% vs. 31% college-ready on SAT math), Rhode Island (84% vs. 23%), Washington D.C. (86% vs. 15%), and Tennessee (92% vs. 29%). Gaps are wider in math than reading, larger with externally validated tests, and especially pronounced for low-income students, English learners, and those with disabilities.

Talk Shows Won’t Fix Education — Early Literacy Will

 

Here are extracts from the talk-show by YB Khairy Jamaluddin.

Malaysia’s grade inflation debate misses the deeper crisis: failing to identify and support intelligent children who struggle with reading early on. Until literacy reform takes priority, more A’s will mean less progress.

We are getting more A’s but our international Benchmarking is getting worse.

Is it because of grade inflation?

These are all views and comments that we hear but no one is incentivized to touch this because parents, students, teachers and the education industry, we have a huge tuition industry, everyone is incentivized to just continue to churn As, and not actually sit down and say, ’Hey, wait a minute, more A’s but Benchmark Internationally we are still doing badly’.

The Joy of Reading and the Scandal of Child Illiteracy by Dr Marlynne Grant, March 31, 2026

 

Original article link

 

As usual, here are extracts and my comments:

The Pike Effect, ISA Shadows, and Why Malaysia Struggles in PISA

 

I recently reached out to Enc. Khairy Jamaluddin for a Zoom meeting after listening to the latest Keluar Sekejap podcast. In that episode, he and Enc. Shahril Hamdan highlighted a striking contrast: more than 13,000 students scored straight A's in SPM 2025 — yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to fall badly. The discussion raised uncomfortable but necessary questions about whether our education system is delivering real excellence or just an illusion of success.

The Pike Effect in Malaysian Education

 

Why We Read, Watch, and Stay Silent — Even When the Glass Barrier Is Gone

Recently, the popular podcast Keluar Sekejap (hosted by Khairy Jamaluddin and Shahril Hamdan) sparked an important discussion: In SPM 2025, more than 13,000 students achieved straight A's — a number that looks impressive on paper. Yet Malaysia's PISA scores continue to decline. The episode asked a pointed question: Is our education system truly producing excellence, or are we creating an illusion of success? Many of us watched or read about that episode (and similar critiques). We nod in agreement privately. We share the concern about "shut-down kids," rote learning, dyslexia being overlooked, and students who master exams but struggle with real-world application and critical thinking. But how many of us actually comment publicly on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or even in the comments section? Very few!

 

Here is the video link to Keluar sekejap: https://x.com/i/status/2040334125614383385

"The Paradox of Stealth Dyslexia" by Melinda Karshner on Substack

 

You may read the Substack post here. LINK

The article explores stealth dyslexia in twice-exceptional (2e) children — kids who are both highly gifted and dyslexic. Their intelligence allows them to compensate so effectively that their reading difficulties are often hidden, making them appear “fine” on most classroom measures.

Why Children Shut Down and Disengage from Learning to Read

 

For many bright, logical children—especially those labeled dyslexic—learning to read English can trigger a sudden mental shutdown. They sit in class, eyes open, but their minds check out. They hear the teacher but stop listening. What was once eager curiosity turns into blank resistance. This disengagement isn't laziness, defiance, or low intelligence. It's a logical mind protecting itself from what it perceives as nonsense.

Are Teaching Methods at Fault?

 

Are Teaching Methods at Fault?

For decades, dyslexia has been framed as a disability rooted in phonological deficits. Yet my years of teaching show a different reality: many bright, healthy children struggle not because of innate flaws, but because they are taught the wrong sounds of letters. This initial confusion snowballs. English’s inconsistent spelling system only makes matters worse, while these same children read fluently in Malay or Romanized Mandarin — proof that the issue lies in method, not mind.

Nancy Hennessy's Wisdom: The Majority of Struggling Readers Aren't Dyslexic – And We Are Failing Them Anyway

For years I have argued that most children labelled “dyslexic” in English-speaking systems are not truly dyslexic. They are bright kids who shut down because of confusion introduced by poor teaching—especially the extraneous vowel sounds added to consonants (“buh” instead of pure /b/) that make blending impossible. Remove that confusion with pure sounds, structured practice, and high-frequency word automaticity, and they read fluently. I have seen it in more than eighty children I taught personally.

From Torgesen to Today: Refining the Model – The Small Core vs. the Preventable Flood

 

In Parts 1 and 2, we examined real-world evidence that most children labelled “dyslexic” in English-speaking systems are not truly dyslexic in the neurobiological sense. Singapore's top PISA reading performance (543 points in 2022, OECD average 476; 89% at Level 2 proficiency or higher) and low reported dyslexia rate (~3.5% of Primary 3 students per MOE data from 2016–2019) show what happens when explicit, pure-sound instruction prevents confusion from the start. Cross-language cases (kids reading Malay or clean Pinyin fluently but struggling in English) prove the issue is often instructional—extraneous sounds (“buh” vs. pure /b/) create artificial blending failures and shutdowns, not an innate phonological deficit.

Cross-Language Proof: When Teaching Is Clean, “Dyslexia” Vanishes – Lessons from Malay, Pinyin, and Beyond

In Part 1, we saw how Singapore's consistent top performance in PISA reading (543 points in 2022, well above the OECD average of 476, with 89% of students at proficiency Level 2 or higher) aligns with a low reported dyslexia rate (~3.5% of Primary 3 students per MOE data from 2016–2019). Their explicit, systematic early instruction—pure sounds from the start, no extraneous vowels on consonants—prevents most confusion and shutdowns that lead to labels elsewhere.

The Preventable Majority: Why Most “Dyslexic” Kids Aren’t – And Singapore Proves It

 

For over fifteen years I have been saying the same thing: the vast majority of children labelled “dyslexic” in English-speaking countries are not dyslexic at all. They are intelligent kids who shut down because they were taught reading in a way that created confusion. Once the confusion is removed, they read. I have seen it happen with more than eighty children I taught one-to-one between 2004 and 2019.Yet every year the numbers keep rising. In the US, UK, Australia and many other places, 10 % to 20 % of children are now being told they have dyslexia. That cannot be right. A real neurobiological condition that affects the way the brain processes spoken sounds should not suddenly explode to one in five children just because we changed the way we label it.

Singapore shows us the truth. The Singapore Evidence:

Truth vs. Tone: Why Both Matter in Communication

 

The phrase “It is better to be a wolf that everyone hates than a donkey that everyone rides” sparked an interesting discussion on LinkedIn recently.

We often hear that “the truth speaks for itself.” But in practice, truth rarely travels alone—it arrives wrapped in tone, timing, and context. And while tone should never be used as an excuse to dismiss truth, it often determines whether truth is heard or rejected.

 

1. Truth is Necessary, but Not Always Sufficient

Facts are the foundation of progress. Without truth, cooperation collapses.

 

Yet human beings are not purely rational. We filter truth through emotions, status, and identity. If the delivery feels like an attack, people may resist—even when the content is correct.

Enhancing Reading Comprehension for Dyslexic Children

 

As a parent, teacher, or caregiver of a child with dyslexia, you might notice challenges in reading comprehension that seem daunting at first. But the good news is that these issues are often not inherent to dyslexia itself—instead, they're frequently tied to factors like fluency, vocabulary gaps, and a lack of interest or background knowledge. 

Navigating the Pitfalls of Mandarin Podcasts

 

A Learner's Frustration with Pronunciation and Tones

As someone who's spent years navigating the world of dyslexia and education—teaching kids labeled as dyslexic and authoring insights on why so many struggle with reading—I've come to appreciate how crucial clear, accurate instruction is in any language learning journey. In my recent blog post, "Unlocking the Potential of China's Dyslexic Students (Part 1)," I delved into the literacy challenges in Chinese schools, where a persistent 20-25% of students disengage due to confusion from flawed teaching methods. There, I highlighted how mixing Pinyin with Bopomofo initial sounds creates unnecessary hurdles: "Curious intelligent kids in China are confused when they cannot blend pinyin finals with bopomofo initials." This mirrors a broader issue I've encountered in my own pursuit of Mandarin fluency—frustrations with podcasts aimed at learners that butcher tones and pronunciation, undermining the language's inherent beauty and clarity.

Professional scepticism

 

My comments on a Substack Article by David Didau

Luqman Michel

Dec 16, 2025

Here are comments on Substack that I made on 16.12.2025 which has not received any response.

David Didau wrote: “We discount evidence that challenges us and overvalue evidence that confirms what we already think. The aim of research should not be to prove ourselves right but to find out where we are wrong.”

Unlocking Reading for "Dyslexic" Kids at No Cost – The Paradox of Parents Who Won't Try It

 

For years I've taught over 80 children labeled "dyslexic"—intelligent kids who couldn't read well despite average or above-average IQs. I've seen the same patterns: confusion from mixed phonics cues, shutdown from nonsense-word drills, and frustration from methods that don't align with how the brain actually learns to read. My approach is different, targeted, and fast: Give me a child with no vision or hearing issues who's behind grade level, and I'll get them reading proficiently in 4 months or less—with only 2 hours per week via Zoom.

The best part? It's completely free upfront. Parents pay nothing until they're satisfied their child is reading at (or above) grade level—and only if they choose to contribute afterward. No contracts, no pressure.

Another video on Pinyin taught wrongly

 

Around February 9, 2026, I came across a video by an English-speaking teacher based in Thailand. Her teaching style was engaging, so I subscribed to her channel to explore more content. However, I was disappointed to find a video on teaching Pinyin that promotes a non-standard approach.

In the video (available here: LINK), around the 4:10 mark, the teacher explains: "We use finals to make the letter clearer." She then demonstrates teaching Mandarin initials by pairing them with finals—similar to the traditional Bopomofo (Zhuyin) method—claiming that pronouncing the initials alone (as they might sound in English) is unclear, so they should always be taught with an added final for accuracy.

Pinyin Teaching Pitfalls in China:

 

The "玻坡摸佛" (Bofomopo) Mnemonic and Its Impact on Early Reading

As someone who has closely observed and documented grade 1 Pinyin teaching in mainland China through numerous videos, I have identified a persistent issue: the widespread use of the rote mnemonic "玻坡摸佛" (bō pō mō fō, often shortened to "bofomopo") for the labial initials b p m f. While this chant is traditional and helps many children quickly memorize the four initials, it frequently creates fixed-vowel interference that hinders proper blending (拼读) and leads some kids—especially those with dyslexia-like sensitivities or phonological processing challenges—to shut down from reading Pinyin and, consequently, characters.

China's Influencer Rules and the Shifting Sounds of Mandarin

 

On October 25, 2025, China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) rolled out a major regulatory change: online influencers and content creators must now hold verified professional credentials—university degrees, licenses, certifications, or official stamps—to discuss "sensitive" or "serious" topics like education, medicine, law, or finance. Platforms such as Douyin (TikTok's Chinese version), Bilibili, and Weibo are required to verify these qualifications, with penalties including fines up to 100,000 yuan (~$14,000 USD), content removal, account suspensions, or permanent bans for non-compliance.

Lessons from Offering Help Without Charge

                                                         

I’ve discovered a paradox: when help is offered freely, many dismiss it; when a high fee is attached, people suddenly perceive value. Parents often post desperate pleas for guidance, yet when genuine, no‑strings‑attached support is extended, they hesitate or disappear.

We Were Sold Another Story—But There's a Better Way

Challenging the Phonics-Only Fix for "Dyslexic" Kids

This morning, 4 February 2026, I came across Melinda Karshner's thoughtful Substack post, "We Were Sold Another Story" (Feb 04, 2026). As a parent of a dyslexic child and an advocate who's been in the trenches, she raises valid frustrations about how the big push for Structured Literacy and heavy phonics hasn't delivered the promised miracle for many kids—especially those with dyslexia. She describes her own daughter's ongoing struggles (shutdowns, anxiety, headaches) despite intensive phonics through programs like Fundations and Into Reading, sometimes three times a day. She rightly calls out box-checking curricula that look perfect on paper but fail in practice: mismatched pacing, lack of depth, no rich texts for application, and overload that ignores nuance and real engagement.

Group Dynamics, Misdiagnosis, and Systemic Error

 

The phrase often attributed to George Carlin — "never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups" — is catchy, but it misdiagnoses the problem. It suggests that dysfunction arises from individual stupidity, when in reality, the danger lies in systemic misdirection and the dynamics of group behavior.

Consider evidence that contradicts your beliefs.

 

The image above and its message resonate deeply with me, especially in the field of reading instruction and dyslexia

"You must always be willing to truly consider evidence that contradicts

your beliefs, and admit the possibility that you may be wrong.

Intelligence isn't knowing everything, it's the ability to challenge

everything you know."

Gatekeeping and Dysteachia: Ethical Dilemmas in Literacy Instruction That Prevent Student Success

                                    

        Get a copy of 'Teach Your Child to Read' LINK

Today, 29 January 2026, I read a post on LinkedIn by Sheron “The Ethicist” Fraser-Burgess, MSc. It invited educators to share ethical dilemmas they’ve faced, anonymous or named, to shape monthly dialogues.

 

After more than 20 years tutoring children labeled “dyslexic,” I’ve reached a clear conclusion: most reading struggles are not incurable brain-based disorders. They are often dysteachia—preventable failure caused by confusing, mismatched, or dogmatic instruction, later mislabeled as dyslexia. Children shut down, disengage, and fall behind not because they cannot learn, but because the system blocks clear, evidence-based paths to success.

Responding to a LinkedIn Post by Judine V on Teacher Burnout and Student Misbehaviour

  (For parents with dyslexic kids get a copy of 'Teach Your Child to Read') LINK

The Missing Piece—Shame Avoidance in Intelligent Children

A recent LinkedIn post powerfully captured the hidden toll of modern teaching: the constant emotional labor required to be present for 20+ students, regulate the classroom, respond with empathy, and manage behavior—all without adequate structural support. The author rightly points out that student misbehaviour often communicates unmet needs, but teachers' burnout, disengagement, or departure from the profession communicates something too: care without backup has limits. Student well-being and teacher well-being truly are the same priority, and sustainable classrooms require counseling teams, shared leadership on behaviour systems, and policies that don't place the entire emotional burden on one adult.

Debunking the Phonics-Only Myth:

 

A Balanced Approach to Teaching Reading to Dyslexic Students

In a recent LinkedIn post, reading consultant Brian Vieira argued strongly against sight word or whole word instruction, calling it the “worst way” to teach reading. He emphasized the superiority of phonics-based methods, pointing to the vast number of English words, the finite set of speech sounds, and scientific evidence favoring sound processing over memorization.

When Minds Shut Down – Confusion, Fixed Beliefs, and the Tipping Point

 

I’ve seen it countless times in my work with ‘dyslexic’ students: the moment when a child is present in body but absent in mind. They hear the words, but they’re not really listening. They’re not processing. Their mind has quietly “switched off.”

 

And truth be told, this isn’t unique to dyslexia. It’s something all of us experience in everyday life.

Dyslexic Children and Reading Comprehension

   

                               

 

We’ve already seen how poor teaching methods—whether Whole Word or phonics—can leave children confused about the very basics of reading. But what happens when decoding looks fine, yet comprehension falters? Too often, the label “dyslexia” is applied without asking the harder question: is the real issue fluency, or language itself?

A Parent’s Guide to Reading with Children

 

Why Reading Aloud Still Matters

Yesterday, I reflected on the challenges children face when learning to read, and the importance of balancing phonics with sight word instruction. Today, I want to turn to something equally vital but often overlooked: the power of reading aloud.

If decoding skills are the mechanics of reading, then reading aloud is the heart—it brings stories to life, nurtures comprehension, and builds the emotional connection that makes books more than just words on a page.

Mastering Sequencing Challenges in Dyslexia: From My First Student to Practical Strategies

 

Fifteen years ago, when I first began tutoring children with dyslexia, one challenge stood out above all others: sequencing difficulties. These struggles—processing and ordering information correctly—often became the most persistent and frustrating hurdle for my students.

The Pygmalion Effect: Unlocking Potential Through Expectation and Encouragement

 

What Is the Pygmalion Effect?

The Pygmalion effect describes how belief and expectation can shape performance. When teachers or parents expect a child to succeed, the child often rises to meet that expectation. It’s a powerful reminder that encouragement is not just emotional support—it’s a catalyst for achievement.

It’s Often the Teaching, Not the Child – And Why Phonics vs Whole Language Misses the Point

 

In my last post, I argued that most children who struggle with reading are not “disabled” in the clinical sense, but rather victims of poor or confusing teaching. When the foundations are muddled—wrong sounds, distorted input, or unclear strategies—many children disengage, and once that shut-down happens, remediation becomes far harder.

Why So Many Children Struggle with Reading

 

It's Often the Teaching, Not the Child

In 2010, my mentor, Dr. Richard Selznick, shared a profound insight that has stuck with me ever since: most children on the left side of the bell curve aren't truly "disabled" in the clinical sense. Instead, they are often "teaching disabled" or "curriculum disabled." These kids thrive when given structured, explicit instruction with ample practice and immediate feedback. True dyslexia—where a child struggles profoundly even with the best teaching—is far rarer.