Teach the Brain Forums

Any comments to the the article below from today's BBC News and which was also discussed on the radio (reference http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4205932.stm) :

An education professor has cast doubt on the scientific validity of the term 'dyslexia', saying experts cannot agree on what it is or how to treat it.
Writing in the Times Educational Supplement, Julian Elliott said it was largely an "emotional construct".

The Durham University professor questions the scientific validity of the term 'dyslexia', saying diagnosis does not lead to particular treatment.

The British Dyslexia Association says the claims are inflammatory.

Professor Elliott, a psychologist, said his argument was based on "an exhaustive review of the research literature".

After 30 years in the field, he said, he had little confidence in his ability to diagnose dyslexia.

Professor Elliott told the BBC News website: "There is no consensus as to what it is and how to diagnose it. People describe all sorts of symptoms as dyslexia. And if you do diagnose it, it does not point to any intervention in particular.

"It's one of those terms that is like the Cheshire Cat - if it does exist, we don't know what to do about it."

He said, contrary to talk of 'miracle cures', there was no sound, widely-accepted body of scientific work that had shown that any particular teaching approach was more appropriate for 'dyslexic' children than for other poor readers".

Dyslexia is defined by BBC health expert Dr Rob Hicks as "a congenital and developmental condition that causes neurological anomalies in the brain.

"It includes a range of types of learning difficulties where a person of normal intelligence has persistent and significant problems with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes mathematics and musical notation."

'Delusional'

Professor Elliott's claims have angered the British Dyslexia Association.

The charity's chief executive Professor Susan Tresman said: "I cannot accept that view, given the number of researchers into dyslexia that we work with. There were 900 delegates from 35 countries at our conference last year.

Professor Elliott told the BBC News website: "There is no consensus as to what it is and how to diagnose it. People describe all sorts of symptoms as dyslexia. And if you do diagnose it, it does not point to any intervention in particular.

"It's one of those terms that is like the Cheshire Cat - if it does exist, we don't know what to do about it."

He said, contrary to talk of 'miracle cures', there was no sound, widely-accepted body of scientific work that had shown that any particular teaching approach was more appropriate for 'dyslexic' children than for other poor readers".

Dyslexia is defined by BBC health expert Dr Rob Hicks as "a congenital and developmental condition that causes neurological anomalies in the brain.

"It includes a range of types of learning difficulties where a person of normal intelligence has persistent and significant problems with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes mathematics and musical notation."

'Delusional'

Professor Elliott's claims have angered the British Dyslexia Association.

The charity's chief executive Professor Susan Tresman said: "I cannot accept that view, given the number of researchers into dyslexia that we work with. There were 900 delegates from 35 countries at our conference last year.

Professor Elliott told the BBC News website: "There is no consensus as to what it is and how to diagnose it. People describe all sorts of symptoms as dyslexia. And if you do diagnose it, it does not point to any intervention in particular.

"It's one of those terms that is like the Cheshire Cat - if it does exist, we don't know what to do about it."

He said, contrary to talk of 'miracle cures', there was no sound, widely-accepted body of scientific work that had shown that any particular teaching approach was more appropriate for 'dyslexic' children than for other poor readers".

Dyslexia is defined by BBC health expert Dr Rob Hicks as "a congenital and developmental condition that causes neurological anomalies in the brain.

"It includes a range of types of learning difficulties where a person of normal intelligence has persistent and significant problems with reading, writing, spelling and sometimes mathematics and musical notation."

'Delusional'

Professor Elliott's claims have angered the British Dyslexia Association.

The charity's chief executive Professor Susan Tresman said: "I cannot accept that view, given the number of researchers into dyslexia that we work with. There were 900 delegates from 35 countries at our conference last year.

"There is as much a consensus view as in any area you would care to investigate.

"In excess of one million people download information from our website every month. Is he suggesting that they are all suffering from some kind of emotional delusion?"

Professor Tresman said people with dyslexia often had different symptoms - not just problems with words - and that Professor Elliott seemed to be viewing dyslexia just in terms of poor reading skills.

She said there were a series of well-recognised and highly sophisticated techniques used by psychologists to assess people for dyslexia.

In response, Professor Elliott said: "If you are going to include numbers and music the term is getting meaningless."

Government figures suggest that one in 10 Britons is dyslexic, with four out of 10 of those being severely so.

Students formally diagnosed as having dyslexia are given up to 25% extra time in GCSEs, A-levels and vocational assessments.

Hi,
I was glad to see your posting, as I've just recieved a flood of postings on this from the British Dyslexia Associations Forum.
Though I would note that Elliott is a Psychologist, not a Neuro-Psychologist.
Then whilst disputing the term Dyslexia, he then goes on to say that it is "largely an emotional disorder".
Which suggests that Dyslexia should most often be treated by a Psychologist?
Where I can only conclude that he is trying to 'capture a market'?
Though this attempt to 'capture a market', is insidious across the spectrum of learning disorders.

Yet on the other hand, their are a spectrum of Neural Processes involved with reading and writing. Where a deficit in any single Process will have a consequence. Remediation needs to be focussed on the specific Neural deficit. Rather than the Dyslexic Spectrum.
For example, I would note a link on the same BBC News page, to a study of the use of 'physical exercises' to develop Proprioceptive and Vestibular skills. Which reported success in Dyslexic remediation.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_...731451.stm

Then another one, which identified a deficit in 'Rythm' recognition as a causative factor in Dyslexia. Which connects to one of Gardner's Mulitple Intelligences.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2144790.stm

Whilst labels such as Dyslexia for Learning Disorders are seemingly convenient. The are too often generalised terms, that very few people actually fit precisely?
I would suggest that we need to go beyond and perhaps discard these 'L/D Labels'?
To be replaced by an introduction of the precise 'Neural Processes' as the 'New Labels' for general public discourse?
This would offer greater potential for Public Understanding of learning disorders? For example, it would be far more clearer to tell a Teacher or Employer that one has Visual Spatial mental imaging deficit. Than to use the general label of Dyscalculia?
So perhaps the next step, is to develop some simplified terms/labels for all of our Neural Processes?
Geoff,

GREAT NEWS

AT LONG LAST

AN EXPERT CUTS THE CRAP

Professor Elliott, a psychologist, said his argument was based on "an exhaustive review of the research literature".

After 30 years in the field, he said, he had little confidence in his ability to diagnose dyslexia.

Dyslexia. IS A WORD JUST LIKE ANY OTHER WORD, an idea

the idea behind this word is a cloak of respectability over the inability to read.

Using my own common sense my own experience my own observation

"my statement is this! If a child can recognise the letter a and make the alphabet sound and the phonetic sounds associated with it, that child can be taught to read"

we have to accept the concept of total or (whole intelligence) and realise that we have only just started to scratch the surface on what it really means.

Maria Montessori knew that we learn from doing so did Socrates and every farmer that ever lived, every fisherman, every hunter.

Every child can understand maths easily on an abacus every child can sing the alphabet.


WE ARE ABOUT TO ENTER THE AGE OF COMMON SENSE

BUT REMEMBER THIS ONLY THE CHILD WILL ADMIT IT

I am researching neuro linguistic programming, (magic spelling) but for someone who can not hold the meaning of left and right in my head for ten minutes what hope at sixty five years old have I got.

Dyslexia could be conceptualized as a category in that individuals with dyslexia share varied arrays of a group of common features. This is an alternative to attempting to pinpoint dyslexia to a specific definition.

~Christina

OECD expert Wrote:Dyslexia could be conceptualized as a category in that individuals with dyslexia share varied arrays of a group of common features. This is an alternative to attempting to pinpoint dyslexia to a specific definition.

~Christina

Hi Christina,
I appreciate Dyslexia as 'category', as are the various terms for other Learning Disorders.
Though my particular concern, is with; "share varied arrays of a group of common features."
More particularly the variance that exists within Learning Disorder categories.
Where in practise, when a Teacher is advised that a Student has a categorised Learning Disorder.
A not uncommon response, is; 'I had a Student with that LD last year, so I know what to do.'
Though unfortunately this carries with it the assumption that everyone with this Disorder has the 'same array of problems'.
Which creates all sorts of problems.
My point is that these Categories are not definitions, but merely outline a range of 'possible' developmental disorders.
Where it is necessary to define which 'specific features' are relevant to each different individual. Rather than to make assumptions from the category.
So basically my concern is with the assumptions that come with any category?
To see the Individual, not the category?
Geoff.

Thanks very much for this Geoff. I think you bring up an important point that categorical disorders can become problematic in terms of selecting appropriate treatment in practice.

The need to recognize individual differences can be generalized beyond disorders. Each child’s brain is unique and therefore learns in a unique way. What implications could this have for educational pedagogy?

All the best,
Christina

Hi Christina, thanks for your reply.
In regard to the implications that this could have for teaching?
I would return to our recent discussion of assessment/evaluation.
Where this highlights the value of Formative assessment as a means of moving beyond the vague generalised Summative assessment of Subjects.
Which simply indicates a Student being 'good or bad' at a Subject.
Which provides no indication of where precise intervention is required.
Whereas a Formative assessment of a Subject, which addressed the various neural processes that are utilised within the learning of subject.
Could help identify the precise neural process/es that need developmental assistance.
Though this comes back to the issue of what Teachers need to learn about Neuroscience and Learning?
Where what a Teacher really needs to know and probably would like to know?
Is about the Neural Processes that are involved with the Subject that they are teaching. This would greatly simplify their Neuroscience learning, and be directly related to their own experience. Applied neuroscience.
Geoff.

Thanks very much for this Geoff. Your idea of directly linking neuroscience and assessment is thought-provoking. Might there be a future in which a student’s assessment portfolio would include a neuroscience component, such as an fMRI?

Take good care,
Christina

none of us will ever be subject to THE same life experiance

but in basic skills teaching we must ensure it is universally available

it is also vital to move the area of responsibility directly onto the shoulders

of the parents.

WHICH IS DIFFICULT WHEN WESTERN EDUCATION HAS FAILED SO MANY

OF OUR PRESENT PARENTING ADULTS

TO SAY NOTHING OF THE MILLIONS OF PARENTS TOTALY WITHOUT ANY

FORMAL BASIC SKILLS TRAINING

IT WILL NEVER BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT STANDERDISED LAYERS OF KNOWLEDGE BEING EMBEDED LAYER UPON LAYER INTO THE CHILDS MIND
STARTING WITH THE RECOGNITION OF THIRTY SIX SYMBOLS FOR THOSE OF US WHO READ THIS AS A FIRST LANGUAGE.


WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE THEORY OF WHOLE MIND AND ADAPT OUR TEACHING TO REACH EVERY CORNER OF THE HUMAN MIND THROUGH EVERY CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MEANS WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY.

We as the human race will lose the race if we fail to establish universal basic skill establishment, reading and counting are the keys to the experential education that guarantee individual suvival.

Christina I was interested in your statement: "Might there be a future in which a student’s assessment portfolio would include a neuroscience component, such as an fMRI?"
Which I suspect may be contraversial?
Though it would be of considerable value, in that it would highlight a 'problem' very early. For targetted intervention.
Rather than waiting for a few years of low grades before recognising a problem.
By which time a Student has fallen a long way behind.
Therefore it could be of notable benefit?
Geoff.

Thanks for this Geoff. I agree with you that it could be very useful. However, some fear that it could lead to children being deterministically labeled and stigmatized for their neurobiological fingerprint. I think the key is that it is used as part of a multifaceted assessment.

Channel 4 dispaches nine o`clock thursday 8th september

THE MYTH OF DYSLECIA

THIS FILM WILL BECOME THE MOST EDUCATIONALLY IMPORTANT

IN THE HISTORY OF THE HUMAN RACE

Virtualy every one who watched will have understood reading problems

the term DYSLECIA will become history, not as a discription, but as a

PROBLEM

Educational proffesors from three countries combined to explain the

PROBLEM

Peter Hatcher from York an educational Psycologicalist has developed a reading program to overcome the normal difficulties most children are likely to encounter in reading.

THE NORTH RIDING OF YORKSHIRE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITY IS THE ONLY EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITY IN THE UK TO ADOPT IT.


TO DAY YORKSHIRE TO MORROW THE WORLD.

AT LAST WE HAVE IT THE ONLY THING THAT DIVIDS ONE MAN FROM ANOTHER IS EXPERIANCE

TO MISQUOTE CHURCHILL THIS NOT THE END BUT THE END OF THE BEGINING

THANK GOD I HAVE LIVED TO SEE IT

i am a humanist just edging his bets

Hi John,
In regard to the broadcast of "The Dyslexia Myth" on channel 4 UK.
Today I recieved 46 emails from a Dyslexics Forum associated with the British Dyslexia Association;
Who unanamously expressed their disgust at the uninformed and biased position presented on the program.
Where the greatest concern is with the damage that it has done to public perception of Dyslexia.
The fact that the BDA were not invited to participate in the program, only served to highlight the bias. Here's a response today from the BDA:

News from the BDA

BDA’s immediate response to the Channel 4 TV programme ‘The Dyslexia Myth’ - 8 September 2005

Following the programme broadcast on Channel 4, Professor Susan Tresman, Chief Executive of the BDA, has issued the following immediate response.

* Dyslexia is primarily an information processing difficulty, neurological in origin and affecting language. It is not just about reading. BDA has made this point from the outset to the producer of the Channel 4 programme.

* Acquiring the skills of reading is often problematical for those with dyslexia alongside a range of other processing skills including organisation, sequencing and retrieval of information, short-term memory, spelling, writing and number.

* Of course BDA welcomes research into improving the acquisition of reading for all children as indeed for all learners.

* However, since dyslexia is not encompassed wholly by reading, acquiring reading does not solve dyslexia or render the term redundant or place it in the realms of an ‘emotional construct’.

* The majority of the six million dyslexics in the UK will have acquired the skills of reading: they remain dyslexic, and are entitled to receive recognition and support as enshrined in the Disability Discrimination Act and Disabled Student’s Allowance for Higher Education.

Susan Tresman
Chief Executive
British Dyslexia Association
8 September 2005

OECD expert Wrote:Thanks for this Geoff. I agree with you that it could be very useful. However, some fear that it could lead to children being deterministically labeled and stigmatized for their neurobiological fingerprint. I think the key is that it is used as part of a multifaceted assessment.

I fully agree with your statement that it could lead to children being "stigmatised for their neurological fingerprint".
Though as it currently stands, they are most often stigmatised as being; 'lazy, dumb, lacking focus, behaviour problem, etc'
So it would rather be a new form of deterministic labeling and stigmatization?

But crucially, it would identify the neurological basis for their developmental learning difficulty. So that intervention could directed more precisely at the neurological process/es that needs developmental support.

Further to this, it would importantly provide Children/ Adults a far clearer understanding and explanation of their own learning difficulty.
Which can significantly reduce the impact on their self-esteem.
I would suggest that this could carry less of a stigma, than the current 'labels' for various Learning Disorders.
Where it could rather be recognised that the developmental timeline of our spectrum of neurological processes, is immensely variable from one individual to the next. For many reasons?
For example, instead of many Students completing Schooling with the idea and life-long self-image that they are 'bad readers'?
They could simply remember that it took them a bit longer to develop the abstract neurological linkages between visual symbols and sounds.
Where they would be more inclined as an adult to think, 'so what'?
Whereas, to acquire the idea in early childhood that one is a 'bad reader'.
Is to create an insurmountable barrier to life-long learning!
This highlights the problematic nature of Summative Assessment?
Given that it in fact benchmarks developmental timelines for our spectrum of Neurological Processes?
Which in its failure to recognise the developmental timeline variablity of each Student?
Simply brands many Students in every class as 'failures'!
The learning of Subjects in Schooling, needs to seen as a 'means to an end', not simply an 'end in itself'!

'I wasn't 'bad at that Subject', it was just that my personal neurological developmental timeline needed time to catch up'?

Learning to Learn?
Geoff.

Though as it currently stands, they are most often stigmatised as being; 'lazy, dumb, lacking focus, behaviour problem, etc'


the debate will be of vital note

tebbit only ever said one correct word on thacher she would change the labour pary for ever

this film will change the perception of parents forever

let the arguments role

give every child parental suport

ttfn

"READING IS A LOW LEVEL COGNATIVE ABILITY"

one of the guys featured in the FILM THAT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD said.


I have had it copied and will endeaver to get it onto DVD for geof in aus
and bob in america.

some young children find it easy to read (i was one of those) some young children find it hard to spell ( i still do) (and thanks to Neuro Linguistic Spelling i now realise why) (i spell from the PHonetic Good spellers spell from the visual picture of the word) ( sight is in the main part an unconcious ability) (with sight available 24 7 when awake how could it be any thing else)

if i can not conciously remember left from right there is little wonder that i have difficulty in remembering the visual picture of a word so i spell from sounding , Doctor Johnson was for most english readers a god send for me a nightmare, ( although i love him) as is remembering spelling from sound,do my ears decieve me, english in phonetic is being actively reduced by texting 4 the likes of i (if i ever marster it) twill be another godsend.



SO LET US COGNATE WHAT IS OBVIOUS

HUMAN ABILITY TO LEARN VARIES

HOW DO WE LEARN BEST

BY SATURATION AND NECESSITY
(as we learn to speak)

USEING OUR WHOLE BRAIN

but

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT OUR WHOLE BRAIN MEANS

WE ARE ONLEY A FEW YEARS AFTER GARDNER

AND A SHORT TIME BEFORE segarma BUT WE ARE TRYING
( trying hard)

THE CONCEPT OF DYSLECIA HAS SERVED US WELL
(it allows us to consider finding it hard to read as normal)

THE DYSLECIA ACCCIATION AS SERVED US WELL
(it has saturated the problem)

millions of children have been taught to read

WHOLE BRAIN MEANS WE ACCEPT DIFFERING ABILITIES AS NORMAL
(initialy)

WHOLE BRAIN MEANS WE USE IT TO ENSURE COVERING EVERY ASPECT
IN TEACHING

MY RESEARCH TELLS ME THAT BASIC MATHS IS EASY THE WHOLE WORLD USES ONE LANGUAGE numerals THOSE NUMERALS HAVE THE SAME MEANING FOR EVERY ONE IN EVERY COUNTRY

the next universal language will be text pidgin english 4 u

SEAGARMA AND GEOBOB
You are both conventional educaters i deffinately am not, i reckognise that one to one teaching (IN THE FORM OF SHOWING DOING AND PERFECTING) IS
the natural teaching form (were we born in class rooms) means that the most important thing we have to learn is teaching itself.

some one has drawn attention to rhytheme dfficency as a problem with poor reading.

Hi John,
Thanks for mentioning that you have a problem with 'visually picturing words'/ mental imaging. As I have a particular interest in this ability to mentally image. Where I'm currently involved with developing some exercises for this.

But the crucial issue, is that when Children begin schooling and are taught to read. It is taken for granted that they have already developed the ability to 'mentally image'? Without which, their literacy development will be impeded.
Whereas, if learning to read was preceded by developing Students mental imaging ability. This could be overcome?
Further to this, is to develop the 'dual association' between mental imaging and mental sounding. Where we actually have to develop an effective linkage between our brain's visual and auditory centres, so that the written letter 'A' is automatically associated with verbal letter 'A'.
Yet this linkage is assumed and not addressed.
But then we also have the linkage between the mental image brain centre and fine motor skills.
Currently in Education, these and other brain processes are overlooked and assumed as having already been developed?
Where the high proportion of Students who finish schooling with literacy and/or numeracy problems. Is a reflection of these fundamental 'brain processes' not having been effectively 'taught'!

Geoff.

I have not joined in this discussion as yet because the only knowledge that I have on the subject is that my office was next to the Winston School for Dyslexia in Del Mar, California. I don't believe that I know enough to comment...which does not mean that I am not interested...I am!
Best,
Rob

Hi Johan,
I enjoyed your quotes/statements. I wanted to pick up on the following one:
MY RESEARCH TELLS ME THAT BASIC MATHS IS EASY THE WHOLE WORLD USES ONE LANGUAGE numerals THOSE NUMERALS HAVE THE SAME MEANING FOR EVERY ONE IN EVERY COUNTRY
It is true that numerosity is a more universal language and OECD will be hosting in collaboration with Cambridge university a meeting of experts on the topic of orthographies in different cultures (See: )
Basic maths might appear easy due to the fact that the sense of numerosity in the brain is present in very young infants as well as in animals, and it is this system that we capitalise on to be able to give meaning to the number symbols we have created and to connect them to the pre-existing quantity of representation in our brains which is not true for reading. However, numbers are abstract entities as opposed to basic words which refer to tangible objects which does take time for children to grasp numbers and connect them with the number symbol, the quantity and the word.
FYI: I am reading very witty book on maths and maths history: "Everything and More: A Compact History of Infinity" by David Foster Wallace"
See: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det...s&n=507846

Hi Super Expert,
I found your reply most interesting.
You note that many different animals have an intrinsic sense of numerosity, which apparently seems to vary between 3 and up to 9?
Afterwhich, it is possibly defined as many?
Though I was interested to read of the 'meeting of experts on the topic of orthographies in different cultures'. As well as the book on the 'history of maths' that you are reading.
Further to this, your note that ; "numbers are abstract entities as opposed to basic words that refer to tangible objects ... ."
Yet our particular method of representing numbers, places a major emphasis on orthographic coding ability.
For example, the symbol for 1 can used to represent 11 or 111 or 1,111 and onto a million and billion.
So that symbol 1 has a multitude of representations.
Yet, this is an evolution from for example, Roman Numerals, where 111 would be represented as CXI. Equally Chinese Numerals employ different symbols for each 'multiplier'.
So that each symbol represents a precise quantity.
Which can be 'read' in the same way as 'Text'?
Whereas to read 1,010,110 requires viewing the string of numbers as a 'block', and then orthographically decoding it?
Which introduces a totally different way of 'reading', as opposed to text?
If I removed the comma's:
1010110
It becomes far more difficult to immediately comprehend.
Given that a major factor in Maths Difficulties, is an inability to automatically identify what each symbol '1' represents in the figure 1010110.
I would suggest that the underlying orthographic coding ability needs to be specifically developed so as to enable Maths acquisition?
Though I would return to your statement that:"Numbers are abstract entities"
Which introduces the need to think 'abstractly'?
Yet this is paralleled in Literacy, where each letter of the alphabet has a variety of ways to be 'sounded out'?
Which perhaps digresses to the discussion of Causation versus Correlation?
Where both the understanding of Numbers and Letters need to move beyond causation to correlation?
Therefore I would suggest that Numeracy development, is essentially the cognitive skills development of the ability to think abstractedly?
1
10
100
1000
10000
100000

Lost count?
Geoff.

To Geoff
“Further to this, is to develop the 'dual association' between mental imaging and mental sounding. Where we actually have to develop an effective linkage between our brain's visual and auditory centres, so that the written letter 'A' is automatically associated with verbal letter 'A'.”.

YOUR WORDS to me Geoff

Exactly you express the whole principle of reading

I would say “ a” SYMBOL RECOGNITION should be kept to low case for essential simplicity. Recognition of capitals develops automatically, trying to teach both at the same time is totally misleading.

Having described my low case card system previously (a green line base the letters between two thin blue lines and a yellow sun on the top right corner) I set up six lines of low case letters (cards stuck firmly to a board with gaps) for my two year nine month old granddaughter, she has only recently spoken clearly, (virtually a year behind a cousin)

She was instantly able to recognise ever symbol and cover the stuck card with the same letter symbol (THIS ABILITY IS TOTALLY NATURAL) she has some knowledge of alphabet rhythm.

SHE WILL KNOW EVERY SYMBOL SOUND AUTOMATICALY WITHIN TWO MONTHS IN ALPHABET SOUND

SHE WILL READ EFECTIVELY WITHIN A YEAR

I was able to read the children of the New Forrest at six years old because I had a brilliant village schoolmistress who only had a small reception class, Thank you Miss Hood. (A stern maiden lady of thirty five year old)

I have observed many village schools teach reading effectively one hundred percent in a year. Provided that they establish

“ the 'dual association' between mental imaging and mental sounding. Where we actually have to develop an effective linkage between our brain's visual and auditory centres, so that the written letter 'A' is automatically associated with verbal letter 'A'.”.


These dedicated teachers are thin on the ground

We have to replace them with a standard effective system

AND TRAIN THE PARENTS TO USE

A SYSTEM

THAT USES THE WHOLE BRAIN

1ST THE VISUAL ABILITY OF A TWO YEAR OLD TO RECOGNISE EVERY SYMBLE WITHOUT ANY TEACHING WHATSOEVER

the ability to establish the sound of the alphabet song (I mean abc defg hijklm nopq rstu vwxyz ) within a few weeks permanently.

Then to be taught to link the two separate skills etching the mind for its lifespan
PERMANENTLY



Geoff
Even with this level of understanding I still can not remember (left and right) how to spell a word from the picture (I repeat my own quote for reading comprehension

“ eventually ever word becomes a picture”

Spelling a word as it sounds to me always results in disaster for me
The neuro linguistic approach is already helping me spell a little better. (I am thinking of the picture now not the sound.)
(Good spellers and teachers must remember good spelling is small beer in most occupations) (The neuro surgeons knife as no word on it)

PLEASE REFFER TO MY EASY LEARNING GEOFF AND ROB

Hi John and Happy Birthday,
You have written about your difficulty with mentally picturing words in your mind.
Where I would mention that I'm currently developing a series of freely available exercises for the non profit Dyscalulia [maths disorder] website: http://www.dyscalculiaforum.com
Which are precisely aimed at developing mental imaging skills.
Which is a major factor in Dyscalculia, where many people are unable to mentally picture a maths calculation in their 'mind's eye'.
Though this is equally applicable to 'writing', which involves the mental imaging of less often used words.
Which has been termed by some people as 'Dyseidesia', a problem with the mental 'ideation' of words.
Though if you're interested, I can send you a copy of the exercises which you might like to try out?
Perhaps you might also like to integrate them into your Learning Materials in some way?
Yet it does involve the expense of up to 4 match-boxes and pen and paper?

Though in relation to the international problem with effective numeracy and literacy acquisition?
Surely some attention should be given the fundamental development of Mental Imaging skills, given its crucial role in numeracy and literacy?
Geoff.

try this geoff it does it all get this in your local primary pleaseeeeeeeeeee

http://www.abacusandalphabet.com/abacus.htm

Happy Birthday John.

All the best,
Christina

Geoff send me anything you wish me to try, I have never sold anything of my website. Very few people know it exists yet my friends tell me the spelling on it is atrocious.

I have spent at least twenty thousand on the tooling for my abacus unfortunately we have still not got it quite right yet but we are near, the manufacturing costs are very low around £1 the reading cards I have got a deal on at 50p a set,

the pricing of this stuff needs to be cheap, I have been working on HSBC the bank that took over the British midland bank thank god, in order to encourage them to provide an abacus for every child born as part of there promotion.

I NEED HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM SERIOUS EDUCATORS FOR THEM TO DO THIS,

I AM TRYING MY BEST AT THIS MOMENT TO RUN A TRIAL ON A WHOLE TOWN HULL GIVEING EVERY FOUR YEAR OLD AN ABACUS AND PACK OF LETTER CARDS FOR THEM TO USE AT HOME WITH PARENTING ASSISTANCE

to be really successful it needs some teaching input within primaries
but getting primaries started is horse work after two years we only have two primaries sold on it, my proff pal is convinced that it will take off but it needs a lot of nurturing NOW.

Christina thanks for the birthday wishes I had a good day,


I have lost all my personal files of my computer by pressing the wrong button,

I have not revived my dragon speech stuff ability, so I am going to use some stuff I have on the guardian website which seems appropriate right now.


WOULD YOU GIVE UP A YEAR OF YOUR LIFE TO TEACH IN THE THIRD WORLD

Let us use the knowledge we already have.

After discovering the properties of the Abacus, and contemplating and researching how we learn everything that we do, you could say that I have become a constructionist as regards the human ability to construct layers of knowledge as we progress’s through life. For instance no one appears to teach us how to speak, but virtually every healthy human learns to speak, through their ability to copy, we are surrounded with speech, we learn to speak through two phenomena’s saturation and necessity, between the ages of approximately one and a half years to two and half years of age the majority of us learn to speak. Maria Montessori working with children who were considered to be mentally ill, discovered that children learn by doing things, once this concept was fully understood by Maria Montessori she spent the rest of life developing real life illustrations in order to teach efficiently. Her personal contribution towards education will never be equalled.

Looking closely at what we consider to be the frontier’s of education, as it is presently perceived, the real problems are associated with ensuring universal primary education, once a young child is able to read count and think, education at every level is available to it. Western Europe and North America within the last two hundred years have embraced universal education, and through the process of dynamic technical development, much of it created by the necessity to fight two world wars during the last century, have achieved a standard of living the envy of the rest the world, with the exception of Japan. Close examination of the written works of philosophy and scholars since the advent of the written word between two and three thousand years ago, provides us with examples of highly intelligent human beings and the like of Socrates Aristotle Plato and Archimedes, in Europe and Confucius in Asia that prove the existence of high-level thinking and personal knowledge acquisition possible over two and half thousand year's thousand years previously.

A thorough grounding in basic skills will equip every ten year-old child the ability to continue their education without the necessity of Western secondary schools colleges and universities, we can definitely not wait to build up the infrastructure of education necessary to provide our Western type education on a universal basis, but with a little ingenuity we can develop the possibility of personal levels of achievement on a universal basis, outstripping the achievements of our present educational facilities. By providing access to all the differing sources of information available universally, we are Demonstrably dependent on information exchange, in achieving and maintaining our standard of living.

Universal primary education is achievable immediately, purely on a voluntary basis, we need no schools, very little special equipment, each of us, is as well-equipped to teach as we are to learn, the manner of the human animal is to pass on knowledge, from father to son, from mother to daughter, from friend to a friend. Individually we are all limited in knowledge; collectively knowledge acquisition is proceeding at rates never in previous history conceivable. Every discovery already achieved, every theoretical idea, every practical concept is available immediately to a worldwide audience, the practical distribution of knowledge is passed on from a one-to-one situation to a one to billions effortlessly, with the exception of basic skills, and the practical physical skills that are necessary to maintain and develop universally our standard of living.

Within the family’s who control the practical businesses necessary for us to combine our resources practical education is vital for both family owners and the executives of the multinational, National and local organisations private government or combinations of both, that are engaged in the processes of manufacturer of agriculture and global urban development and maintenance, in the job, and on the job, is where the vital one-to-one training takes place.

In just the same simple manner that a six-year-old child demonstrates to a five-year-old child how to use an Abacus, so is the process of education achievable, if we simply divide our day into learning and teaching, simply by doing and being taught, we move to demonstration and reinforcement within the same day, whatever we learn in the morning, we simply teach in the afternoon, neither age or ability would prevent us from personal development. We are all aware that it is more efficient to show a man how to fish then to feed him, but our modern developed world, encourages specialisation and exchange of goods, if we are able and allowed to build our own home, to grow and to cook our own food, to teach our own children, it would go to long way to prevent us in becoming the servants of necessity. In efficiency terms specialisation improves our standard of living, it will never disappear but let it always remain as our servant, we can insure that it remains our servant just a long as we have the skills to provide whatever we need should we need it.

Only universal primary education and the natural condition of one-to-one education will ever insure provision of the resources and the techniques and technology that are a pre-requisite of a Democratic healthy and adequately nourished peaceful world Society.