howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2009
21:3212818an mp today has announced that dyslexia does not exist, and is purely a result of poor teaching.
i have always wondered about this condition since it was invented and became quickly fahionable.
does anyone have direct experience of this, either from themselves or a close friend or relative?
14 January 2009
22:1812819Yes, and it does exist. There needs to be more, not less, understanding of alternative life experiences. Years ago, before "learning disablity" became recognised, people were characterised as freaks and malingerers - just because we don't directly experience or feel something doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2009
22:2812822bern
the mp made a point, we need a thorough investigation on the matter.
it was a clear challenge that the condition does not exist medically.
our prisons are full of people that are either illiterate,, or cannot read and write.
i hope that someone here posts with their personal experiences.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
14 January 2009
23:2912828There was a time people of a left handed persuasion were compelled to use their right hands, in the proper manner. I know of cases where such compulsion led to the development of stuttering and other nervous disorders and yet would anyone now care to decry left handedness as an 'affectation'.?
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
14 January 2009
23:3412830chris
how is this related to dyslexia?
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
14 January 2009
23:3612832I was pointing out the adverse effects that can be caused by those who refuse to recognise, or fail to understand, a difference in perception and so act as if it does not exist.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,695
14 January 2009
23:4612833Howard I have a relation who struggled through school because he suffered from dyslexia; in his case it manifested itself as the inability to distinguish between certain letters for example "b" & "d". This made reading and writing particularly hard work for him and it was only when he got specialised educational support did his performance at school and therefore his behaviour (he was branded as difficult mostly because of his own self frustration at how hard he found it all) improve leading to him getting acceptable grades in his GCSE's and ultimately to him getting and holding down a job.
Initially I was as sceptical as the MP in question, about dyslexia, but seeing it first hand and the problems it causes made me realise that when it manifests itself it is not idleness or stupidity, but a real problem.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 January 2009
00:0712835ross
the mp never implied idleness or stupidity, he raised the issue of bad teaching.
this is a very important question, many youngsters move into adulthood with this problem, a lot move into the prison system.
if it is bad teaching, then the problem can be addressed, hence leaving a lot less unfortunate people cut off from mainstream society.
leaving aside the educational thing, the sheer pleasure that the rest of us get from reading newspapers, magazines and books should be shared equally amongst all of our citizens.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,695
15 January 2009
00:3512841I absolutely agree that we need to ensure that teaching standards are the best we can provide to all our children in order to give them the best possible start in life.
We equally need to be clear about where teaching standards have slipped and as a result children are being disadvantaged.
However, we should not let this detract from the genuine cases of dyslexia and we should do all in our power to ensure that this condition is spotted early and that these children receive all the support they need in order to ensure that their education does not suffer
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
15 January 2009
21:5112899Absolutely - and good training and good teaching would expose the difference between those who struggle because of dyslexia, which exists, and those who struggle for other reasons.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 January 2009
22:5812916unless the claims of that chap up north are investigated, we will be forever classifying people with an affliction.
i only know 3 people diagnosed with this supposed condition, you would not know if you met them.
just normal folk, that may have been let down by a crap education system that likes to categorise pupils.
makes the job of the establishment easier.
i have known many of "special needs" people, they have benefited from the extra tuition, different issue altogether.
16 January 2009
10:1512933People with learning difficulties are "normal folk"! People with what are often called "special needs" will, of course, benefit from support and attention. That's not the point: the point is, dyslexia does exist! I suspect that, like depression, which no-one would deny exists, it is over-diagnosed because it is easier for the person doing the diagnosing. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist, and to suggest that leaves people with the condition vulnerable to abuse and disbelief.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 January 2009
20:2812994i think that you are missing the point bern.
if someone makes such an accusation, then a full investigation is required.
i note that the neither the media or our clever people in charge have challenged the statement so far.
16 January 2009
20:5313001Apathy has long been associated with learning disability. It's not sexy enough, like bipolar or sex addiction!! A full investigation is exactly what happens all the time while people continue to explore disability, learning, etc - there are continuous explorations and papers, and books, and discussions - there is no need for a "new" investigation, it's ongoing!
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,695
16 January 2009
21:3913012Likewise there is no need for a new investigation into teaching standards and methods as the regular OFSTED reports mean we are all pretty well versed in what the problems are.
What we need is action by the educational establishment and government to ensure that the agreed standards for education are applied across the board, that they attract the best teaching and education management talent to the public sector and that they target that talent at under performing schools and finally they search high and low for suitable role models to convince kids that education is cool.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 January 2009
22:5413017ross
i know someone who works for ofsted.
it is not about educational standards with them.
inspectors are told not to seek out problems, only to report what is blatantly obvious.
moving on, i am half with you on the "education is cool" bit.
more importantly we need(in my view) people with strong personalities that can control kids that are not used to discipline at home, and with the charisma and ability to make a subject interesting.
17 January 2009
08:3613024Got it in one Howard! We need proper teachers (not Team Leaders, as one local school has started to call their teachers!!!!) Teachers who Manage their classes, encourage competition and enquiry, and nourish their relationship with the young people they are teaching. We all know some, but probably not enough, and legislation and adherence to trendy education thought is kiling the good ones off.