Greetings Brant and everyone,

I'm embedding a few comments in Brant's post below.  

Michael
 
Michael A. Gyori 
Maui International Language School 
www.mauilanguage.com


________________________________

From: Brant Hayenga <bhayenga at rrps.net>
To: The Learning Disabilities Discussion List <learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thu, October 29, 2009 11:01:25 AM
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 4187] Re: Future directions

The topic of literacy instruction has so many facets to it. The discussion for the past few days has brought up some other questions for Mary and me.  
	1. How can we translate recent developments in cognitive neuroscience into more effective teaching and curriculum development? 
I would be extremely cautious and suggest the utmost of humility in allowing associations between brain imagery on the one hand, and mental as well as affective states and processes on the other, to inform educational policy and practice at this time.  I suspect we know far too little! 
	1. With so much accumulating evidence on how to effectively teach reading and prevent reading failure, how is it that so many students continue to enter adulthood without adequate literacy?
 
I am honestly unable to make much sense of the "evidence" that is available.  It might be a great time to examine the evidence and make it transparent by getting a better sense of how learners truly benefit from it.  Further, it has become clear to me that we really need to define our terms much more precisely. We can't even agree on what notions such as grade-level proficiency and average ability mean.
	1. How can we get the government at the state and federal levels to commit adequate funding to adult literacy programs? 
    
    Let's focus on your second question first.  We have to build a powerful case for a need for more funding first. 
	1. Would more funding actually make a difference in literacy outcomes?
    
     Only if we are able to demonstrate that (more) funding enables the implementation of practices that truly make a difference.
 
 
Finally, I so much miss the voice of our learners in the mix!
 
  
Brant Hayenga
Educational Diagnostician 
Stapleton Elementary/RioRanchoMiddle School
(505) 896-0667 ext. 226 (District Office)
(505) 891-8473 ext. 519 (Stapleton Elementary)
bhayenga at rrps.net
 
 Please note that RRPS email addresses have changed. Please update your
address books or distribution lists.


      
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