“Ask Dr. Ann”
by Dr. Ann. K. Schafer
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III. Nature, Nurture & Notions
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About nature vs. nurture . . .
“Nature goes her own way, and all that to us seems an exception is really acccording to order.“ Goethe “Speech is human nature itself, with none of the artificiality of written language.“ Alfred North Whitehead “Language helps form the limits of our reality. “ Dale Spender
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Dear Dr. Ann:
Variations on a Theme
Why do some people have to struggle so hard just to read a third grade level story and others read as if it were “inborn?” My student is asking and I didn’t know what to say. Dear Baffled and Wondering:
Baffled and Wondering.
You have asked a question that is frequently asked by many researchers and practitioners in the field. The question of “nature” vs. “nurture” is not resolved but we have many more clues than we used to with new information available from Speech is as old as the human many arenas, including brain science. A very interesting article which species; alphabets are developappeared in the Annals of Dyslexia in 1990 was written by the Lleberments of the last three or four mans from Yale University and may shed some light on your inquiry. thousand years; they are cultural They cite the following information which could be shared with your achievements, not biological student: ones. 1. All communities of humans have fully developed spoken language, but only a minority of those exists in written form. 2. Where there is a written form, many competent speakers are unable to use it effectively, even when there is strong pressure to do so. 3. In human development, speech comes first, reading second. 4. Speech is as old as the human species; alphabets are developments of the last three or four thousand years; they are cultural achievements, not biological ones. 5. In order to develop speech, the child only needs to be where language is spoken; reading, on the other hand, almost always requires specific instruction. 6. Speech is formed by combining a few dozen consonants and vowels (a universal strategy) which are then artificially segmented into symbol forms specific to the particular script of the culture; it is up to the instructional system to bridge the gap between the speech movements/ sound utterances and the symbol which represents those segmented units. The development, for instance, of the Laubach system used by many literacy providers came out of Frank Laubach’s creation of a written script to record the spoken language of the Phillipines. It was his desire to assist the people in their cultural development. It is only with the invention of the printing press about five hundred years ago that reading was made popularly accessible to other than monks and nobility. I might add that for many years only males were thought to possess the intellectual capacity for reading; females were not supposed to be able to learn or understand this complex process. There are presently many researchers reporting that males, in fact, have more difficulty learning the written language code than females. There is no reason to expect everyone to be an outstanding reader any more than we expect everyone to be a marathon runner or have “basic skills” in music or art. If our society demanded that everyone have a basic working knowledge in music, we would have many “developmental and remedial” music classes and “proficiency” tests in music to graduate from high school and college. Part of what is defined as necessary to learn and function as a full citizen can and is often culturally defined.
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We can expect there will be developmental variations in every area of learning: reading, writing, arithmetic, music, interpersonal skills, etc. Some of the more interesting views regarding neurological differences and possible reasons for deficits or differences in the area of learning to read are discussed in the next column.
Stay tuned, Dr. Ann
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About learning . . .
“Schooling, instead of encouraging the asking of questions, too often discourages it.“ Madeleine L’Engle “I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which god speaks to us every hour, if only will tune in.“ George Washington Carver “Nature never repeats herself, and the possibilities of one human soul will never be found in another.” Elizabeth Cady Stanton
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Where Learning Stumbles Where Learning Stumbles Last month a reader wanted to know about “nature” vs. “nurture” and reading acquisition. She wondered why some people have an extra hard time with the reading process while others act as if it were “inborn.” Since symbol-processing is a fairly new function in the timeline of human brain development, the acquisition and processing of sounds and symbols into written words comes after the acquisition of oral language skills for most learners. In other words, a person may comprehend the spoken word perfectly well without being able to decipher or create its written script. Similarly, it is possible to figure out how many people came and left a room during a specific time without J;lecessarily having the skills to “read” or·”write” the corresponding number equation correctly. Aside from simply not being taught how, there are reasons why it may not be neurologically natural for all individuals to easily link spoken language to the written symbols for that language. Dr. Albert Galaburda at Harvard has found brain cell differences in those who were previously diagnosed with reading disabilities. A microscopic post-mortem examination of the brain tissues detected a lower number of certain cells which should have migrated to key areas involved in the reading process.
... a person may comprehend the spoken word perfectly well without being able to decipher or create its written script.
Sally Smith, author of No Easy Answers, cites eight prenatal factors that often relate to learning problems, including maternal malnutrition and alcohol or drug use during pregnancy. She mentions seven birth problems as possible interferences, such as prematurity and lack of oxygen to the infant during long or difficult deliveries. She also listed several complications that could occur after birth, like high fevers, meningitis, head injuries from falls, and lead poisoning. These, and possible hereditary factors, may influence learning acquisition. More recently, attention and concentration problems have been frequently cited as possible learning deterrents. To more fully understand how and where learning can be interrupted, it may be helpful to appreciate the following steps involved in the learning process: Step 1. Sensing: All information reaches the brain through the five senses. Checkups for accurate hearing and visual acuity are, thus, essential to ensure adequate sensory input of letter symbols, sounds, or tongue/lip movements used to transfer from speech to print. Step 2. Attending/Concentrating: For information to be received the brain must be awake, alert, and able to focus, as well as to screen out signals from the senses. Adequate sleep, nutrition and activity are important here, along with avoiding toxic or allergic substances. Environmental distractions may need to be controlled or avoided to attend well. Step 3. Perceiving: In order to perceive the symbol, sound, or mouth movement signals involved in reading, spelling and writing, the alert brain must be able to compare and contrast one signal with another (e.g .. visual, auditory, or movement), then to categorize signals into a pre-existing classification system or create a new one, and clarify the choices made. This ensures a good match for what is needed to achieve the task at hand. (I call this “Sailing the Seven C’s of Perceiving.“) Step 4. Understanding: The learning task usually makes more sense when it links up with prior perceptions. This is the step where cultural and experiential background is influential and either enriched or impoverished, as well as specialized or habitual. If the information is outside of one’s experience, it is less
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likely to be comprehended. For instance, when researchers tried to translate a questionnaire that measures depression and anxiety into an Eskimo dialect, they couldn’t do so because there were no such words in their culture! Step 5. Recalling: Memory is a complex brain function which is divided into immediate, short-term and long-term types. Some people remember better primarily by “doing,” some by “hearing,” and others by “seeing.” Some learners do better by the use of concrete examples and others with metaphors and abstractions. Some people have difficulty prioritizing and organizing to remember, others have more trouble remembering the facts and details. There are individual variations in the combined functions and needs from each of these areas which work together to produce optimal learning in a given individual. Step 6. Expressing: The final step is the evidence that learning has occurred. There are many forms of expression, including speech, reading, writing, calculating, movement, pantomime, art, music, facial and body gesturing, playing sports, building, interpersonal communication, signing, and any number of recreation and hobby-type expressions. In this culture and many others, it is the expectation that each member achieve a basic functional level in expressive reading, writing, and calculation in order to fully participate in the democratic process, and to engage in “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The steps above outline at how many levels learning can go awry. However, the human brain is quite magnificent, in that when one area does not function well or gets damaged in childhood, another often takes over that function quite well. Remember that everyone has neurological strengths and weaknesses; in fact, those who are among the physically “gifted” (professional athletes) are among the highest paid and most revered by many in this culture. I trust that this serves to highlight how developmental differences occur and assists you in an increased acceptance and understanding of those differences. I have found it useful to review the steps with my students.
Yours for better learning, Dr. Ann
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About home as school . . .
“Education is too important to be left solely to the educators.” Frances Keppel “‘Tis education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.“ Alexander Pope “A house is no home unless it contain food and fire for the mind as well as the body.“ Margaret Fuller
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Is Home Really Best? Dear Dr. Ann: Recently I provided remedial reading instruction to a young person who has serious reading and spelling problems. His mother continues to school him at home far religious reasons and I am teaching her techniques that help, but I worry about other students in similar situations who may not be faring as well. What do you think of this growing trend? Might this trend create a future academic monster? Midwest Reading Specialist Dear Specialist: The “home-schooling” population-mostly those who are playing the dual role of mom and teacher-appears to be growing dramatically. For example, there are some 10,000 members of the Washington (State) Homeschooling Organization. About 2,000 of those attend a yearly convention to share techniques and products intended for homeschool use. Similar efforts are emerging across the country with many school districts creating satellite sites allowing home-schoolers to access an educational consultant, supplies and computers.
It stands to reason that little individualization is possible in ordinary classrooms of 30 to 40 students
Apparently there are many who home-school for the religious reasons you cite. This reason is understandable since we are all aware of the tremendous controversy surrounding prayer (or the absence of it) in schools. The issue of religious freedom underlies democracy itself, and many parents simply wish to have more involvement in the type of moral and religious standards imparted to their youngsters. This point is honorable, but some parents and children may face the problems you mention without realizing the difficulty soon enough. Depending upon the situation, lack of proper and timely academic development affects a student’s self-esteem, motivation, and functioning on a permanent basis. Some home-schoolers are concerned about the individualization of instruction for their children. It stands to reason that little individualization is possible in ordinary classrooms of 30 to 40 students. Today we have better and better research pointing toward the need to address differing learning styles, both in classrooms and within family systems. The good news: the parent is often the person who knows his or her child’s preferences best. The bad news: it is easy to have power struggles between individuals when they have vastly different learning styles. This is just as true at home as it is in a regular classroom. The teaching parent has a difficult task; that is, staying objective while functioning in the teaching mode. Keeping schedules and appropriate discipline are frequent challenges for many of the home-schooling families I evaluate and counsel. Still others home-school because public schools are often not safe places these days (sadly) and the parents cannot afford a private facility that might have better safety standards. Schools that have metal detectors at the doors and security guards stationed in the corridors are a sad commentary on the state of the nation and the evolution of its educational system. Somehow good people have failed to achieve a balance between freedom and discipline for our children. This lack of provision for the simple safety needs of a child-or of an adult, for that matter-causes some parents to school their children at home rather than expose them to obvious danger. It’s just natural to want to protect our young, much like mother bears instinctively protect their cubs. It is this protective quality that is often at the base of the homeschooling trend and, yes, we could face some new problems as a result. Let’s hope the new problems are better “academic monsters” than some we have now. Ultimately, the best sustenance for human life is having - without question -unconditional love, a caring
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environment and safety; this includes appropriate attention, discipline, and a mastery of basic life skills. These goals are driving the home-schoolers I know. The values are illuminated in a poem entitled “What Shall We Give the Children?” (*source unknown) It’s lines answer: “The knowledge of being loved beyond demand or reciprocity, praise or blame . . . those so loved are never lost . . . A large hand reaching down for a small hand, Impromptu praise, an unexpected kiss, a straight answer, The glisten of enthusiasm and a sense of wonder. Long days to be merry in and nights without fear. The memory of a good home.” I’ll bet these ideas figure into the home-school movement
Thanks for your question.
Dr. Ann
About the Author Ann K. Schafer, Ph. D. _________________________________________________ Specialty areas:
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Disability Compliance in the Workplace:
Learning (dis)Abilities and the Americans with Disabilities Actfor supervisors, trainers or human relations professionals
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Adult Literacy: Dr. Schafer speaks nationally and with John Corcoran, author of the autobiographical The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read
F ‘’Ask Dr. Ann”: Dr. Ann discusses literacy, learning disabilities and educational reform F Learning Styles/reaching Styles: How style relate to Learning Disabilities/Teaching Disabilities F
Team Building: How to use “Personality Differences” as an Asset ___________________________________________________ Dr. Ann K. Schafer Speaker, Education and Management Consultant Ann K. Schafer, Ph.D., Coordinator of the Learning (dis)Abilities Program at Sacramento City College and private consultant, is an expert in diagnosis and accommodation for adults and children with Specific Learning Disabilities. Dr. Schafer has conducted ground-breaking re earch in learning styles and psycho logical type, is author of Learning (dis)Abilities in the Workplace, a practical guide for employees and employers and is co-author of a training manual and video, A Matter of Perception: Understanding Learning Disabilities/Differences. She sits on the Board of Directors of the ‘ational As ociation for Adults with Special Learning Needs (NAASLN) and her column, “Ask Dr. Ann, appears monthly in The Written Word and other educational publications.
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Dr. Ann K. Schafer P. O. Box 1252 Meadow Vista, CA 95722 www.askdoctorann.com
916.813.4315