Just one note for now: On the MT courses being approximations: Yeah, the way I usually think of it now references an article by Zig Engelmann called “The Dalmatian and Its Spots” (contextual prologue here).
To summarize the most here-relevant message of the article:
Thinking that programs with certain features [eg, some focus on ‘phonemic awareness’ and ‘phonics’ in a reading program] will be successful because research shows successful programs have those features is like thinking something with spots must be a dalmatian because research has shown dalmatians have spots.
So I would say that the MT courses are, “Essentially dalmatians, not just spotted. Some mutt, some mange, but dalmatian enough to suffice for many practical purposes”.
(Although this metaphor obviously shouldn’t be phored too meta :P)
Wow, nice work!
Just one note for now: On the MT courses being approximations: Yeah, the way I usually think of it now references an article by Zig Engelmann called “The Dalmatian and Its Spots” (contextual prologue here).
To summarize the most here-relevant message of the article:
Thinking that programs with certain features [eg, some focus on ‘phonemic awareness’ and ‘phonics’ in a reading program] will be successful because research shows successful programs have those features is like thinking something with spots must be a dalmatian because research has shown dalmatians have spots.
So I would say that the MT courses are, “Essentially dalmatians, not just spotted. Some mutt, some mange, but dalmatian enough to suffice for many practical purposes”.
(Although this metaphor obviously shouldn’t be phored too meta :P)