Effort, Importance, Affect

"If we look at the beginning of the [research] process, we find that these three properties - effort, importance, and affect - actually act as a need gateway. Only when the researcher has determined that the need outweighs any perceived negative factors will he or she proceed with his or her inquiry." (Stripling, 143-145)

I interpret this passage to say, "Where there is a will there is a way. Just figure out what is blocking your will -effort, importance, or affect - and get it out of the way."

Effort, based on prior experience and time, does play a huge role in my willingness to proceed. I have NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE when it comes to dyslexia. I will really have to start from scratch to answer any of my questions, and that might take a long time. Time is not something I have a lot of these days. Never-the-less, it IS important to me to learn more about dyslexia in order to gain insight into my son's life.

"Importance, potentially the greatest consistently positive force among the factors, may be increased by ensuring that the problem has a significant interest to the researcher." (Stripling, 145) This statement could not hold more true to me. Even with the previous mentioned deficiencies in effort, I am still very motivated to complete this inquiry. I want to know the answers. But then I started thinking, maybe I want to know some answers more than others...

The chart in the last post showed my questions categorized into four areas: Causes of Dyslexia, Dyslexia in schools, Characteristics of Dyslexia, Accommodations for Dyslexia. The causes of Dyslexia do intrigue me, and eventually, I want to know the answers; but for now, other areas have more importance to me. My son already has dyslexia, knowing how he got it, could be beneficial, but it will not solve my needs at this point.

Dyslexia in schools or the lack there of, irritates me. I am confounded by the difference that knowing of the Aiden's dyslexia has made. Before the diagnosis, it was as though I was trying to turn the water off at the sink, when the tub was overflowing. It bothers me that there are probably a high number of students struggling with dyslexia, while their parents and teachers are still obliviously working on the sink. I want to shout to the struggling population, “HEY! HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DYSLEXIA.” But, in the bigger scheme of things, my son has already been diagnosed and is receiving services in school. Finding out more about the reason Indiana schools do not acknowledge dyslexia may help calm my anger toward the system, but it won’t fulfill the current need to help my son.

Characteristics of Dyslexia – this is of high interest to me. I want to know what my son is going through. I want to know what he sees, understand how he feels, and relate to his frustrations and hardships. I want to know what it is like for him to live with Dyslexia. Knowing the characteristics of Dyslexia will help me meet the need to better know my son.

Accommodations for Dyslexia is another high interest area for me. I am a problem solver. I want to solve everyone’s problems – especially my son’s problems. When he has difficulty, I want to be the one that says, “Here, try this.” Being familiar with
accommodations for dyslexia, allows me to help my son the way I feel I need to.

Affect, the final test of the thinking processes that drive the research process, is probably the most abstract to me. How do I feel about researching dyslexia? Well…It is a need I have. Am I excited about it? No, I would prefer my son did not struggle the way he has had to, and I could go back to being oblivious about dyslexia. Am I upset, angry, mad? No, no, no. Am I put out by it? No, it is my son, and I would go worlds out of my way for him, and never think a thought about it. So, in asking myself how I feel about researching dyslexia, I don’t know and I don’t think it matters. It just needs to be done.

Thinking through Effort, Importance, and Affect has not necessarily gotten me any closer to finding my answers, but it has helped me to come to a better understanding of my need for the answers. I need to search in a way that will quickly broaden my background while being respectful of the limited time I have to offer. In doing so, I need to concentrate on the important concepts of characteristics and accommodations for dyslexia. Even though I do not feel a strong affective sensitivity one way or the other about uncovering the information, I do have a strong desire to gain the knowledge, in order to more fully understand and accommodate the needs of my son.

Stripling, Barbara K., and Sandra Hughes-Hassell. Curriculum Connections Through the Library. Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited, 2003.