Vol. 39 Davis Dyslexia Association International Issue 2 • 2005

Dys lex ic Read er• •́ •́~The

(Cont’d on p. 4)

News & Feature ArticlesBrain Function, Spell-Reading and Sweep-Sweep-Spell . . . . . . . . . . .1A Very Special Birthday . . . . . . . . . . . .1

A Look at BrightStar Learning . . . . . . .3

First DLS Model School in US . . . . . . .8My Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10The Way I see It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Highlights of Davis Australia Tour . . .11Art is the Greatest Gift . . . . . . . . . . .17Famous Dyslexics Remember . . . . . . .17

Regular FeaturesIn the Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14-15Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-13New Facilitators . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18-21Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23

by Abigail Marshall

by Sue Hall, Davis Facilitator in W. Vancouver, Canada

In This Issue

(Cont’d on p. 7)

Brain Function, Spell-Readingand Sweep-Sweep-Spell

Two of the most important Davis toolsfor building reading fluency and wordrecognition skills are Spell-Readingand Sweep-Sweep-Spell.1 During thesereading exercises, the student reads apassage out loud in the company of his support person. When he hesitateson a word or encounters an unfamiliarword, he spells it out letter by letter.After saying the name of the last letter,if he recognizes the word, he says theword, and then moves on. If he does notrecognize the word, his helper suppliesit for him, and the student repeats the

word–and then continues. Spell-Reading and Sweep-Sweep-

Spell are important because they builda vital center for reading in the brain.Beginning readers often rely exclusivelyon phonetic decoding strategies for allwords, a process usually centered in themid-temporal lobe of the left hemisphere,where letter sounds are connected towords. This is a workable means ofdecoding words, but it is slow–and it isparticularly difficult for most dyslexics.

The Importance of VisualWord Form RecognitionFluent readers use a different part oftheir brain to recognize familiar words–an area in the rear left-hemisphereoccipital lobe, dubbed by scientists

This is not phonics or aphonetic process; it is simplyletter and word recognition.

– Ronald D. Davis”

“

A Very Special Birthday

Recently, I received one of my mosttreasured invitations. One of myclients, who took a programlast October (2004) wascelebrating 17 years sober,and invited me to the‘birthday’ celebration at an open meeting ofthe local AlcoholicsAnonymous inJanuary.

I met Tammy inSeptember, for an interview/assessment. It was about 40 minutesbefore I was able to say anything, andfor those of you who know me, thatwas no mean task! But Tammy was SOangry, I had to keep telling myself toallow the unloading! She was angry

about the bus, about not having a car,about her business, about her life,

about her so-called friends, abouther childhood, and most of allabout her newly discovereddyslexia. A mutual friend,who is a counselor, had justsuggested to her that shemight be dyslexic. So nowshe had something else tocontend with. She was not a

happy camper!When I arrived at the AA meeting,

the first I’d ever been to, I was given avery warm welcome. Everything wasplentiful–the friendship, the laughter,the openness and the ‘birthday’ cakes!!Having led a fairly sheltered life, I

the “Visual Word Form Area”(VWFA).2 Essentially, this part of thebrain is a storage bin for all of thefamiliar, known words–what teacherscall “sight words.” It is located in thevisual cortex–the part of the brain thatresponds to all visual stimuli–and for

PAGE 2 THE DYSLEXIC READER

The Dyslexic Reader is published quarterly by Davis Dyslexia Association International (DDAI), 1601 Bayshore Hwy.,Suite 245, Burlingame, CA 94010 USA. Tel. +1(650) 692-7141.OUR GOALS are to increase worldwide awareness about the positive aspects of dyslexia and related learning styles;and to present methods for improving literacy, education and academic success. We believe that all people’s abilitiesand talents should be recognized and valued, and that learning problems can be corrected. EDITORIAL BOARD: AliceDavis, Abigail Marshall, Maria Fagioli & Dee White. DESIGN: Gideon Kramer. SUBSCRIPTIONS: one year $25 in US,add $5 in Canada; add $10 elsewhere. BACK ISSUES: send $8.00 to DDAI. SUBMISSIONS & LETTERS:We welcome letters, comments and articles. Mail to DDAI at the above address. VIA FAX: +1(650) 692-7075 VIA E-MAIL: editor@dyslexia.com INTERNET: www.dyslexia.com

The opinions and views expressed in articles and letters are not necessarily those of DDAI. Davis Dyslexia Correction®, Davis Symbol Mastery®, DavisOrientation Counseling®, and Davis Learning Strategies® are registered trademarks of Ronald D. Davis. Copyright © 2004 by DDAI, unless otherwise noted.All rights reserved.

Thank you Alice, for suggesting Ronwas available to give a talk in the UKand to you Ron, for giving it. Youtouched the hearts of many people. Icame to your talk in May and was somoved by your insight that I wantedto share you with Reading. I neverdreamt it would become a reality.

One of the main things that hasappealed to me about your work is thewholehearted desire you have to helpthose with the learning difficulties.Who else would reveal to the generalpublic all their methods and for such amodest price! It was this that helped

me choose between DDAT and Daviswhen I was looking for a programmefor my daughter some years ago.

A 13-year-old boy I worked withand who attends my monthly triggerword mastery group sessions, came toyour talk. I asked him on Saturday,what he thought of your talk. Hisreply: “It was good, he talked aboutthings which happen to me that I’venever shared with anyone in my life.”He now helps me out when some ofthe other students are stuck with theirtrigger words, including myself!

Here are some more commentsand emails I received since your talk.

“We were all really impressed bythe talk last week. Our special needsteacher said she couldn’t sleep for thinking about all the stuff she’d heard

Copyright 2001 Randy Glasbergen. www.glasbergen.com

Dear Ron & Alice:

In the Mail

and another teacher who did her MA inDyslexia was taking copious notes!Anyway, I’m now reading the book! Itwas an amazing feat to talk for nearly3 hours without any visual aids and tokeep your audience captivated.”

“Thank you very much for makingthe Davis talk happen. I have rarelymet men with such insight and compassion as Mr. Davis.”

A lady of a dyspraxic boy cried inthe car on the way home. At last shehad some hope.

So thank you, to both of you.

With love,Angela James, Davis Facilitator in Reading, Berkshire, UK

The lights of

stars that were

extinguished ages

“

”

ago still reach us. So it is

with great men who died

centuries ago, but still

reach us with the radiation

of their personalities.

-Kahlil Gibran, poet and

artist (1883-1931)

PAGE 3THE DYSLEXIC READER

accuracy among the treatment group.No significant improvements werefound in untimed reading measures.The treatment group fared worse thancontrols in a test measuring visualperception of objects presented in left-to-right sequence, a skill previouslycorrelated to some types of readingerrors in dyslexics. The placebo grouphad been exposed to the same visualstimuli, without the heart rate synchronization.

In other words, the researchindicated that the BrightStar systemseems to prime the brain to find wordsfaster. One of the authors of the study,Professor Stephen Jackson of theUniversity of Nottingham, told thepress that more research is needed todetermine whether the improvementswere a direct result of the computertraining. Jackson noted that the resultscould be explained simply by the program’s effect of lowering heart rateand slowing breathing, counteractingthe stress reaction that dyslexics mayexperience with any reading task.

From a Davis perspective, itappears that the BrightStar systemmay achieve similar results to DavisOrientation Counseling. The “readingimprovement” results reported by theBrightStar promoters are far lessremarkable than results commonlyseen by Facilitators during initialOrientation Counseling or Alignmentsessions, and significantly less than

By Abigail Marshall

The newest arrival to the dyslexiascene is called BrightStar, which billsitself as “The Solution to Dyslexia,”and heavily promotes its servicesthrough an aggressive advertisingcampaign. The program is a computerbased, patented product developed by the US-based corporation EpochInnovations. Epoch is the primaryinvestor in the London-basedBrightStar Learning Ltd., which markets the program in the UK.

BrightStar clients watch a seriesof flashing lights and shapes on acomputer monitor; a heart monitorcoordinates the timing of the screenimages with the individual’s heart rate.The program consists of two weekly45-minute sessions conducted over six weeks. BrightStar promotional materials claim impressive results–butthe claims are inconsistent. On theirUS web site they claim, “BrightStarmoves your child immediately ahead2.1 grade levels in reading ability.” Abar graph on the same page shows only a 14-month level improvementon “word attack” skills and lesserimprovements in subsidiary skill areas.On the UK site, they claim averageresults of 7 to 19 months improvementin various skill areas.

There have been no long-termfollow-up studies of BrightStar, and thepost-testing that supports the company’sclaimed results appears to have beendone immediately at the conclusion ofthe series of computer sessions. Nor isthere any prescribed program of follow-up and practice, either with readingexercises or with the visual/neurologicalskills that purportedly are enhanced bythis computerized regimen.

Although BrightStar claims to bescientifically based, it is supported bya single study of 35 dyslexic adults,including some assigned to a placebogroup. An article published in the Jan.2005 issue of the British journalDyslexia, reported that the programyielded “small but significantimprovements” in timed tests of singleword reading and picture naming

the 3-5 grade level improvementsoften measured at the end of the DavisDyslexia Correction week.

When Ron Davis first stumbledon the profound effects of finding hisown orientation point, he thought hehad cured his dyslexia. Ten years ago,after spending only 20 minutes leadingmy son through the Orientation exercisein The Gift of Dyslexia, I also thoughtthat we had found a miracle cure. ButDavis later told me, “the problem withOrientation is that it works too well.”By that he meant that it was easy to be mislead by the rapid improvementthat accompanied the perceptualimprovement attained with orientation.The problem is that orientation is notpermanent. Inevitably the disorientationwith reading would recur–and the“dyslexia” would come back–if stepswere not taken to address the underlyingproblems that triggered disorientation.

If Jackson is correct that theBrightStar effects are merely an artifactof a lowered heart and respiration rate,then the same results could be achievedby any stress-reduction technique–such as the Davis “Release” and dial-setting procedures–or with meditationor yoga classes. But Jackson’s comments probably are selling thecomputer program short: it is likelythat the viewing of the visual stimulicoordinated to heart rate leads to amore focused mental state, akin toOrientation. If so, it is easy to understand the measured results–they are to be expected. Any form oftraining that leads to a state of relaxedmental attentiveness approximating theeffect of Orientation would probablyproduce similar results. Without corresponding evidence that resultsare sustained over time–or that theindividual has even learned how torecapture and re-establish results whenaway from the machine–the readingtest scores are meaningless.

Davis providers know that eventhe most remarkable improvementsduring the one-week program are likelyto be lost if the student does not usethe techniques in life and focus onaddressing the underlying sources of

A Look at BrightStar Learning

(Cont’d on p. 7)

From a Davis perspective, itappears that BrightStar mayachieve results similar toDavis Orientation Counseling.But the problem is that orientation isn’t permanent,and BrightStar provides noprescribed program of follow-up and practice to recaptureand re-establish results.

The solution to dyslexia?

PAGE 4 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Australia

Brenda Gayle BairdBrisbane+61 (07) 3341 3471

Sally BeulkeMelbourne +61 (03) 5727 3517

Jan GormanEastwood/Sydney+61 (02) 9804 1184

Gail HallinanNaremburn/Sydney+61 (02) 9405 2800

Barbara HoiMosman/Sydney +61 (02) 9968 1093

Linda HoubenSydney +61 438 440 177

Eileen McCarthyManly / Sydney Tel: +61 (02) 9977 2061

Marianne MullallyCrows Nest, Sydney+61 (02) 9436 3766

Mark O’BrienPort Macquarie/Sydney+61 (02) 6582 3633

John ReillyBerala/Sydney+61 (02) 9649 4299

Michelle RoachSydney +61 (02) 9680 1610

Heidi RosePennington/Adelaide +61 (08) 8240 1834

Francisca SibbaldErmington/Sydney+61 (02) 9638 4939

v Austria

Annette DietrichWien +43 (01) 888 90 25

Jacinta FennessyWien +43 (01) 774 98 22

Ina Barbara Hallermann Riezlern +43 5517 20012

Marika KaufmannLochau+43 (05574) 446 98

Christa SalcherWien +43 (01) 888 61 44

v Bahrain

Sameera Sadiq Al BaharnaManama +973 555 201

InternationalDavis Dyslexia

Correction®

ProvidersThe Davis Dyslexia

Correction program isnow available from more

than 300 Facilitatorsaround the world. For updates, call:

(888) 805-7216 [Toll Free]or (650) 692-7141 or visit

www.dyslexia.com/providers.htm

(Cont’d on p. 5)

typical readers, it is the first part of the brainto activate when the eyes perceive a word.Thus, known words are recognized andunderstood in subliminal time, even beforethe reader is aware of having seen the wordor capable of speaking it. Generally, theVWFA activates and completes its work ofmatching the letter string to a known letterpattern within the first quarter-second ofexposure to a letter string.

From there, the whole word can besent to parts of the brain where meaning is ascertained. For typical readers, this is probably the same left-hemisphere temporalregion as where sounding out occurs; butwith development of the VWFA the processbecomes one of matching the sounds of wholewords to their meaning,rather than sounding outletters or small wordsegments.

In typical readers,the VWFA is developedand begins to activateregularly in response toexposure to letter stringsat around the age of eight–the time most childrenare transitioning fromearly decoding skills tofluent and meaningfulreading. But unfortunately,this is the part of the brainthat doesn’t seem to work for uncorrecteddyslexic readers. Research shows that thisarea is largely bypassed, with higher activityoccurring in right brain and frontal regions,important for discerning patterns and solvingpuzzles.3 These areas don’t even begin toactivate until after the VWFA has alreadydone its job for more skilled readers.

So the brain picture shows us thatwhile the typical reader relies on an instantword-recognition system, the dyslexic readermust use time-consuming, analytical thoughtprocesses. Where for others reading is a matterof recognizing the familiar, for dyslexics itis a constant and exhausting exercise in puzzle-solving.

Training the BrainDavis Spell Reading and Sweep-Sweep-Spellare exercises for the eyes and brain. Theyare designed to train the brain to develop theinstantaneous, visual word recognition systemthat non-dyslexics acquire naturally. These

techniques are not intended to entirely supplant other strategies; ideally, the studentwill only practice Spell-Reading and Sweep-Sweep-Spell for 10 minutes at a time–justenough time to exercise and reinforce theimportant neural pathways that they build.

Many students are tempted to use their sound-it-out phonics skills at this time.However, the use of phonics at this timedefeats the purpose of the exercises. Asexplained in The Gift of Dyslexia, if the student starts using phonetic strategies, thehelper should say:

“You don’t need to sound out the word.Only say the name of the letters one at atime. All we want is for you to name thealphabet letters in the order they are written.

Then you say the wordafter I say it.”

The problem withadding phonics to themix is that it sends thebrain down the wrongpath. We are training the brain to use the vitalshort-cut that is the hallmark of all goodreaders–the ability to recognize a string of letters and match themalmost instantaneouslyto a known word, a skillsometimes referred to as

“orthographic knowledge.”Every time the brain takes a detour to

another path, we reinforce the pre-existingmental habits, and fail to build the short cutfor visual word form recognition. This is whydyslexic children schooled heavily in phon-ics have such difficulty transitioning to fluentreading: their phonic knowledge is strength-ened and reinforced again and again, under-mining the opportunity to develop the neuralshortcut that ordinary readers have access toat age eight.

The Importance of TimingIt is not enough for the brain to merely “see”the series of letters that form a word–the brainmust have a means of sorting and recordingthe order of the letters. FORM is not the sameas FROM; TEA is not the same as EAT.

When we look at brain scans taken withan fMRI, we are looking at images taken atone second intervals; whereas much of the

while the typical readerrelies on an instant word-

recognition system, thedyslexic reader must use

time-consuming, analyticalthought processes . . . a

constant and exhaustingexercise in puzzle-solving.

Brain Function . . . (cont’d from p. 1)

PAGE 5THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Belgium

Ann Devloo-DelvaVeurne +32 (058) 31 63 52

Peggy PoppeBorgerhout (Antwerpen)+32 (03) 236 54 24

Edith RotenbergHoutain-St. Siméon/Liège+ 32 (04) 374-27-87

Viki VandevenneBonheiden, Belgium+32 (0473) 30 41 51

v Bolivia

Maria OrmacheaLa Paz +591 (02) 792 945

v Brazil

Ana LimaRio De Janeiro+55 (021) 2295-1505

v Canada

Wayne Aadelstone-HasselNorth Vancouver+1 (604) 988-7680

Winifred BauerNelson +1 (250) 359-0195

Rocky Point AcademyAshley BenjaminStacey Borger-SmithLawrence Smith, Jr.Calgary+1 (866) 685-0067 (Toll-Free)+1 (403) 685-0067

Darlene BrownSmithers/Prince Rupert+1 (250) 847-3463

Paddy CarsonEdmonton/Alberta+1 (780) 489-6225

Sandy FarrellHudson, Quebec+1 (450) 458-4777

Terri FedorchukDryden, Ontario+1 (807) 223-7769

Renée FiglarzMontreal, Quebec+1 (514) 815-7827

Sher GoerzenMaple Ridge/Vancouver+1 (604) 290-5063

Gerry GrantSupervisor-SpecialistAdvanced WorkshopPresenterWaterloo/Toronto+1 (800) 981-6433 (Toll-Free)+1 (519) 221-8484

Sue HallWest Vancouver+1 (604) 921-1084

D’vorah HoffmanToronto+1 (416) 398-6779

Sue JutsonVancouver, B.C.+1 (604) 732-1516

Mary Ann KettlewellLondon, Ontario+1 (519) 652-0252

work of the brain occurs in a time framesmeasured in tiny fractions of a second. Tounderstand the process of word recognition,we need to do more than look at a picture of the brain; we also need to correlate theactivity with the passage of time. This canbe seen with the use of an EEG; ordinarilywhen a person is awake and alert, the brainproduces beta waves with a frequency ofabout 13-30 Hz. When attention is engagedfor learning or retaining new information,brain activity increases to the gamma range,producing brain waves of about 40 Hz.

When the eyes fixate on an object,information is transmitted to the visual cortex of the brain, where different types of information are registered and evoke aresponse from different specialized sets ofneurons. Information about shape, color, orposition of an object is processed in differentparts of the visual cortex. The process bywhich the brain reassembles the informationis called binding. Scientists think that bindingoccurs when all neurons associated with theperceived object begin firing simultaneously,in a synchronized gamma wave pattern.

Thus, when looking at a word, the separate neurons associated with recognizingeach individual letter will fire simultaneously,in a uniform, synchronous wave pattern. Inorder for the letters in the string to be seenand remembered as a word, the brain mustalso have an efficient means of retaininginformation about letter order. Dr. CarolWhitney of the University of Maryland hasproposed a specific scheme for encoding ofletter order that she calls SERIOL: “sequentialencoding regulated by inputs to oscillationswithin letter units.”4

Dr. Whitney suggests the letter-order,word recognition skill is a matter of the timingof neural firing within short brain wavecycles, combined with an invocation of amental grid which assigns a priority value to each letter based on its relative position.The grid is established through the ingrainedhabit of reading words from left-to-right, orfrom right-to-left in languages like Hebrewand Arabic. Although the neurons for recognizing each letter are all firing, thebrain’s internal prioritizing system will register the first letter in any series slightlybefore the second letter, the second slightlybefore the third, and so on. This processtakes place very rapidly; each letter position

is registered within successive subcycles ofabout 25 milliseconds for each letter, withinan oscillatory period of 200 msec. This islong enough for the brain to process aboutseven or eight letters within a string, and willallow a person to read at a rate of about fivewords per second, or 300 words per minute,which is about average for skilled readers.

Because timing is so important, theability to recognize letter order is impairedif perception of individual letters is delayed.For example, experiments have shown thatas time intervals between display of letters areextended, the subject’s ability to rememberletter order diminishes. These experimentsare usually done with skilled adult readers;when the timing is off, the test subjects startmaking the same kind of mistakes that aretypical for dyslexia: letters are perceivedout of order, and the subjects are unable toform a mental picture of the whole word.

Davis Tools and the SERIOL ModelIt is very possible that the Davis tools ofOrientation, Alphabet Mastery, PunctuationMastery, Spell-Reading, and Sweep-Sweep-Spell, work by their combined effect on thebrain’s timing system and through trainingof the visual system to apply the priority

Continued on p. 6

Functional magnetic resonance imaging, is a relatively new techniquethat measures the quick, tiny metabolicchanges that occur in an active part ofthe brain. Scientists know the generalareas of the brain where speech, touch,memory, and other functions occur. fMRIis useful in determining what the brain is doing when subjects perform specifictasks or are exposed to specific stimuli.The photos above show clearly how differing areas of the brain react when a subject is performing different tasks.(Brain mapping photo © Columbia fMRI, 2003)

fMRI, a powerful tool for studying the brain

Brain Function . . . (cont’d from p. 4)

PAGE 6 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Canada (cont’d)

Helen McGilivrayOakville/Toronto +1 (905) 464-4798

Susan Nikolic-VicenticNewmarket/Toronto+1 (905) 953 0033

Sharon RobertsWaterloo/Toronto +1 (519) 746-8422

Kendra RodychSaskatoon/Saskatchewan +1 (306) 955-2972 or (306) 230-8961

Sharon SchachterThornhill, Ontario+1 (905) 764-6774

Catherine SmithOakville/Toronto+1 (905) 844-41441-888-569-1113 toll-free

Kim J. Willson-RymerOakville/Toronto+1 (905) 825-3153

v China

Livia WongHong Kong+852-2810-0282

v Cyprus

Alexis MouzourisLimassol +357 25 382 090

v France

Dominique BlaessLe Pecq/Paris+33 (01) 39 76 12 61

Jennifer DelrieuVoisins le Bretonneux/Paris+33 (01) 30 44 19 91

Carol Nelson-PollardParis +33 (01) 46 51 72 63

Odile PugetAnnecy/Geneva+ 33 (04) 50 41 82 67

Guilaine Batoz Saint-MartinLa Bastidonne/Marseille+33 (0490) 08 98 56

v Germany/Deutschland

Theresia AdlerBannewitz +49 (0351) 40 34 224

Liesbeth Berger-LamingStuttgart-Vaihingen+49 (0711) 782 3115

Ute BreithauptLangenselbold+49 (06184) 93 84 88

Cornelia GarbeBerlin+49 (030) 61 65 91 25

Jutta GorschlüterMuenster+49 (0251) 39 99 53 05

Astrid Grosse-MönchBuxtehude+49 (04161) 702 90 70

Wibke HachmannFreiburg +49 (0761) 13 78 288

gradient proposed by the SERIOL model. With Alphabet Mastery and Punctuation

Mastery we insure that the brain is able toaccurately recognize each letter and punctuation mark. With Davis Orientation,we probably reset the brain’s internal clockso as to enable the simultaneous gammawave pattern that is required for the bindingprocess. This primes the neurons associatedwith letter recognition to fire in synch.

With Spell-Reading and Sweep-Sweep-Spell, we are exercising the letter-recognitionneurons together with developing a habit ofregistering the letters in their appropriatesequential order, creating the internalizedgrid needed to assign a priority tag to eachindividual letter.

Given this goal, it is imperative forSweep-Sweep-Spell to be done quickly,because the brain mustbe trained to be able torecognize a short letterstring within the 200msec. cycle requiredfor accurate encoding.However, the exerciseshould not be done so fast as to rush orpressure the reader; this would be counterproductive. Frustration would causedisorientation, which would probably disrupt the synchronization of neural firingneeded for binding.

The oral spelling that is part of Spell-Reading would not be fast enough to matchthe speed required for mental recognition inthe SERIOL model, but it helps build thehabit. The speed of mental letter encoding is increased when the student moves on toSweep-Sweep-Spell, where he is instructedto let his eyes sweep through the word, andthen say the word, repeating the sweep asecond time and spelling out loud only ifthe word is not immediately recognized.

It can readily be seen why this processis so important for recognition of the smalltrigger words such as the, for, and its. Dr.Whitney points out that the time frame forrecognition of a three-letter word is thesame as for a six-letter word–both occurwithin a single oscillatory subcycle. It iseasy to see how disorientation disrupts this

process and causes students to stumble overthe small words, with frequent transpositionsand reversals of letter order. Sounding-outstrategies also lead to the same confusion:the slowing of the input of individual letterscauses the mind to lose track of letter order.That is why the dyslexic student may be ableto successfully sound out a word repeatedly,but be unable to recognize the same wordwhen seen only a short time later, or mayfrequently confuse words with similar letters,such as confusing on/no, form/from, etc. Theword simply has not been processed in thebrain in a way that can possibly be encodedfor retention of information about letter order.

Because Spell-Reading and Sweep-Sweep-Spell are primarily strategies fortraining the brain andbuilding the capacityfor visual word formrecognition, we do not use it for study of word lists or as a vehicle for learningsight words beyondthose encountered inthe course of practice.Rather, we use DavisSymbol Mastery for

its benefits in linking the way a word soundsand what it means to the way the word looks.This makes sense, as the mental processes forrelating words to their sounds and meaningstakes place in the brain after the VWFA hasdone its work. v

References1 Davis, Ronald D. The Gift of Dyslexia.

Perigee, 1997 (213-219).

2 McCandliss B, Cohen L, Dehaene S. The visual word form area: Expertise for reading in the fusiform gyrus. Trends inCognitive Science, 13:155-161, 2003.

3 Shaywitz B, Shaywitz S, Pugh K, Disruption of Posterior Brain Systems in Children withDevelopmental Dyslexia. BiologicalPsychiatry, 52:101-110, 2002.

4 Whitney, Carol. “How the brain encodes the order of letters in a printed word: TheSERIOL model and selective literaturereview.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.Jun; 8(2):221-43, 2001.

It is not enough for the brainto merely ‘see’ the series ofletters that form a word–it

must have a means of sortingand recording their order . . .

Because timing is so important,the ability to recognize letter

order is impaired if perceptionof individual letters is delayed.

Brain Function . . . (cont’d from p. 5)

PAGE 7THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Germany/Deutschland(cont’d)

Das Legasthenie InstitutSupervisor-SpecialistDLS Workshop PresenterDDA-Deutschland DirectorIoannis TzivanakisSpecialist TrainerWorkshop PresenterDDA-Deutschland DirectorWilfried BährHamburg+49 (040) 25 17 86 23

Sonja HeinrichSupervisor-SpecialistDLS Workshop PresenterDDA-Deutschland DirectorGarbsen/Hannover+49 (040) 25 17 86 23

Kirsten HohageNürnberg+49 (0911) 54 85 234

Ingrid HuthBerlin +49 (0179) 896 8007

Christine JacobLörrach +49 (07621) 134 60

Doris Karl-AkovaBremen+49 (0421) 713 30

Rainer KnoblochRöthenbach/Nürnberg +49 (09120) 18 14 84

Inge Koch-GassmannBuggingen+49 (07631) 23 29

Angelika KohnSteinheim-Kleinbottwar+49 (07148) 66 08

Marianne KranzerKönigsfeld+49 (07725) 72 26

Anneliese Kunz-DanhauserRosenheim+49 (08031) 632 29

Sabine La DueStuttgart+49 (0711) 479 1000

Gundula PatzlaffStuttgart+49 (0711) 23 64 86 0

Margit PlegerWetter/Dortmund +49 (02335) 84 87 60

Barbel PreussMünchen+49 (089) 69 38 03 92

Ursula Rackur-BastianIdstein/Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis/Wiesbaden+49 (06126) 565 01

Colette ReimannLandshut+49 (0871) 770 994

Ursula RittlerStuttgart+49 (0711) 47 18 50

Petra SaegerStorkow+49 (03987) 52106

Phoebe SchafschetzyHamburg+49 (040) 392 589

didn’t anticipate such a wide age range, andsuch a wide range of economic situation. Itwas obvious to me, as the speakers shared,that whether you are one day sober, or 17years sober, you still take one day at a time.

It was Tammy’s turn to be introduced.Her sponsor described the first time she’dmet this wild child, age 14, in a tight plaidshirt, with a cigarette in one hand, a beer inthe other, and one hell of an attitude. Tammywas tearful as she started to relate her story.She described how AA had saved her life at the age of 22, and how she’s been to their meetings regularly ever since. As shelistened to other AA members over the years,she kept wondering why she still wasn’tmaking it, whatever it is. She got herselfthrough cooking school and then massageschool, she’d run her own business, and still the elusive it was not hers. Last yeareverything seemed to fall apart, just as itdoes when a change is needed. If anyone had offered her a drink, she’d have replied,“One wouldn’t be enough.”

She described how she’d started herDavis program, determined to get to gripswith the learning challenge, and yet at thesame time, as she sat rolling clay, she was

thinking, ”Yeah, right.” Her program weekwas magical. I have never seen such a difference in such a short space of time. Shewas more than ready, and through the angerand the tears, and the clay, she transformedherself and I was privileged to guide andwatch. When she became oriented her facechanged. You could just tell by looking atthe shape of her face and the sparkle in hereyes whether she was ‘at home’ or out tolunch. Best of all, she could feel it, and others were noticing it.

This remark stayed with me, and insti-gated this article. Tammy said, “It feels now,as if I’m just 4 months sober.” She’s cleanedher apartment from floor to ceiling, she toldme she’s “getting her home how she’s alwayswanted it.” It reminded me of my son, whoat the age of 10, came home from his programon the Friday afternoon, and completelyblitzed his bedroom. He’d got rid of so muchclutter in his mind, that it had to be reflectedin his home too. Now, Tammy is determinedto become a Davis Facilitator, so she canwork with others who’ve fallen through thecracks big time. And who better!!

Thank you Tammy, thank you Ron,and here’s to an abundance of it!! v

A Special Birthday (cont’d from p. 1)

disorientation. Relaxation and stress-reductionare important: clients learn to use Releasewhen they feel frustrated or catch themselves“concentrating.” Perceptual accuracy is alsovital, and clients must learn to self-monitor forsymptoms of disorientation, reminding them-selves to check their point or “get focused.”But these tools merely lay the foundation fora successful program; the keys to success arethe reading exercises and word mastery.

BrightStar calls its procedures “scientific,” but its explanation of the underlying “science” is vague. The UK website explains that the technology is based on a“theoretical interpretation” of other researchshowing a connection between visual tracking,processing and learning. The US web siteprovides the “expert” opinion of StanfordProfessor Sam Savage, that the “programappears to conclusively and substantiallyimprove reading skills.” But Dr. Savage is a computer software developer who teachesmanagement science and gives seminars on investment risk, with no experience orqualifications in any field related to dyslexia

treatment, such as education, medicine, psychology or neuroscience. His conclusionsare based not on his own research or workingwith dyslexic clients, but on a statistical auditconducted by Price Waterhouse–an accountingfirm which analyzed BrightStar’s self-reportedtesting data. The “science” appears to bemostly that of business and marketing.

BrightStar has two centers in Londonand two in California, with plans to open 20more. CEO, Michael Fox, told the local newsthat “we’ve been able to come up with atechnology that produces results quickly”and that their $2700 price “has been set bythe market.” He explained, “The better we dofinancially, the quicker we can get out there.”v

ReferencesAn evaluation of a visual biofeedback intervention in dyslexic adults, Dyslexia, Vol. 11, No. 1. (Feb. 2005), 61.by Liddle E,Jackson G, Jackson S.

US website: www.getbrightstar.comUK website: www.brightstarlearning.comCorporate site: www.epochinv.com

BrightStar Learning (cont’d from p. 3)

PAGE 8 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Germany/Deutschland (cont’d)

Gabriela ScholterSupervisor-SpecialistStuttgart+49 (0711) 578 28 33

Inge StarckBattenberg/Eder+49 (06452) 93 28 88

Beate Tiletzek Waldkraiburg+49 (08638) 88 17 89

Magdalena Vogel-EichertBonn +49 (0228) 689 69 70

Ulrike von Kutzleben-HausenDeisslingen+49 (07420) 33 46

Dr. Angelika WeidemannUlm +49 (0731) 931 46 46

Susanne WildPaar +49 (08205) 959 08 28

v Iceland

Áslaug ÁsgeirsdóttirMosfellsbaerTel: +354 566-7514

Gudrún BenediktsdóttirHafnarfirdi+354 822 0910 or 555 0862

Gudbjörg EmilsdóttirKópavogur+354 554 3452

Asta Valdis GudmundsdóttirStykkisholmur +354 863-8268

Hólmfridur GudmundsdóttirGardabae +354 895-0252

Svava Hlin HákonardEskifjordur +354 862 1518

Sigrun HauksdóttirMosfellsbaer+ 354 895 6148

Sigurborg SvalaGudmundsdóttirMosfellsbaer+354 566-8657

Stefanía Halldórsdóttir WadeKopavogur +354 564 2890

Nora KornbluehReykjavik+354-562-1295

Ingibjörg IngolfsdóttirMosfellsbaer +354 586-8180 or 896-7472

Sigrún JensdóttirMosfellsbaer +354 586-8180 or 566-7737

Valgerdur JónsdóttirKópavogur +354 863 2005

Sturla KristjanssonHafnarfjordur+354 845 6956

Ásta OlafsdóttirVopnafjordur+354 473-1164

Erla OlgeirsdóttirAkranes +354 694 3339

certified teachers (K–4, Resource Room, &Title I), three classroom aides, one elementaryprincipal, and myself as DLS Mentor.

As a DLS Mentor-in-training these pasttwo years, I played a significant role in leadingthis district toward the DLS training andimplementation. Administrators and schoolboard members were witness to the positivegains made by students with whom I workedthrough the Davis Correction Program. Thisled to seeking information about how the district could reach all students, not just thosein need of a Davis Correction Program. I recommended the DLS program. We startedwith a core group of certified staff. Since then,Northwestern has trained new and supportstaff to be at 100%.

The DLS strategies are used regularly(daily) in the K–4 classrooms, ResourceRoom, and Title I classroom. The Focusingstrategies are used most consistently and significantly throughout the grade school.They are used to manage the classroom, classwork, recess, extra-curricular activities, anddiscipline. All areas implement the ReadingStrategies, as well, with Sweep-Sweep-Spellbeing the one most widely used in most alldiscipline areas. Although all classroomsimplement Davis Symbol Mastery, the Title I classroom is the one that uses it the most. |It is used in that classroom on a daily basis.Each child averages two words per week.

Administrators and teachers alikeembrace the DLS strategies. It started as aone-year pilot program with an evaluation at the year’s end to determine its destiny.

Congratulations to Northwestern School!First Davis Learning Strategies Model

School in the United StatesNorthwestern Elementary School in Mellette,South Dakota, has been recognized to havemet the qualifications and standards of aDavis Learning Strategies Model School forthe 2004-05 academic year.

Kim Carson, DLS Mentor andWorkshop Presenter and owner of SmartStart Dyslexia Correction Center inBrookings, South Dakota nominatedNorthwestern for this award.

The award criteria are:• Administration should be knowledgeable

and supportive of DLS.• All primary teachers must have attended

a DLS Workshop.• Staff has received two years of mentoring

from a DLS Mentor.• The school community is enthusiastic about

DLS, clearly understanding that DavisLearning Strategies are lifelong strategiesfor ALL students.

• The Staff is willing to allow other (outside)school personnel to visit.

• The school can demonstrate positive resultsthrough test scores and/or teacher/principalobservation of incorporating DLS in thecurriculum and school environment.

The following is Kim’s description ofhow Northwestern School has implementedDavis Learning Strategies over the last threeyears and met these criteria.

Northwestern School is a consolidatedschool in a rural setting, encompassing K–12under one roof with an enrollment of 305 forthe 2004-05 school year. This district meetsthe No Child Left Behind criterion ofemploying 100% highly qualified staff members.Administrative leadership is provided by Mr.Ray Sauerwein, Superintendent/High SchoolPrincipal and Miss Kathy Graves, ElementaryPrincipal. Economic base for this district isprimarily agricultural. In the elementary, classsize ranges from 10 to 33, kindergartenthrough fifth grade. Resource Room and Title Iprograms are also part of the elementary grades.

Currently, 100% of the staff encompassinggrades K–4 are trained in Davis LearningStrategies. This has occurred over each of the past three summers. This includes: six (Cont’d on p. 9)

PAGE 9THE DYSLEXIC READER

would have had toselect a control groupthat did not receive theDLS strategies. Allother parts would haveneeded to be carefully monitored to insure thecomparison groups werethe same throughout,with, of course, the difference of DLSbetween the groups.Northwestern School

did not want to select a group of children who were not allowed to receive DLS.

They do, although, have numerous oral testimonials from teachers and studentswho have seen and observed first-hand thatthe strategies improved specific academicperformances. Examples of that are as follows:

• Corrections made on spelling tests, independent decoding of difficult words,and improved fluency after using theSweep-Sweep-Spell strategy;

• Improvement in decoding, fluency, andcomprehension after using Symbol Mastery;

• Ability to more efficiently complete aworksheet after implementing FocusingStrategies;

• Improved understanding and usage of thealphabet when using the dictionary.

The list is almost endless.v

Teachers expressed an overwhelming supportfor the program and dictated its continuation.Through administrative observation, PrincipalKathy Graves agreed with the teachers. Theprogram is now beginning its third year ofimplementation. Students also respond posi-tively to the strategies as it helps themimprove in their academic tasks and learn tocontrol their behaviors. Parents respond posi-tively to this, as well.

I observe the DLS strategies to positivelyimpact all students. The above average studentsgenerally are willing to use the strategies, butbecause they are often very naturally oriented,they may not see the same significant gains thatthe below average students may experience.Even so, I hear from them that the Focusing

helps them to be at their best. Also, I haveseen some of these same (above average)children take the strategies and apply them toareas that provide more personal challenge–sports or a specific skill, for example. For theaverage and below average student, I haveobserved numerous times when a child hasused the strategies and made corrections on a paper or has improved the fluency of theirreading.

Northwestern teachers reiterate manytimes that they feel classroom management hasimproved significantly with implementationof the DLS strategies. Through my leadershipas a Mentor, they have learned to use itthroughout the school. It doesn’t stop at theclassroom door; it continues to PE, recess,music, art, and into the principal’s office,when necessary.

Northwestern does not have standardizedtest scores that can “prove” with numericalstatistics that DLS has improved academicperformance. In order to have that, they

v Iceland (cont’d)

Thor Elis PálssonReykjavík +354 533-2772

Hugrún SvavarsdóttirMosfellsbær+354 698-6465

Thorbjörg SigurdardóttirHafnarfirdi+354 862 2021

Kolbeinn SigurjónssonMosfellsbær+354 586 8180

v India

Carol Ann RodriguesMumbai+91 (22) 2667 3649 or+91 (22) 2665 0174

v Ireland

Sister Antoinette KeelanDublin+353 (01) 884 4996

Maggie O’MearaClonmel, Co. Tipperary+353 (87) 415 70 99

v Israel

Luba AlibashRamat Hasharon/Tel Aviv+972 (09) 772-9888 or(052) 272-9532

Etya CheslerKfar-Saba/Tel Aviv+972 (09) 768 0267

Goldie GiladKfar Saba/Tel Aviv+972 (09) 765 1185

Eve ResnickKfar Saba/Tel Aviv+972 (09) 766 2140

Judith SchwarczDDA-Israel DirectorSupervisor-SpecialistPearl ZarskyRa’anana/Tel Aviv+972 (09) 772 9888

v Italy

Elisa De FeliceRoma +39 (06) 507 3570

Silvia WalterBagno a Ripoli Florence +39 (055) 621 0541

Rafaella ZingerleCorvara In Badia+39 (0471) 836 871

v Japan

Helen Brittle-MatsukiTokyo +81 (03) 3795 5997

v Lebanon

Samar Riad SaabBeirut +961 3 700 206

v Malaysia

Hilary CraigKuala Lumpur+603 2096 1342

Video of Davis LearningStrategies in Action

Northwestern Elementary School’ssuccessful implementation of DavisLearning Strategies is the subject of a video documentary filmed by KristiThompson, Davis Facilitator and DLS Workshop Presenter in Walsh,Colorado. This 30-minute video features interviews with Kim Carson,Principal Kathy Graves, SuperintendentRay Sauerwein, teachers, parents, andstudents, and shows classrooms usingDavis Learning Strategies. Copies areavailable for $9.00 USD. To order, call 1-888-805-7216.

Northwestern teachersreiterate many times that

they feel classroommanagement has improved

significantly with theimplementation of the

DLS strategies.

First DLS Model School (cont’d from p. 8)

Kim Carson

PAGE 10 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Mexico

Dinorah Stella GarcíaGalvánTampico+52 (833) 228 6694

Las Palmas Counseling CtrSilvia Arana GarciaCathy Calderón de la BarcaFundamentals PresenterMéxico D.F.+52 (55) 5520 1883 or 5282 4196

La Puerta de las LetrasMaría Silvia Flores SalinasSupervisor-SpecialistDLS Workshop PresenterGraciela Trevino GonzalezOlga Zambrano de CarrilloDDA-Mexico DirectorGarza GarcíaMonterrey+52 (81) 8335 9435

Laura LammogliaTampico, Tamaulipas +52 (833) 213 4126

Alejandra Garcia MedinaCuajimalpa, Mexico, D.F+52 (55) 5813 9554

Maria del Pilar PerézOrnelasSan Luis Potosi+52 (444) 817 0961

Lucero PalafoxVeracruz+52 (022) 99 351302

Sociedad de ConsultatoriaOrganizacionalMaria Eugenia GutierrezMaria Lourdes GutierrezMexico D.F.+52 (55) 5595 8442

v Netherlands

Ineke BlomDorpstraat+31 (020) 436-1484

Lot BlomUtrecht +31 (030) 271 0005

Hester BrouwerGroningen+31 (050) 52 61 146

Lieneke CharpentierNieuwegein+31 (030) 60 41 539

Monique CommandeurUithoorn+31 (0297) 56 88 50

Alexandra De GoedeAerdenhout+31 (023) 524 3263

Mine de RanitzDriebergen+31 (0343) 521 348

Christien De SmitSluis +31 (0117) 461 963

Leonardus D’HooreSluis +31 (0117) 56 29 40

Saskia Dijkstra Amsterdam +31 (020) 463-2753

Marijke Eelkman Rooda-BosGouda +31 (0182) 517-316

CHROME was harder for me to read thandog, explained later.

ANTIQUE is not a real word, justsomething someone made up that we all use.Yet it is still easier for me to spell thanCHROME because in reality there is no hin chrome; that is just the way it is spelled.

I said the S-word several times beforeI could get the spell checker to give me aspelling for sword.

They added silent letters to words tokeep them from being confused with otherwords, which is why they are so easily confused with letters that were added to wordsto only change the way they’re spelled.

Once I understood why there, their,they’re were spelled different, meant different things, but sounded the same, I was still confused about there’s, andtheirs, but much more so by doe, dough,and as Homer Simpson would say, doah!

I wonder why you can’t make contrac-tions with was and were? “Theyw’re hereyesterday” or “He’as here this morning.”Maybe it is just because it makes you sound

like a hick! I wonder who decided that W should

look like double V in print, instead of likedouble-U? And why?

I once thought there was a letter like Wcalled “elemental-P;” turned out to be L-M-N-O-P!

When offered gum, I have often said“No thanks, I am walking.”

A quote of my dad’s about me: “Well hemay be dumb, but at least he’s clumsy!”

Speaking of dumb, I think the b wasadded just to make me feel that way!

DOB is not as much BOD backward asdob is bod backward.

If one could know everything there is toknow, who could you ask to know for sure? I guess you would just know.

Seeing and hearing a person say oneword can take pages of printed words to beginto explain.

If nothing lasts forever, then that must be why doing nothing wastes so much time.

Speaking of wasting your time, mysincerest apologies for this …

My “Point” of View

by Dan Willemin, dyslexic engineer

The Way I See It

I have a brand new “point” of view that no one else can see. It helps me when I’m reading to tell a “b” from “d.” It never lets “was” be “saw,” the letters stay in place. No more will “I” be “l” because it never changes case. And when I’m doing math now a “2” won’t be a “5.” The numbers stay in nice neat rows, the ends don’t try to dive. It keeps the words from moving and dancing off the page. If everyone could have one—reading would be the rage. It helps me when I’m writing—the lines don’t disappear. I used to only print you see, but now my cursive’s clear. I can throw and catch a ball much better than before, And now my teammates need me to help improve the score. I play a game with Koosh Balls as I stand on one foot. It makes the “mind’s eye” stronger and helps the “point”stay put.I model words in clay to make the meaning clear, There’s three parts to a word, did you know that, my dear? I have some other “special tools” to use in any way And I must use them all the time each and every day. For if I do not use these tools I might forget how to relax, slow down, and see my “point” of view.

by Jackie M. Black ©2002

Davis Facilitator in Arlington, Washington

PAGE 11THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Netherlands (cont’d)

Marianne EmmerzaalZwijndrecht +31 (078) 612 3000

Johanna FokkensBeilen +31 (0593) 540 14

Pérola GonçalvesAmsterdam+31 (020) 636 3637

Jan GubbelsMaastricht+31 (043) 36 39 999

Sue Hillier-SmithBreukelen+31 (0346) 265 059

Judith HolzapfelDeventer +31 (0570) 619 553

Will HuntjensHorn +31 (0475) 589 238

Mia JenniskensEindhoven+31 (040) 245 9458

Trudy JolingLaren +31 (035) 531 00 66

Helen KapteinMiddleburg+31 (0118) 64 37 73

Marie KoopmanBilthoven+31 (030) 228 4014

Carry KulingHeemstede+31 (0235) 287 782

Edith Kweekel-GöldiSoest +31 (035) 601 0611

Mw. Drs. M.H. LabrujèreZutphen Gelderland + 31 (0)575 543 211

Imelda LamakerHilversum+31 (035) 621 7309

Yvie Leenaars-de RooÿBavel+31 (0161) 433 449

ZeiZei LerninstitutDrs. Siegerdina MandemaSpecialist TrainerAdvanced WorkshopPresenterDLS Workshop PresenterDDA-Nederland DirectorRobin TempleSpecialist TrainerWorkshop PresenterMaria Hoop+31 (0475) 302 203

Karin MeijAmsterdam+31 (020) 679 9152

Sjan MelsenArnhem+31 (026) 442 69 98

Petra MoolhuizenMiddelaar+31 (024) 696 3530

Marianne OosterbaanZeist +31 (030) 691 7309

Ineke PijpGroningen+31 (050) 542 0817

Highlights from Ron Davis’ Lecture Tour Down Under

two additional attempts to come back in!Apparently, even the possums in Australiaare interested in Davis Dyslexia Correction!

DDA-Pacific also arranged a Day ofInquiry with Ron for the Davis Facilitatordown under on December 12, 2004. It washosted by newly licensed facilitator,Marianne Mullally, at her centre, DyslexiaAnswered, in Crows Nest, Sydney.

Amongst the radio, TV, newspaper andmagazine interviewsRon did is this Dec.17, 2004 article from The AdelaideAdvertiser featuring a photo of Ron andHannah Manganofrom Perth.

Three cheers forMilt Barlow andCatherine Churton,Directors of DDA-Pacific!!!v

DDA-Pacific sponsored an Australian lecture and media tour for Ron Davis inDecember 2004. Ron and CatherineChurton, director of DDA-Pacific, visitedBrisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydneyto support and promote the growing groupof Facilitators in Australia.

During Ron’s lecture at the Universityof Sydney, an uninvited and surprising guestmade several appearances. A friendly possumentered the back of Wallace Theatre andtried to find a seat. Despite being caughtand escorted some distance from the theatre,the possum found its way back and made

Davis Facilitators Down Under (L to R)Standing: Linda Houben, Sally Buelke,Marianne Mullally, Michele Roach, JohnReilly, Eileen McCarthy, Mark O’Brien.Seated: Brenda Baird, Catherine Churton,Ron Davis, Jan Gorman.

“Apparently, even thepossums in Australia are interested in DavisDyslexia Correction!”

PAGE 12 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Netherlands (cont’d)

Fleur van de Polder-PatonSchiedam+31 (010) 471 58 67

Petra Pouw-LegêneBeek +31 (046) 437 4907

Lydia RogowskiHelmond+31 (0492) 513 169

Hanneke SchoemakerWageningen+31 (0317) 412 437

Tonny StorHeerhugowaard+31 (072) 57 22 771

Karima P.A. TurkatteAmsterdam+31 (020) 696 4379

Agnes van den Homberg-JacobsAmerica Limburg+31 (077) 464 23 22

Annette van der BaanAmsterdam+31 (020) 420-5501

Rieja van der ValkAlmelo +31 (0546) 867 537

Annemarie van HofUtrecht +31 (030) 65 86 700

Drs. Marian J.A. vanLeeuwen/Woudenberg+31 (033) 286 3506

Sjakkelien van LierDeventer +31 (0570) 600 008

Gerard van PoppelGouda +31 (0182) 535 265

Juchke van RoozendaalOss +31 (0412) 690 312

Willem Van UlsenGroningen+31 (050) 542 3941

Karin Van WulfenBreda +31 (076) 514 4889

Tienke Veenstra-SierhsmaMeppel +31 (0522) 254 453Lucie Wauben-CrutsElsloo +31 (046) 437 0329

Christa WiersmaDen Haag+31 (070) 355 3388

Gerda Witte-KuijsHeerhugowaard+31 (072) 571 3163

Astrid Zanen-vander BlijAerdenhout+31 (023) 524 3485

v New Zealand

Catherine ChurtonDDA-Pacific DirectorSupervisor-SpecialistAuckland+64 (021) 448 862

Jennifer ChurtonAuckland+64 (09) 360 4941

Q: My son is 3. He pronounces words backwards. For example, he will say “soh”for horse, “sme” for mess, “sog” for goes,etc. Could he have dyslexia?

A: Your son is still very young and it is normal for children to mispronounce manywords when they are first learning to talk. At age 3, a few months can still make a bigdifference in speech development. This issomething that your son may grow out ofwith time; but it is also something to keep an eye on. If your son has difficulty with alot of words or does not seem to improveover time, then you may want to have himevaluated by an audiologist or a speech andlanguage therapist. This could be a veryearly sign of dyslexia, but it also could be a sign of some other problems with hisspeech or hearing.

Q: I’m interested in understanding whichside of the brain is dominant (if either) withdyslexia. There are some commonalitiesbetween Dyslexia and ADD that I am interested in. Any suggested readings?

A: With most people, the auditory languagefunctions and sequential reasoning takesplace on the left side of the brain, and mostschools are geared to left-brain modalities.

Jeffrey Freed, coauthor of “RightBrained Children in a Left Brained World:Unlocking the Potential of Your ADD Child”believes that most kids with ADD have predominantly right-brained learning styles.

Studies of brain structure and functionshows that while non-dyslexics tend todevelop early specialization of the left hemispheres of their brain, dyslexics show amore symmetrical brain structure (right/leftareas about the same size) and tend to useright brain pathways more for reading tasks.

Ron Davis and Thomas West bothbelieve that dyslexia is a result of a primarilypicture-thinking or visual-spatial thinkingstyle; these thought processes are the ones

generally associated with the right brain.You can find Jeffrey Freed’s book and

others on this subject such as Tom West’s “In the Mind’s Eye” and Robert Ornstein’s“The Right Mind - Making Sense of theHemispheres” at our online bookstore:http://www.dyslexia.com/bookstore

Q: What can be done for a kindergartnerwho has not been able to memorize thealphabet? Can your program help not only a child with reading difficulties, but a childwho is completely a non-reader?

A: The Alphabet Mastery proceduredescribed in the book The Gift of Dyslexiacan be done with a kindergarten-age child,but you should proceed at a slower pace witha child that age. We recommend the DavisYoung Learners Kit for Home Use for childrenage 7 and under; the manual that comes withthe kit is geared toward working with childrenage 5-7.

Davis methods can be used with childrenwho are nonreaders as well as those whohave difficulty reading. The Davis tools forteaching reading and word mastery can beused with individuals of any age.

However, if your question is in reference to the kindergarten-age child youmentioned, we do not recommend pushing akindergarten-age child toward early reading;rather, it is important to lay a good foundationof underlying skills before expecting a childto become an independent reader.

You can get more info about the kits wesell here at: www.dyslexia.com/bookstore/kit

by Abigail Marshall,DDAI Information Services Director

A Framework forUnderstanding DyslexiaThe British Department for Educationand Skills has a web page that describesthe Davis approach to dyslexia. It’sarticulate and accurate, and includestwo case studies and interviews with the clients, their facilitators and collegeinstructors. The entire report (ARDD2)may be ordered from:

DfES Publications, PrologPO Box 5050,Sherwood Park,Annesley, Nottingham NG15 ODJ

Tel.: +44 (0845) 60 222 60www.dyslexia.com/dfes

PAGE 13THE DYSLEXIC READER

v New Zealand (cont’d)

Raewyn MathesonInglewood+64 (027) 411 8350

Shelley McMeekenDunedin +64 3 456 5058

Sandra MoetraWhangarei+64 (09) 435 6822

Lorna Timms Christchurch +64 3 359 8556

v Oman

Patricia Lynne HodgeMuscat +968 698 596

v Philippines

Imelda CasugaBaguio City +63 (744) 42 29 01

v Republic of Singapore

Phaik Sue ChinSingapore+65 6773 4070

Ann ChuaSingapore +65 9843 1726

Constance ChuaSingapore +65 6873 3873

v South AfricaSara Louise KramerCapetown+27 (021) 794 5778

v Spain

María Campo MartínezMurguía, Álava +34 (0945) 46 25 85

Silvia María SabatésRodrigoMadrid +34 (091) 636 31 44

v Switzerland/CH

Tinka Altwegg-ScheffmacherVeronika BeelerSt. Gallen+41 (071) 222 07 79

Monika AmreinZurich +41 (01) 341 8264

Gerda Barakos-JegerDornach+41 (061) 701 80 60Lerninstitut BaselBonny BeuretSpecialist TrainerAdv. Workshop PresenterDLS Workshop PresenterDDA-CH DirectorRuth Froels +41 (061) 272 24 00

Priska BaumgartnerWettingen +41 (056) 426 28 88

Mieke Blommers-FriederichsBasel +41 (061) 378 9060

Michelle BonardiCastel S. Pietro, Ticino+41 (091) 630 23 41

Good Questions and Some Answersby Charlotte Foster, Davis Specialist inBernardsville, New Jersey

Q: I have read The Gift of Dyslexia. It seems to make sense considering the types of difficulties my daughter experiences. I feel this approach could work. I don’t want to jeopardize this opportunity by doing something wrong, however. I have questionsabout going through program as directed inthe book. What is the difference between mytaking her through the program and my bringing her to a facilitator? Is it necessary forher to miss a week of school for the processto be most effective? What kind of support istypically required after you work with them?Do you know of any children for whom thishas made a difference when parents acted asfacilitator? I would appreciate any light youcould shed on the whole process.

A: Regarding your concern about doingsomething wrong–I don’t think that you can.The Davis Facilitator just has more practicenoticing subtleties of disorientation. One of theFacilitator’s tasks is to help the client realizewhen she is disorienting so that the client canknow when to use the orientation tool andthen identify and clear the culprit that causedthe disorientation. (For me this is the onething about which I always worry–even withall the years I have been doing this–have Ihelped the client become completely sensitiveto her own symptom/signal for disorientation;I cannot tell the client what that signal is sinceit is different for everyone.) It is essential thatthe alphabet triggers be cleared before movingon to the trigger words like the, for, to. If aletter is not cleared, then all words containingthat letter become triggers. It is during the workon the alphabet that the client’s sensitivity todisorientation is usually honed.

The other area in which I think theFacilitator has an edge over the parent is inthe work of Symbol Mastery on the triggerwords. I do a lot of training of Facilitators forDavis Dyslexia Assoc. International, and it isin the Symbol Mastery work where I find thefacilitators-in-training need the most work tobecome artful enough that they can then takefuture clients to an adequate level for masteryof the trigger words. It is the responsibility ofthe Facilitator, during a Davis program, to getthe client to that adequate level so that theclient can carry on to successfully master that

list of 217 words and any other words that arepersonal triggers.

When I was first trained by Ron Davisin 1987 I wanted to put the world “on-point”(the usual term for the orientation procedure)because I would see these amazing miracles.However, if today you told me that I wasgoing to the Land of Dyslexia and that I couldonly take one tool from Davis, I would takethe clay and a dictionary. I would get the jobdone without orientation; it would take longer,but I would get it done. Ron Davis says thatorientation corrects perception; SymbolMastery corrects the dyslexia (the readingproblems). I also think that the SymbolMastery asks of the client significant, andeven elegant, thinking skills—well beyondanything that is asked in school. The SymbolMastery procedure is just plain good for anyone, and amazingly, it is something goodfor us that is also fun.

There are parents who have used thebook and helped their child move out of themist and angst of reading problems. And hereI think that non-teachers might have an edge,because this whole process is based on self-learning and creativity (in my opinion: reallearning). The Facilitator is not teaching theclient but giving the client the tools withwhich the client remediates the problem. Therole of Facilitator (the role you would be in) is one of guide and support person. Workingwith your daughter from the book should be,in my opinion, a process of shared discovery.

If at all possible, I strongly urge you and your daughter to come for a consultationbefore deciding anything. For one thing, yourdaughter needs to be involved in the decision;she needs to be able to tell you honestlyAFTER the consultation whether she thinksshe could spend a week working with aFacilitator, and her feelings about this need to be honored.

There is probably not a single DavisFacilitator who hasn’t tried to do this programin some way other than in the one week. Ihave, and I won’t do it again. There can besomething so special about a child coming outof the one week with a sense of promise andpossibility that the struggles will be a thing athe past. Some schools are great about thewhole thing and work to minimize make-upwork; other schools can be horrid (there is noother word). In the bigger picture, one week isminimal if this process gets a client up and

(Cont’d on p. 14)

PAGE 14 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Switzerland/CH (cont’d)

Vicki BrignoliLumino+41 (091) 829 05 36

Beatrice ContiWolfisberg+41 (062) 636 2146

Ursula FischbacherOrpund+41 (032) 355 23 26

Edith ForsterEttenhausen+41 (052) 365 45 54

Heidi Gander-BelzMonchaltorf+41 (01) 948 1410

Katharina GrenacherBern +41 (031) 382 00 29

Elisabeth GutGrut +41 (044) 932 3242

Ursula Hirzel EglerStäfa +41 (01) 926 2895

Christa JaegerRiehen +41 (061) 641 4667

Susanne JekerOlten +41 (062) 296 45 30

Consuelo LangLumino +41 (091) 829 05 36

Claudia LendiSt. Gallen+41 (071) 288 41 85

Renate LöffelBasserdorf+41 (01) 836 96 59

Erika Meier-SchmidBonstetten+41 (01) 700 10 38

Sandra MoschtaghiBasel +49 (0172) 81 57 351

Christine NoisetRenens/Lausanne +41 (021) 634 35 10 or(079) 332 2775

Jürg PeterSupervisor-SpecialistDornach+41 (061) 701 39 16

Véronique PfeifferZürich +41 (01) 342 22 61

Elisabeth RabergerBaden +41 (056) 209 17 76

Hilary RhodesChesieres-Villars+41 (024) 495 38 20

Regine RothMohlin/Basel+41 (061) 851 2685

Doris Rubli-Osterwalder St. Gallen +41 (071) 245 56 90

Benita RuckliSigigen +41 (041) 495 25 38

Elisabeth Rudolf von RohrOlten +41 (062) 293 46 66

Lotti Salivisberg Basel +41 (061) 263 33 44

Sonja SartorWinterthur+41 (052) 242 4015

out of the maelstrom of sinking in schoolbecause of falling further and further behindwhen no one understands. When the parentworks with the child it just takes longer to getthe process of recovery started.

On-going support: Your role in follow-up,should your daughter go through a DavisProgram, would be to assist her with a coupleof reading exercises (this is dependent on herreading level at the end of the program) and tounderstand and share her efforts in on-goingSymbol Mastery work. In the best of allworlds, a client knows what to do after theprogram. Children need support, company,and sharing their efforts and discoveries withsomeone. The program provides time in theafternoon of the last day to coach the parentbased on the results of the program and theneeds of the client. Additionally the phone isalways there, should a parent need to call forguidance and answers after the program. If a client commits to working on 3-4 triggerwords per week after the program, I amdelighted. (We create a follow-up schedule ofon-going practice to which the client commitsas a part of the ritual of closing a program.)Some time for the Koosh ball exercise daily is a good idea. I had one client whose parentsdiscovered that, on the days that they did not

do even 5 minutes of Koosh before the client left for school, the client really couldnot use the orientation, release, and energydial successfully during the day.

Success of children when the parent has acted as Facilitator: One mother I knowused the book nine years ago and got her sonrolling. Her son did well in high school, qualified for admission to top universities,received a National Merit scholarship, andwas accepted at a highly selective liberal artscollege that is known for its exceptionallystrong writing program. Success of a parentworking with her child really is dependenton the relationship of parent and child ANDrealizing that this is not about teaching; it is about facilitating learning and aboutunderstanding that the child is in the driver’sseat. There is a difference. Recall how yourchild learned to speak a whole language withproper grammar without anyone teachingher how to conjugate “to be.” All you didwas praise and support and model. I believethat real learning is as natural as breathing.The brain does it naturally; learning is amajor part of what the brain is meant to do throughout life. It is that “real learning”into which, I like to think, this program taps.v

Book Reviews The nichecoach BOOK REVIEW by Bill Foster (editor@nichecoach.com)

Two Books AboutImproving ReadingSpeedYes, that’s right; the author says that a readercan, in just 10 days, actually learn to readfaster. The single most common thing thatexists in almost every office is stacks ofpapers, documents, and other material waitingto read. If they are not piled on the desk oron shelves, then the paper is in drawers, or insome instances in boxes beside the desk. Theauthor says that readers, by reading the book,can teach themselves to zip through books,magazines and newspapers and understandand remember everything that has been read.

Marks-Beale first defines what shemeans by “reading the book:” the book isread in the order presented so that the readers

can maximize their speed reading potential.The book has three key objectives: the first is for the readers to realize the value of whatthey are already doing as readers. They do notalways recognize that their current readinghabits are good reading strategies.

The author’s second key objective is to introduce the readers to a broad spectrumof ideas. The premise here is that there is no one best way to read but there are a greatmany strategies for the readers to exploreand then pick and choose those which areimportant and useful.

Enhancing readers’ level of confidenceis the author’s third major objective so thatreaders feel that the time spent reading isworthwhile because they are getting what theywant from the reading. Getting what is wantedfrom reading will mean reading more often.

(Cont’d on p. 15)

Questions & Some Answers (cont’d from p. 13)

PAGE 15THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Switzerland/CH (con’t)

Maya Semle-MuraroStäfa +41 (079) 704 03 07

Claudia TavernaSent +41 (081) 864 9115

Andreas VillainZürich +41 (076) 371 84 32

Catherine WarnerGeneva +41 (022) 321 70 42

Iris WebberBäretswil/Zürich+41 (01) 939 2633

Margit ZahndEttingen+41 (079) 256 86 65

v United Arab Emirates

Linda RademanDubai +9714 348 1687

v United Kingdom

Catherine E. ArmstrongThame, Oxon+44 (01844) 212 419

Nicky Bennett-BaggsGt. Gaddesden, Herts+44 (01442) 252 517

Kate Blow Southampton, Hants +44 (02380) 704 734

Jo Broughton Hitchin, Herts +44 (0)1462 435 166

Sue BullenAyrshire, Scotland+44 (01292) 591 797

Susan DuguidLondon+44 (020) 8878 9652

Dyslexia Correction CentreGeorgina DunlopJane E.M. HeywoodDLS Workshop PresenterAscot, Berkshire+44 (01344) 622 115

Christine EastKingsbridge, Devon+44 (01548) 856 045

Hilary FarmerOxford, Oxon+44 (01865) 326 464

Nichola FarnumLondon+44 (0208) 977 6699

Maureen FloridoHarleston, Norfolk+44 (01379) 853 810

Carol ForsterDLS Workshop PresenterGloucester+44 (01452) 331 573

Axel GudmundssonLondon +44 (020) 8341-7703

Tessa Halliwell Barrow upon Soar, Leics+44 (01509) 412 645

Annemette Hoegh-BanksBerkhamsted, Herts+44 1442 872185

10 Days to Faster Reading is designed asa workbook and the readers have to use penor pencil and other assorted study equipment,to effectively navigate their way through thebook and to gain the maximum from the book.Marks-Beale uses the metaphor of racecardriving in laying out the book starting withDay 1 (ch. 1), Putting the Key in the Ignition,through to Day 10, The Final Lap. The analogyis that faster reading is comparable to therelationship between car drivers and those whowant to learn to become skilled at racecardriving. The author uses “Time Trials” at theend of each day's session for the readers totrack their progress when they apply the skillslearned that day. In addition there is a “PitStop: Tip of the Day,” at the end of eachchapter for adjusting and honing readers’ skills.

The author makes the distinction thatthe book is designed to develop skills to efficiently read anything. However most of the information is focused on readingnon-fiction such as business books, periodicalsor school textbooks because non-fictionsreaders are always looking for ways to readmore in less time. Fiction readers who readstories and novels have a choice as to howthey use the skills learned.

This book, or if you will, this manual,will help all readers who read, study and useit to set and attain their goals of becomingeffective rapid readers.

A second book titled Read MoreFaster...On Screen, by Pam Mullan, with AbbyMarks-Beale, and published by The ReadingEdge, has recently come to the market and isapplicable to today’s ever-increasing use ofthe computer and e-mail. This book makessome clear distinctions between book andon-screen reading and defines the criticaldifferences between reading on paper and on a computer screen.

While reading on paper and on a screenis similar in that one is seeing letters andwords, there are few other similarities. Oneof the reasons people struggle with on screenreading is that screen reading looks and feelscompletely different. One of these differencesis that paper seems flexible because it is a formthat has been used for hundreds of years.Digital text has a much shorter history and a wide variety of presentation formats. Thenumber of differences between the two isconsiderable.

The book gives very useable tips, techniques, and strategies so that one canbecome more at ease reading on-screen andthus increase reading speed, comprehension,and retention. Read More Faster...On-Screenis a book to be read, studied and used byanyone who depends on a computer as ameans of communication.

If readers want “more time” by minimizing reading time, these are twobooks well worth exploring. v

10 Days to Faster Readingby Abby Marks-Beale and The PrincetonLanguage Institute; published by WarnerBooks; ISBN 0-446-67667-5 ($10.95)

Read More Faster ... On Screenby Pam Mullan, with Abby Marks-BealePublished by The Reading EdgeISBN 0-9745928-1-10

Book Reviews (cont’d frm p. 14)

vUnited Kingdom (cont’d)

Phyllida HowlettHaverfordwest,Pembrokeshire +44 (01437) 766 806

Angela JamesReading, Berkshire+44 (0118) 947 6545

Judith JenkinsonOld Windsor, Berks+44 (01753) 853 275

Liz JollyFareham, Hants+44 (01329) 235 420

Keryn MiddletonBarking, Essex, +44 (0208) 507 9164

Madeleine MilesDereham, Norfolk+44 (01362) 861 136

Fionna PilgrimKeighley, West Yorkshire +44 (01535) 609 797

Elenica Nina PitoskaLondon +44 (020) 8451 4025

Pauline RoylePoulton-le-Fylde, Lancs+44 (01253) 899 875

Janice ScholesLiversedge, West Yorkshire+44 (01274) 874 712

Center for Natural Healthand LearningJudith ShawRichard WhiteheadDDA DirectorMargarita WhiteheadDDA DirectorStaplehurst, Kent+44 (01580) 890 321

Lynne SmithBrighton, East Sussex+44 (07986) 546 468

Barbara TimminsSolihull+44 (015) 6477 2657

Drs. Renée van der VloodtDavis SpecialistReigate, Surrey+44 (01737) 240 116

Evelyn WhiteWalton-on-Thames, Surrey+44 (01932) 230 624

Rachel WilliamsonHassocks, West Sussex+44 (01444) 245 260

Paul Francis WrightBarton Upon Humber,North Lincs +44 (01652) 636 676

v United States

AlabamaPaula MoreheadBirmingham+1 (205) 408-4420

ArizonaDr. Edith FritzPhoenix+1 (602) 274-7738

PAGE 16 THE DYSLEXIC READER

Based on the Davis DyslexiaCorrection methods, this Kit enables parents and tutors ofchildren, ages 5-8, to home-teachand help young learners to:• focus attention• control energy levels• improve eye-hand coordination• learn the alphabet• learn basic punctuation• develop and strengthen pre-reading

and basic reading skills• prevent the potential of a learning

problem• improve sight word recognition and

comprehension• establish life-long “how to learn” skills.

Young Learner Kitfor Home-Use

••

D

AV

I SD Y S L E

XI

A

AS

SO

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I AT I O N I N T E R N

AT

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®

The Kit includes:

• Instruction Manual • Sturdy nylon briefcase • Reusable modeling clay (2 lbs.) • Clay cutter • Webster’s Children’s Dictionary

(hardcover) • Checking Your Grammar (softcover) • Punctuation Marks & Styles Booklet • Two Koosh Balls • Letter Recognition Cards • Laminated Alphabet Strip • Stop Signs for Reading Chart

The Davis Methods for Young Learners

Davis Focusing Strategies provide chil-dren with the self-directed ability to bephysically and mental focused on thelearning task at hand.

Davis Symbol Mastery enables childrento master the alphabet letters, punctuationmarks and basic sight words with a simple,easy and fun alternative to pencil-paperactivities and drill.

Davis Reading Exercises improve accuracy with word recognition and comprehension.

The Kit is priced at $119.95(Shipping and Handling will be added)

To purchase a kit, use our secure on-lineordering at:www.dyslexia.com/bookstore

or call our toll-free number: 1-888-999-3324

Note: For older children (ages 9 and up), werecommend the Davis Symbol Mastery Kit.

vUnited States/Arizona (cont’d)

Nancy KressGlendale/Phoenix+1 (623) 203-1890

John F. Mertz, Jr.Tucson+1 (877) 219-0613 (Toll Free)+1 (520) 219-0613

Jeannette MyersSedona+1 (928) 204-1963

Tamera P. RichardsonMesa/Phoenix+1 (480) 649-7737 x2237

CaliforniaReading Research CouncilDyslexia Correction CenterDr. Fatima Ali, FounderAlice Davis, DDAI Director,Ray DavisRonald D. Davis, FounderSharon Pfeiffer,Specialist TrainerDLS Workshop PresenterDee Weldon WhiteLexie White Strain Burlingame/San Francisco +1 (800) 729-8990 (Toll Free) +1 (650) 692-8990

Janet ConferRancho SantaMargarita/San Clemente+1 (949) 589-6394

Richard A. HarmelMarina Del Rey/Los Angeles+1 (310) 823-8900

Learning DisabilityResource Clinic Nicole MeltonKaren Thorworth-PongsDiamond Bar+1 (909) 229-5251

Dwight UnderhillEl Cerrito/Berkeley+1 (510) 559-7869

ColoradoTerry DeMeoLittleton/Denver+1 (303) 850-7668

David Hirst Pagosa Springs/Durango+1 (970) 731-1661

Erin PrattBoulder +1 (303) 775-6464

Crystal PunchCentennial/Denver +1 (303) 850-0581

Kristi ThompsonDLS Workshop PresenterWalsh +1 (719) 324-9256

FloridaRandom (Randee)GarretsonLutz/Tampa/St. Petersburg+1 (813) 956-0502

Alice J. PrattJacksonville+1 (904) 389-9251

Edwina Stone Sunrise/Ft. Lauderdale+1 (954) 290-5395

PAGE 17THE DYSLEXIC READER

Aaron Hedgecock is one of the many clientswho has given us a deeper glimpse into thegifts of being dyslexic. He is insightful,inspiring, and an extremely gifted artist. Hehas a way of taking negative circumstancesand turning them into positive experiences.At the end of his Davis Program week atNew Hope Learning Centers, Inc. in January2004, Aaron had this to say about beingdyslexic, “My only disability was not knowing how to use my gift.”

“Art is the Greatest Gift of theHuman Spirit.” –Aaron Hedgecock

Aaron and his Facilitator, Darlene Bishop.

As with all of our clients at New HopeLearning Centers, it was a great privilege towork with Aaron and see him continue touse his gifts to bless others. We hope youenjoy his art as much as we have. v

–Paul, Cyndi, Darlene, Margie and Linda

“My problem was readingvery slowly. My parentssaid ‘Take as long as youneed. As long as you’regoing to read, just keep at it.’ We didn't knowabout learning disabilitiesback then.”

–Roger Wilkins, Head ofthe Pulitzer Prize Board

Famous Dyslexics Remember

“Since I was the stupidestkid in my class, it neveroccurred to me to try andbe perfect, so I’ve alwaysbeen happy as a writerjust to entertain myself.That’s an easier place tostart.”

–Stephen J. Cannell,screenwriter, producer, director and author

“Willie was sent to lessonsin spelling and grammar,but he never learned tospell. To the end of his life he produced highly idiosyncratic versions ofwords.”–Biographer A. NormanJeffares on William ButlerYeats

“I am, myself, a very poorvisualizer and find that Ican seldom call to mindeven a single letter of thealphabet in purely retinalterms. I must trace the letterby running my mental eyeover its contour.”

–William James, psychologist/philosopher

v United States/Florida (cont’d)

Rita Von BonFt. Walton+1 (850) 934-1389

GeorgiaScott TimmWoodstock/Atlanta+1 (866) 255-9028 (Toll-Free)

HawaiiVickie Kozuki-Ah YouEwa Beach/Honolulu+1 (808) 685-1122

IllinoisKim AinisChicago +1 (312) 360-0805

IndianaJodi R. BaughCloverdale/Indianapolis+1 (765) 526-2121

Myrna BurkholderGoshen/South Bend+1 (574) 533-7455

IowaMary Kay FrasierDes Moines+1 (515) 270-0280

KansasCarole CoulterOverland Park/Kansas City+1 (913) 831-0388

KentuckyRochelle AbnerWinchester+1 (859) 513-2662

LouisianaWendy Ware GilleyBaton Rouge+1 (225) 751-8741

Christina MartinSlidell/New Orleans +1 (985) 646-2201

MichiganAnn MinkelSix Lakes/Grand Rapids+1 (989) 365-3176

Dean SchalowManistee+1 (800) 794-3060 (Toll-Free)

Michele WellmanAlma/Lansing/Grand Rapids+1 (989) 463-5276

MinnesotaCindy BauerPlymouth/Minneapolis+1 (612) 483-3460

Cyndi DenesonSupervisor-Specialist Advanced WorkshopPresenterBloomington/Minneapolis+1 (888) 890-5380 (Toll-Free)+1 (952) 820-4673

Bernadette Peterson Maple Grove+1 (763) 229-4550

Virginia PutzkeCold Spring/St. Cloud+1 (320)-685-7977

PAGE 18 THE DYSLEXIC READER

(Cont’d on p. 19)

Sue Bullen “Having beeninspired and encouraged by PatHodge’s work with dyslexicchildren, I decided to train as a facilitator. I have lived andtraveled extensively abroad,taught English in Germany and

also in the Middle East. With 4 children I haveexperienced international, American and Britisheducation, both fee paying and state funded. I amespecially keen to promote the positive aspectsof dyslexia, and will be working in rural Scotland,south of Glasgow.” Stair House, Stair, Mauchline,Ayrshire KA5 5HW, Scotland. +44 (01292) 59 17 97.suebullen@dyslexia-scotland.com

Svava Hlín Hákonard “Iam dyslexic myself and I havespent a considerable time tryingto overcome my problems.When I first was introduced to the Davis Methods I was astudent in the University of

Akureyri, but I knew this was something I wantedto do. I am looking forward to helping peoplewith the wonderful tools that Davis has given us.” Bleiksarhlid 62, Eskifjordur 735, Iceland. +354-862-1518. Svavahlin@austurland.is

Glyndene Burns “I have been involved indifferent areas of the educational system formany years. I taught business education for fouryears and kindergarten for one year. I wanted a more personal closer way to help students.Thanks to Davis, I have found it!” 114 N.Pontiac Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79416, USA.+1 (806) 795-4790. glyndeneburns@aol.com

Sharon Schachter “Havingbuilt a career in SpecialEducation, I have witnessed the pain and frustration felt bydyslexics and their families whenthe available programmingsimply failed to help them

overcome obstacles and realize their goals. I wasalways searching for a method or program thatoffered real solutions. Then I heard about theDavis program, and found that it truly helpsdyslexics harness their potential and creativity. As someone who has had to cope with dyslexiamyself, discovering the Davis program was a life-changing experience. I am thrilled to joinwith other Facilitators across the globe as we help to enrich our clients’ lives.” EffectiveLearning Tools, 52 Joshua Court, Thornhill,Ontario L4J8B6, Canada. +1 (905) 764-6774.sharon.elt@rogers.com

Newly Licensed Davis Facilitatorsand DLS Workshop Presenters

Congratulations and welcome to our growingInternational family of Davis providers!

Tienke Veenstra-Sierhsma “I am themother of six children andgrandmother of a little boy. Ouryoungest boys, twins, appearedto be dyslexic. As a teacher and as a mother I became veryinterested in this problem andas a mother I had to see theirstruggle. I wanted to help allthe other brave children with

dyslexia. I specialized in motoric problems andfollowed lessons in Brain-Gym. It was obviousthat only those abilities could not solve the prob-lem. Then a friend who knew my search gave methe book of Ron Davis. It was clear that way ofhelping got the problem at the root. This was it!Now, after finishing the facilitator training, I worktwo days a week as a teacher for 4/5 year oldsspecializing in young “at risk” children, and athome I have my private practice as a DavisFacilitator. I found a way to help my own andmany other children. That is a blessing.” Focus,Maogien 21, Meppel, Drenthe 7943 JN,Netherlands. +31 (0522) 25 44 53. tienkeveenstra@hotmail.com

Fleur van de Polder-Paton “I am an elementary school musicteacher, specializing in the plural sensory education. Formy business name I have chosen “The Laughing School.”I look forward to working withboth children and adult clients.”“de Lachende School,” NieuweHaven 289 2a, Schiedam, Zuid-

Holland 3117 AC, Netherlands. +31(0102) 73 64 45.Fleurpaton@wanadoo.nl

Johanna Fokkens “I ammarried and have two children,a son (10) and daughter (7). Inmy previous jobs, I was activefirst as a teacher, later as afinancial co-worker. Both jobscould not inspire me. The lastten years I kept searching forwork with real fulfillment.

Three years ago, my son was diagnosed dyslexic.Simultaneously I got acquainted with the DavisMethods. All the jigsaw pieces fell together! Today,I am not only able to better assist/accompany myown children, but with them many others whowant to have their home on this planet too.” De Vuurboorn, De Zuidmaten 4, Beilen, Drenthe9411 PT, Holland. +31 (0593) 54 01 41.jwfokkens@hetnet.nl

vUnited States (cont’d)

Mississippi M. Elizabeth CookVicksburg/Jackson+1 (866) 632-2900 (Toll Free)+1 (601) 636-2900

MissouriCathy CookColumbia+1 (573) 819-6010 or 886-8917

Patricia HenryKansas City+1 (816) 361 6563

MontanaKimberly BezansonSeeley Lake +1 (406)-677-3076 or 499-0220

Elsie JohnsonKalispel +(406) 257-8556

Linda Jo PriceBozeman+1 (406) 586-8218

Nancy SittonWhitefish +1 (406) 863-9844

Robin ZealWhitefish+1 (406) 862-6210

NebraskaShawn CarlsonLincoln+1 (402) 420-1025

NevadaBarbara ClarkGardnerville/Carson City+1 (775) 265-1188

New HampshireMichele SiegmannMason/Manchester/Boston+1 (603) 878-6006

New JerseyLynn ChigounisMontclair +1 (973) 746-5037

Nancy CimprichElmer/Philadelphia+1 (856) 358-3102

Charlotte FosterSupervisor-SpecialistBernardsville/Newark+1 (908) 766-5399

New YorkWendy RitchieHilton/Rochester+1 (585) 233-4364

North CarolinaGerri W. CoxDLS Workshop PresenterShallotte/Wilmington+1 (910) 754-9559

Tina KirbySanford/Fayetteville+1 (919) 499-0774

Ruth MillsPineville/Charlotte+1 (704) 541-1733

Jean MoserWinston-Salem+1 (336) 765-6310

PAGE 19THE DYSLEXIC READER

Mia Jenniskens was an elementary school teacher. Herson’s dyslexia is what broughtMia in contact with the DavisDyslexia Correction Programand made her decide to becomea Davis Facilitator herself.Hekubastaat 14, Eindhoven

Noord-Brabant 5631 KJ, Nederland. +31 (0402) 45 94 58. mia@werkplet.net

Theresia Adler “I am a mother of 6 children.Three of them are dyslexics. I could help themwith the Davis Method. Therefore I like to offerthese experiences to others, too.” Graf vonBünau-Ring:20, 01728 Bannewitz, Germany. +49 (3514) 03 42 24.

Phoebe SchafschetzyLegasthenieberatung &Alphabetisierung fürErwachsene (DyslexiaCorrection and Literacy forAdults) Friedensallee 42,Hamburg 22765, Deutschland.+49 (040) 39 25 89.

Michele Wellman “I willbe providing Davis programs inmy home in Alma, Michigan,which is about one hour northof the Lansing area. The reasonI was first interested in the Davisprogram was a very selfish reason– I only wanted to help my sonso he wouldn’t struggle so

much in school. But when I saw the difference itcan make in a person and the effect it can haveon the rest of their life that was all the motivationI needed to pursue becoming a Davis Facilitator.I have only begun this new career and already Iknow it is perfect for me. There is nothing moreawesome that the feeling you get on Friday whenyou ask your client what changes they havenoticed and they tell you, “I feel like I’m smartnow!” Fifth Dimension Learning Center, LLC,611 Pine Avenue, Alma, Michigan 48801, USA.+1 (989) 463-5276. shelwellman@hotmail.com

Eileen McCarthy “I am a Special Educationteacher with extensive experience working withdyslexia and literacy development in schools andearly childhood centers. From my own love ofbooks I developed a particular interest in readingdifficulties. Introduced to Davis by a friend I wasintrigued by the process and took a Fundamentalscourse. Seeing first hand the profound effect ofthe procedures, I received answers to many, long held questions and went on to complete the Facilitator training. I now look forward to delivering this wonderful program to my clients.”3/21 Eustace Street, Manly, Sydney 2095,Australia. +61 (0299) 77 20 61. emccarthy@exemail.com.au

Kim Bezanson “I have asupportive husband, Ed and twobeautiful daughters, Heather andBrooke. My youngest daughterBrooke is dyslexic and was thereason I got involved with theDavis Methods. She is a brightimaginative girl and it was very

confusing for us when all the issues related todyslexia started surfacing in her first few years of school. We put in considerable effort trying tohelp and find solutions for our daughter. It wasdestiny that I found the Davis Program. It madeperfect sense to me and I was so overwhelmedby the improvement I noticed in Brooke that Ienrolled in the Facilitator training. My years inworking with children and within the school systemmade me aware of the lack of understanding byteachers, parents and even Special Ed programs.I am very excited about the opportunity to helpclear up the confusion and unlock the gift that isdyslexia.” The Picture Thinker, Post Office Box888 (mailing), 2871 Highway 83 North, SeeleyLake, Montana 59868, USA. +1 (406) 677-3076.bez@blackfoot.net

Sandra Moetara “My interest in the DavisProgram began through addressing my own son’sdyslexia, and we had him take part in a programduring January 2003. We were excited by theresults he had which in turn encouraged me toaddress my own dyslexia, and I also completedthe program. I saw that I could help others, andlend my own personal experience to the role of aFacilitator. I know that there is a huge need forthe Davis Program, and that it can help dyslexicsrealize the full potential of the gift they have, andthe positive way that they can use it to enhancetheir lives. Thanks to the fantastic training I havereceived and my extremely supportive family, Inow look forward to making a difference forpeople by providing Davis Programs from myhome office.” Dyslexia Support, Te PakaCrescent, Kamo, Whangarei, New Zealand. +64 (094) 35 68 22. dyslexiasupport@xtra.co.nz

Sandy Farrell “I have hadexperience in teaching, running myown business, and participatingin many sports. I have threewonderful, bright sons whoselearning styles were not addressedby the current educational systemdue to their dyslexia. Through avery dear friend, I learned about

Ron Davis and “The Gift of Dyslexia” and againwith her encouragement decided to become a DavisFacilitator. I found the Davis training experienceto be exciting, inspiring and awesome. What aprivilege to help French and English speakingindividuals fulfill their potential. What a rewardingexperience!” Dyslexia Correction Associates(Quebec), 253 Main Road, Hudson, Quebec, J0P1H0, Canada. +1 (450) 458-4777. sandyfarrell_2000@yahoo.com

(Cont’d on p. 20)

New Facilitators (cont’d from p. 18)

PAGE 20 THE DYSLEXIC READER

vUnited States (cont’d)

North DakotaKaren NelsonBismarck+1 (701) 527-5367

OhioLorraine CharbonneauMason/Cincinnati/Dayton+1 (513) 850-1895

Sandra KornLiberty Township/ Cincinnati+1 (513) 779-9118

Lisa ThatcherMount Vernon/Columbus+1 (740) 397-7060

OregonGary IvesPortland +1 (503) 238-7449

PennsylvaniaMarcia MaustBerlin/Pittsburgh+1 (814) 267-6694

South DakotaKim CarsonDLS Workshop PresenterBrookings/Sioux Falls +1 (605) 692-1785

TexasKellie Antrim-BrownFt. Worth+1 (877) 230-2622 (Toll Free)+1 (817) 989-0783

Glyndene BurnsLubbock +1 (806) 781-4891

Janalee BealsBedford/Dallas/Ft. Worth+1 (877) 439-7539 (Toll Free)

Success Learning CenterRhonda ClemonsDLS Workshop PresenterColleen MillslagleDLS Workshop PresenterTyler/Dallas+1 (866) 531-2446 (Toll Free)+1 (903) 531-2446

Shari ChuSan Antonio +1 (210) 414-0116

Susan LewisLubbock +1 (806) 771-1385

Shannon LivermanLampasas/Austin+1 (512) 556-6990

Amanda MeyerBurleson/Ft. Worth+1 (817) 426-4442

Dorothy OwenSupervisor-SpecialistPlano/Dallas +1 (972) 447-8327

Paula Roberts Tyler +1 (903) 570-3427

Casey Linwick-RouzerSugar Land/Houston+1 (832) 724-0492

Laura WarrenDLS Workshop PresenterLubbock +1 (806) 771-7292

VirginiaDonna KouriMount Pelier/Richmond+1 (804) 883-8867

Sigrun Hauksdóttir “When I heard aboutthe Davis methods two years ago I decided to get to know this method better and I saw it hadsomething new to offer. I have helped dyslexicindividuals for many years and therefore I have agood understanding of how they think and whattheir problems are. I believe that this experienceis good for a Davis Facilitator. I want to helpdyslexic individuals of all ages to understandtheir own gift and to use it to blossom.”Lesblind.com, Kjarna, Thverholt 2, 270,Mosfellsbær, Iceland. +354-895-6148. sigrunhauks@simnet.is

Robin Zeal has been teachingchildren struggling with learningproblems since 1976. She iscurrently a Title I teacher innorthwestern Montana and hasintegrated the Davis LearningStrategies into her kindergartenand first grade classrooms. Sheis the mother of two “picture

thinkers.” “I have been trained in several differentmethods to teach struggling learners to cope inthe academic setting. The Davis DyslexiaCorrection Program is the only comprehensiveapproach that honors and develops the giftedmanner in which non-verbal learners THINK,addressing not only academics, but life skills, aswell.” New Dimensions Learning Services, 203Fox Hollow Lane, Whitefish, Montana 59937.USA. +1 (406) 862-6210. NewLearning@centurytel.net

Jean Moser ”I first became acquainted withDavis through my sons struggle with reading.After doing a Davis Program he began to readand enjoy reading. Davis affirmed his giftednessand offered real answers to his problems. I lookforward to sharing this wonderful approach todyslexia with others.” Learning Tools for Dyslexia,3750 Vest Mill Road, Suite G, Winston-Salem,NC 27103, USA. +1 (336) 765-6310.jmoser459@triad.rr.com

(Margaret) Maggie O’Meara “Wanting tohelp my nephew I happenedupon the Davis site, boughtThe Gift of Dyslexia andworked through it with himwith great results. I went to aworkshop to find out more andgot hooked. I find the subjectof dyslexia fascinating and it

is wonderful to do something totally different.As Facilitators are scarce in Ireland it is great tobe able to provide Davis Dyslexia CorrectionPrograms here, and I look forward to its becomingmore available, acceptable and raising awarenesslevels.” Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. +353 (87) 415 70 99. nimheara@eircom.net

Gary Ives “It is said, ‘Necessity is the mother ofinvention.’ I believe it. Nate and I were looking forsupport for his learning style a year and a half ago,when somehow I stumbled upon a copy of TheDyslexic Reader. In the back there were some datesfor a Four Day Fundamentals Workshop to be heldin Houston, TX. I made a few calls and was able to get in just before the cut off. I received so muchsupport and help from the instructors and listened tostories of parents like me who had found significanthelp for their bright young children. I was greatlyencouraged. I signed myself up for an advancedworkshop and my son for a program. The rest ishistory. I’ll be the first facilitator to be licensed inOregon, and I’m really looking forward to helpingpeople both young and old reach their goals usingthe Davis learning tools. It’s a dream come true.”Learning Strengths Institute, 205 SE SpokaneStreet, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97202, USA. +1 (503) 238-7449. gives51@gmail.comwww.learningstrength.com

Erla S. Olgeirsdóttir “I have for a long timebeen searching for a solution or trying to find away to help my dyslexic son. When I got to knowthe Davis procedures, I was absolutely amazed!Viewing dyslexia positively–as a gift–reallychanges the approach of things. As a DavisFacilitator I hope to help dyslexic people reachtheir goals, minimize the negative side of theirdyslexic condition and use their amazing abilitiesto prosper in life. Through my Davis studies andthe wonderful people I met during this period Ihave gained so much knowledge and understand-ing, both of myself and the people around me.This year of training has been outstanding and totake these steps forward really feels good. Ipresently work as a Yoga trainer in AkranesCollege, something that I think will go very wellwith my future Davis practice.” Jörundarholt 33,300 Akranes, Iceland. +354 564 5604. eolgeirs@mi.is

Nora Kornblueh is a professional Cellist, who movedto Reykjavik, Iceland fromBoston. in 1980 after completingher musical training. She hasspent the past 25 years performingand teaching throughout Europeand America. Her career took a

turn as she was raising her two children. Norabecame involved in the American Embassy schoolin Reykjavik. There she taught reading amongother subjects and had her first experiences withdyslexic students. “After years of teachingdyslexics I still had so many unanswered questions.Now that I have completed my training as a DavisFacilitator, I finally feel deeply satisfied.” Noraopened an office four years ago for tutoringdyslexics. She plans to offer Davis Programs topeople of all ages in order to share Ron Davis’remarkable discoveries. Ennin, Reykjavikurvegur31, Reykjavik, 101 Iceland. +354-562-1295.norak@hn.is

(Cont’d on p. 21)

New Facilitators (cont’d from p. 19)

PAGE 21THE DYSLEXIC READER

vUnited States/Virginia (cont’d)

Angela OdomDLS Workshop PresenterMidlothian/Richmond+1 (804) 833-8858

Jamie Worley Newport News/Norfolk+1 (757) 283-5218

WashingtonChristy BironWashougal/Vancouver+1 (360) 835-9627

Jackie BlackArlington/Everett1-866-218-1614 (Toll-Free)

Meadowbrook Educational ServicesDorothy BennettRenie Royce SmithSpokane & Everett+1-800-371-6028 (Toll-Free)+1 (509) 443-1737

Aleta ClarkAuburn/Tacoma+1 (253) 854-9377

Carol HernDLS Workshop PresenterSpokane

Mary Ethel KelloggDLS Workshop PresenterSpokane

Rebecca LueraFall City/Seattle+1 (800) 818-9056 (Toll-Free)+1 (425) 222-4163

Ruth Ann YoungbergBellingham+1 (360) 752-5723

Laura Zink de DíazMount Vernon/Everett+1 (360) 848-9792

West VirginiaGale LongElkview/Charleston+1 (888) 517-7830 (Toll Free)+1 (304) 965-7400

WisconsinNew Hope LearningCenters, Inc.Darlene BishopMargaret Hayes Milwaukee+1 (888) 890-5380 (Toll Free)+1 (262) 255-3900

v

This Directory is current as of March 1, 2005. It is

subject to change. Betweennewsletter issues, new

Facilitators are added, andoccasionally, some becomeinactive. However, the Davis

Providers list atwww.dyslexia.comis always up to date.

Lorraine Charbonneau “Mybackground is in Communicationsand a year ago I was working for apsychologist promoting and providingrelationship and parenting seminars.One of the attendees asked me toreview Ron Davis’ book, The Gift of Learning in light of her son’sADHD, and The Gift of Dyslexia in

light of his inability to read. I was so moved by Ron’sinsights that I was on my way to DDAI within 4 daysto begin my Facilitator Training. It has been an honorand a privileged to be able to provide individuals withthe tools to enhance the process of self-discovery andmastery of individualized learning goals. Open DoorLearning Center, 7983 Hedgewood Circle, Mason,OH 45040. +1 (513) 850-1895.

Cathy Cook received a B.S. inAgriculture (emphasis are horticulture),from Western Illinois University andan M.Ed. in Special Education fromthe University of Missouri. Cathy hasspent the majority of her educationcareer in the public schools. Duringthis time Cathy worked with dyslexicstudents who were being left behind by

the school system. From her desire to empower thesestudents, as well as members of her own family, Cathydiscovered, “The Gift of Dyslexia.” Cathy witnessedwhat the Davis tools were able to accomplish that otherprograms, medicine, frustrated teachers and parentswere not able to do–give discouraged students thedesire to learn and confidence in themselves. The discovery marks the beginning of a new career forCathy and the chance of a lifetime to passionately helpothers. OnPoint Learning Center, 3610 ButtonwoodDrive, Suite 200, Columbia, MO 65201, USA. +1 (573) 886-8917 or +1 (573) 819-6010.cathy@onpointlearning.org

Mary Ann Kettlewell|“The Davis Program provided my10 year old nephew with the toolshe needed to become a successfulreader. Thank you Ron Davis! I amlooking forward to providing theDavis Program in the London,Ontario, Canada region at “ToolsFor Successful Reading.” London,Ontario, Canada. +1 (519) 652-0252.kettlewell@uniserve.com

Marianne Mullally “Myson has been instrumental in thedevelopment and motivationfor me to become a DavisFacilitator or “coach.” As life is like a baseball game wherefielding, batting, throwing andcatching are all skills needed toplay well and enjoy the game,

so too are skills of reading, writing, math andbehaviour necessary to enjoy education and participation in society. I set up ‘DyslexiaAnswered,’ an office suite in Sydney, as a ‘homeground’ where kids can come and be facilitatedby a Davis ‘coach’ in a professional, supportiveenvironment. The ‘clay club’ team meets everyweek for clay training and we have end of yearcarnivals and games for folks to meet and enjoytheir team success. As a result of completing myDavis training, I feel adequately equipped tocoach children and adults to enjoy the game oflife and get the most out of their gift of dyslexia.”Dyslexia Answered, Suite 103/8 Clake Street,Crows Nest, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia. +61 (02) 9436 3766. MarianneMullally@bigpond.com

New Fundamentals WorkshopPresenter: Cathy Calderón de la Barcais the Director of Palmas Counseling Center andhas been a Davis Facilitator since 2001. Thanksto Cathy, the Fundamentals of Davis DyslexiaCorrection Workshops can now also be presentedentirely in Spanish. Explanada 316, Col. Lomasde Chapultepec, México D.F. 11000, Mexico.+51 (55) 5202-7913 v

The Davis Facilitator Training Programrequires approx. 400 hours of course work.

The Davis Specialist Training Programrequires extensive experience providingDavis programs and an additional 260 hoursof training. Specialists and Facilitators aresubject to annual re-licensing based uponcase review and adherence to the DDAIStandards of Practice.

Davis Learning Strategies Mentorsand Workshop Presenters areexperienced teachers and trainers withtwo-three years of specialized trainingand experience mentoring classroomteachers of children 5-9 years of age.

For information about training and a full directory of Davis providers, seewww.dyslexia.com/providers.htmor call +1 (650) 692-7141 or toll-free in the US at 1-888-805-7216.

Davis Training Programs

New Facilitators (cont’d from p. 20)

PAGE 22 THE DYSLEXIC READER

Would you like to…• Improve the reading skills of all the children in your

class regardless of their learning style?• Manage your classroom more effectively?• Prevent the onset of learning disabilities?• With research methods that are flexible and easily fit

into and enhance any existing curriculum?

This two-day workshop provides Primary Teachers (K-3)with unique and innovative strategies for improving reading instruction and classroom management, and equipsyoung learners with proven life long skills in “how to learn.”

Instruction includes:• Theory and Reasoning for each Strategy.• Video demonstrations of each Strategy and classroom

implementation suggestions.• Supervised experiential practice on each Strategy.• Q&A and discussion about each Strategy.

Included are:• Detailed Manual with suggested year-long guides,

black-line masters, and numerous tips for each Strategyand various curriculum activities. ($45 value)

• Videotape demonstrating each classroom strategy. ($30 value)

• Workshop Kit: includesall the materials neededto start and proceed withconfidence working withstudents: alphabet strip,letter recognition cards,clay, clay cutter, twoKoosh® balls, dictionary.($90 value)

• Post-workshop e-mail consultation with a Davis LearningStrategies Mentor, as needed.

• Verification of Attendance letter.• Refreshments and deli lunch.

Workshop hours: 9am-4pm with one hour lunch break.

Cost: $595 per person (US only)

Academic Units or CEUs (US and Canada only)Two Quarter Units are available through California StateUniversity. Cost is $44 per unit, plus $35 administrative fee.A written assignment, which can be completed before andduring the workshop, is required.

Would you like to bring a DLS workshop to your school/area?Call 1-888-805-7216 and ask for Paula McCarthy.

Basic Workshop forPrimary Teachers

United Kingdom: June 9-10Staplehurst, KentEmail: uk@dyslexia.com, Tel: +44 (08700) 132 945

United States• June 27-28: Helena, Montana• July 25-26: San Antonio, Texas• July 28-29: Tyler, Texas• Aug. 15-16: Minneapolis, MinnesotaEmail: info@davislearn.com, Tel: 1-888-805-7216

SwitzerlandBasel, Switzerland• August 19-21• November 11-13Language: GermanEmail: office@dda.ch, Tel: +41 (061) 273 81 85

Iceland: June 14-16Mosfellsbaer, IcelandLanguage: EnglishContact: Kolbeinn SigurjónssonEmail: ks@lesblind.com, Tel: +354 586 8180

Kenya: April 3-5Nairobi, KenyaLanguage: EnglishSponsor: Dyslexia Africa/DDA-UKE-Mail: info@dyslexia-africa.com, Tel: +44 (08700) 132 945

Visit www.davislearn.com for the most current information.

To register:call 1-888-805-7216 (toll free)

or fax 1-650-692-7075

2005 DATES & LOCATIONS

PAGE 23THE DYSLEXIC READER

Come Learn andEXPERIENCE the DavisDyslexia CorrectionProcedures!Fundamentals of Davis Dyslexia Correction®

Workshop based on the best-selling book The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. Davis

UNITED STATES16-19 MayNew York, New YorkPresenter: Cyndi DenesonDorothy@acomprehensioncenter.comTel: +1 (866) 520-8858 toll-free

11-14 JulyBurlingame, CaliforniaPresenter: Cyndi Denesontraining@dyslexia.comTel: +1(888) 805-7216 toll-free

8-11 NovemberAtlanta, GeorgiaPresenter: Cyndi DenesonDorothy@acomprehensioncenter.comTel: +1(866) 520-8858 toll-free

15-18 NovemberWashington, D.C.Presenter: Cyndi DenesonDorothy@acomprehensioncenter.comTel: +1(866) 520-8858 toll-free

For updated workshop schedules visit: www.dyslexia.com/train.htm

UNITED KINGDOM10-13 MayKentPresenter: Robin Templeuk@dyslexia.comTel: +44 (08700) 132 945

6-9 SeptemberAddington, KentPresenter: Siegerdina Mandemauk@dyslexia.comTel: +44 (08700) 132 945

CANADA24-27 OctoberHalifax, Nova ScotiaPresenter: Gerry Grantggrant@dyslexia.caTel: +1 800-981-6433 toll-free

DEUTSCHLAND• 26-29 May: Freiburg• 1-4 October: HamburgPresenter: Ioannis TzivanakisLanguage: Germangermany@dyslexia.comTel: +49 (040) 25 17 86 22

ISRAEL2-5 May: Tel AvivPresenter: Ioannis Tzivanakisisrael@dyslexia.comTel: +972 (0523) 693 384

SWITZERLAND13-16 August: Basel 3-6 November: Basel(August Workshop in German)Presenter: Bonny Beuretoffice@dda.chTel: +41 (061) 273 81 85

NEW ZEALAND18-21 April AucklandPresenter: Ronald D. Davispacific@dyslexia.comTel: + 64 (09) 361 6115

KENYA7-10 AprilNairobiPresenter: Siegerdina MandemaSponsor: Dyslexia Africa / DDA-UKE-Mail: info@dyslexia-africa.comTel: +44 (08700) 132 945

2005 FUNDAMENTALS WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

DAY ONE

Background and Development of the Davis DyslexiaCorrection® Procedures• Research and discovery. The “gifts” of dyslexia. Anatomy

and developmental stages of a learning disability.Overview of the steps for dyslexia correction.

Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment(a screening for dyslexic learning styles)• Demonstration and Practice SessionSymptoms Profile Interview (used to assess symptoms,strengths and weaknesses; set goals; establish motivation)• Demonstration and Practice Session

DAY THREE

Orientation Review Procedure(a method for checking orientation skills)• Demonstration & Practice SessionDavis Symbol Mastery® (the key to correcting dyslexia)• What is Symbol Mastery? Why clay?Mastering Basic Language Symbols• Demonstrations and Group ExercisesReading Improvement Exercises• Spell-Reading. Sweep-Sweep-Spell. Picture-at-

Punctuation

DAY FOURFine-Tuning Procedure (checking and adjustingorientation using balance)

Symbol Mastery Exercises for Words• Demonstrations• Group Exercises• Practice Sessions

Implementing the Davis Procedures

DAY TWO

Davis Orientation Counseling Procedures (methods tocontrol, monitor and turn off perceptual distortions)• What is Orientation? Demonstration & Practice SessionRelease Procedure (method to alleviate stress, headaches)Alignment (an alternative to Orientation Counseling)• What is Alignment? How is it used? Group DemonstrationDial-Setting Procedure (a method for controlling ADDsymptoms)

FUNDAMENTALS WORKSHOP OUTLINE

To register for US workshops call 1-888-805-7216 (toll-free)

NOTE: All workshopsare in English unless

otherwise noted.

Continued on page 22

The Dys•lex •́ic Read •́er1601 Old Bayshore Highway, Suite 245Burlingame, CA 94010

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBURLINGAME, CA

PERMIT NO.14

~

DDA-PacificPO BOX 46023Herne BayAuckland, New ZealandTel: +64 (09) 361 6115Fax: +64 (09) 361 6114E-mail: pacific@dyslexia.com

DDA-CHFreie Strasse 81CH 4001 BaselSWITZERLANDTel: 41 (061) 273 81 85 Fax: 41 (061) 272 42 41E-mail: ch@dyslexia.com

DDA-DeutschlandWandsbecker Chausee 132D-22089 Hamburg GERMANYTel: 49 (040) 25 17 86 22 Fax: 49 (040) 25 17 86 24E-mail: germany@dyslexia.com

DDA-Israel20 Ha’shahafim St.Ra’anana 43724ISRAELTel: 972 (0523) 693 384Fax: 972 (09) 772-9889E-mail: Israel@dyslexia.com

DDA- MéxicoRío Volga #308 oteColonia del Valle66220 Garza Garcia N.LMEXICO Tel/Fax: 52 (81) 8335-9435 or 52 (81) 8356-8389E-mail: mexico@dyslexia.com

DDA-NederlandKerkweg 38a 6105 CG Maria Hoop, NEDERLANDTel: 31 (0475) 302 203 Fax: 31 (0475) 301 381E-mail: holland@dyslexia.com

DDA-UKSlaney Place Headcorn RoadStaplehurst, Kent TN12 0DJ.Tel: +44 (08700) 132 945 or (0870) 443 9059 Fax: +44 (0870) 432 0317E-mail: uk@dyslexia.com

DDAI-Int’l, Canada & USA1601 Bayshore Highway, Ste 245Burlingame, CA 94010Tel: 1-888-805-7216 Fax: 1 (650) 692-7075E-mail: ddai@dyslexia.com

For a detailed brochure on enrollment, prices, group rates, discounts, location, and further information, contact the DDA in your country.

Based on the best-selling bookThe Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald D. DavisThis 4-day workshop is an introduction to the basic theories,principles and application of all the procedures described inThe Gift of Dyslexia. Training is done with a combination oflectures, demonstrations, group practice, and question andanswer sessions. Attendance is limited to ensure the highestquality of training.

Who should attend:Everyone involved in helping dyslexic individuals over theage of eight.

Participants will learn:• How the Davis procedures were developed.

• How to assess for the “gift of dyslexia.”

• How to help dyslexics eliminate mistakes and focus attention.

• The Davis Symbol Mastery tools for mastering reading.

• How to incorporate and use proven methods for improvingreading, spelling, and motor coordination into a teaching,home school, tutoring, or therapeutic setting.

See page 23 for more workshop details.

Enrollment limited v Classes fill Early v Call 1-888-805-7216 or 650-692-7141For updated workshop schedules visit http://www.dyslexia.com/train.htmFor a full description of the Davis Facilitator Certification Program, ask for our booklet.

Fundamentals of Davis Dyslexia Correction Workshop

7-10 April Nairobi Kenya18-21 April Auckland New Zealand2-5 May Tel Aviv Israel10-13 May Kent England16-19 May New York, New York USA26-29 May Freiburg Germany11-14 July Burlingame, Calif. USA6-9 September Kent UK13-16 August Basel Switzerland1-4 October Hamburg Germany24-27 October Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada3-6 November Basel Switzerland8-11 November Atlanta, Georgia USA15-18 November Washington, D.C. USA

2005 International Schedule

U.S. Course Schedule• 8:30 - 9:00 Registration (first day)• 9:00 - 5:00 Daily (lunch break 12:00-1:30)

U.S. Fees and Discounts• $1175 per person• $1125 for DDAI members or groups of two or more • $1075 if paid in full 60 days in advance• Advance registration and $200 deposit required• Includes manual, one-year DDAI membership,

verification of attendance, and Symbol Mastery Kit• Academic units and CEUs available