On July 31st of 2006, it was mypleasure as a Davis Learning StrategiesPresenter to train 17 Elbert staffmembers in the DLS Basic TeacherWorkshop. Those staff membersincluded: administration, regulareducation teachers of preschoolthrough fifth grade, paraprofessionals,Exceptional Education teachers, Title I,

IN THIS ISSUE

News & Feature ArticlesElbert Elementary – DLS Model School . . . . .1Adult Dyslexia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1Time for a Slow Speech Movement? . . . . . . .3Ecology of Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Light as a Feather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12EU Ritalin Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Addicted to Vowels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16SHIFT 2008! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Too Much Academic Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18The Bloke Who Stacks The Shelves . . . . . . .20

Regular Features

In the Mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Famous Dyslexics Remember . . . . . . . . . . . .11Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9New Davis Licensees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Davis Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-28

Congratulations, Elbert ElementaryA New DLS Model School!

lbert Elementary Schoolhas been declared a Davis

Learning Strategies Mod el School. The teachers and support staff at Elberthave demonstrated competency andefficiency in their implementation of DLS. Watching this staff blossom in their knowledge and application of DLS the past two years has beentruly rewarding.

The staff at Elbert Elementary hasdemonstrated the willingness anddedication necessary to meet the needsof ALL children regardless of theirlearning style. I would like to take thisopportunity to personally thank theElbert School Board, Administration,and staff for their support of these life-long learning strategies forchildren.

E

Dys lex ic Read er• •́ •́~

The

t is estimated that ten to fifteen percent of the population (or approximately

30 million Americans) struggle with dyslexia. This includes adults. Some may

find that number surprising, but the truth of the matter is that dyslexic adults

today are often undiagnosed and, therefore, unaware that their difficulties may

be caused by dyslexia. (continued on page 14)

DAVIS DYSLEXIA ASSOCIA TION INTERNATIONAL ISSUE 1 • 2009VOLUME 51

and some Jr. High and High Schoolteachers as well. Kelli Loflin, ElbertSuperintendent and ElementaryPrincipal, was instrumental in bringingthis valuable training to the school. In Kelli’s opinion, Davis LearningStrategies are some of the mostimportant that teachers can share with

By Kristi Thompson, Davis Facilitator and DLS School Mentor/Presenter in Walsh, Colorado

(continued on page 4)

Adult Dyslexia –The Best Kept Secret in the Workplace

By Karen LoGiudice, Davis Facilitator in Amesbury, MA

I

PAGE 2 THE DYSLEXIC READER

The Dyslexic Reader is published quarterly by Davis Dyslexia Association International (DDAI), 1601 Bayshore Hwy.,Suite 260, 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; andto present methods for improving literacy, education and academic success. We believe that all people’s abilities andtalents should be recognized and valued, and that learning problems can be corrected. EDITORIAL BOARD: Laura Zinkde Díaz, Alice Davis & Abigail Marshall. DESIGN: Michael Troller. 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®, Davis Math Mastery®, Davis Autism Approach®, Seed of Genius®, and Davis Learning Strategies® are trademarks of Ronald D. Davis.Copyright © 2009 by DDAI, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

In the Mail:

Sincere ApologiesThe article, More Than They Ever

Expected, featured in the last issue of

The Dyslexic Reader, was a compilation

of anecdotes submitted by many Davis

Facilitators from around the world.

Unfortunately, one very important name

was left off the list of contributors.

Jennifer Delrieu, Davis Facilitator in

Voisins le Bretonneux, France, didn’t

just submit one anecdote, but SIX,

making a huge contribution to the

article! They are reprinted here.

• Davis clients begin to read menus

instead of always ordering last, choosing

what someone else ordered because it

sounded good, or always ordering the

same thing every time at every

restaurant. In one instance, the mother

of a 14-year-old boy suddenly realized

she was not sitting next to him and

couldn’t help him read the menu. But

it wasn’t a problem, because he had

already made his choice by reading it

himself! Mum cried…

• After orientation, a nine-year-old

boy picked up chopsticks and used them

immediately. He had been trying for

weeks to learn.

• After getting oriented, a 14-year-old

who loved to juggle with balls felt

confident enough to juggle with flaming

torches. (Not in the Facilitator’s office!)

• A nine-year-old boy gained enough

confidence to swim across the pool at his

swimming lessons. Before, he had been

too afraid to try. “The point helped me.”

• A 15-year-old swam a good distance

from the shore to a raft he hadn’t dared

to aim for earlier. “With the point I just

felt confident.”

• A man in his 50’s was such an

erratic driver, his wife never dared to

‘nod off’ when he was driving. Now

that he can get oriented, his driving

has radically improved and she often

sleeps while he drives.

Thank you, Jennifer!

– The Dyslexic Reader Editors

Dear Ron DavisI live in Kiev, Ukraine. In 2005, my

friend, who lives in Germany, told me

about your book. She read it because

she thought her child was dyslexic. She

told me about dyslexia symptoms she

read from the book, and some of them

were similar to what I had experienced.

I bought this book for myself, and now

am very thankful to you for your work

that has helped me to change my life to

much, much better.

Before reading your book I thought

I was stupid, because I couldn’t manage

understanding things. After reading

your book, especially after learning

about disorientation, I started to control

myself and could do things which

seemed impossible before. For several

years at work I struggled understanding

and analyzing legal texts. There was

always stress, firstly because of much

responsibility that was on me for a legal

reason, and secondly because of self

helplessness to become more attentive.

No matter how hard I tried, the text

seemed one thing at the moment I read

it, and a different thing one or two

weeks later when I re-read it. After I

learned from your book that the reason

of that problem was disorientation, I

never had that problem again. The book

helped me to gain self-esteem, and I

stopped thinking that I was stupid. I

started to consult our clients and my

friends on legal matters. Thank you for

writing The Gift Of Dyslexia.

– Olena – Kiev, Ukraine

THE DYSLEXIC READER PAGE 3

Time for a “SlowSpeech” Movement?By Laura Zink de Díaz, Davis

Facilitator in Bogotá, Colombia

or many years before I stumbled

onto Davis Dyslexia Correction,

I was a teacher.

I taught foreign languages at the

high school level and I truly LOVED

my job. That is, I loved it once I got

rid of the traditional grammar

textbooks used all over the country in

foreign language classes. “Covering”

material by following the scope,

sequence and pace recommended in

commercially produced textbooks

never worked for me. That’s because

it clearly didn’t

work for at least

50% of my

students, who

stared back

at me with that

startled “is-she-

callin’-on-me?”

look whenever I spoke to them in

whatever language we were studying.

Fortunately, my principal was as

much of a rebel as I was. She allowed

me to lock all those grammar books in

a closet. Like me, she believed we

teach children, not subjects. But I had

to do a lot of PR work with the school

board and my colleagues in the other

high schools. Initially, they thought I

was a nut. Eventually my principal

and I brought them around. Partially.

There are always some who insist we

must all march in lock step….

At that time it was popular in

academic circles to insist that foreign

language teachers not slow down their

speech in the classroom. The theory

was that if we did, students who later

encountered native speakers of the

language they’d studied would be so

used to a slower pace that they’d find

it hard to understand “real” speech.

I never subscribed to this policy.

I always slowed down my speech in

the classroom. Not so slow as to be

artificial, but slow enough to allow

my kids to follow. I did this because I

considered it most important for their

motivation and future learning, that

students understand and feel

comfortable with their new language.

Secondly, I believe that if something

is important enough for me to mention

in class – in the “target” language or

in English – it’s important enough

for me to be certain that it’s heard,

understood and remembered.

Otherwise why

say it at all?

What could

possibly be the

benefit of speaking

so quickly that

my students only

“catch” a third of what I say? Still, the pressure on

teachers to conform is always great; I

was just rebellious enough to go my

own way, but there was always a little

voice in the back of my head telling

me I should listen to my elders and

betters….

Recently, I saw an on-line article

titled, “Slowing

Speech Eases

Child’s Ability

to Listen” by

Suzanne Perez

Tobias of the

Wichita Eagle. In

the article she

quotes Dr. Ray

Hull, a Wichita

State University professor of

audiology, who believes that if

teachers and others who work with

children slowed their rate of speech

we would see fewer learning

disabilities, hearing problems and

behavior issues in schools.

”

What could possibly be the benefit of speaking

so quickly that my students only “catch” a third of what I say?

“

“The gap between what a child

hears and what he or she understands

can appear to parents and teachers

as inattention, confusion or outright

defiance… If teachers would slow

down, they would be less frustrated,

the children would be less frustrated,

and children would learn with

greater ease.”

Dr. Hull informs us that most

adults speak at a rate of 160 to 170

words per minute, while 5- to 7-year-

olds can only process speech at about

120 words per minutes. And the

average high school student processes

just 140 to 145 words per minute.

Ha! So much for that irritating

little voice, urging me to go against

my instincts! Here

was Dr. Hull,

suggesting that

teachers and

parents would do

well to slow down

their speech in

order to respond to

the needs of ALL

children, not just

foreign language students!

Hull pointed out that the late, great

Fred Rogers, so beloved among the

under-five set, understood his target

audience so well that he consistently

spoke at about 124 words per minute

whenever he was on the air.

”

Most adults speak at a rate of 160 to 170

words per minute, while 5 to 7-year-olds can

only process speech at about 120 words

per minutes.

“

(continued on the next page)

F

PAGE 4 THE DYSLEXIC READER

No wonder he drove parents and

teenagers crazy while toddlers totally

adored him! As Hull states in the

interview with Tobias, Rogers was

probably one of few adults the littlest

kids could easily understand. Now I

realize, it must have been SOOO

relaxing for my own toddlers to listen

to Mr.Rogers and “get” everything he

said!

These days, I provide Davis

services in Spanish, a language I love,

and speak well. But I am not a native

Spanish speaker. I’m aware that I

generally speak Spanish a bit more

slowly (some days

a LOT slower!)

than most of my

Colombian

neighbors and

clients. But I don’t

worry about that.

Even when I

facilitate programs

in English, I speak

relatively slowly and as clearly as

I can. We don’t rush our clients,

after all. Things take as long as they

take. One way we communicate our

willingness for clients to take the

time they need, is by not rushing

our speech.

My last few years in education

I was an administrator. Part of my

job involved observing teachers of

English language learners and offering

them feedback on their lessons. One

of the problems I saw most often

was nothing technical, but simply

a tendency by teachers to speak

REALLY fast. Sometimes they raced

because they had too little time to

cover an enormous amount of

material; sometimes fast speech was

simply part of who they were as

individuals. Because many of their

students didn’t yet understand

academic English, my most frequent

suggestion was that teachers slow

down their speech. Few of them were

willing to try it. I understood that it

was uncomfortable to have to think

about how fast they were talking

while they simultaneously

concentrated on the 15 other crucial

things going on during class time.

But with Dr. Hull’s information in

mind, who knows how many of their

English speaking students might also

have benefited if they had?

I’m quite sure all teachers would

like to see their students more

engaged, and less inclined to act out

when they’re bored or feeling like

they have no idea what’s going on.

Slowing down

instructional

speech would

be a good start.

A “slow food”

movement has

been growing for

several years.

At least in the

classroom,

perhaps it’s time for a “slow speech”

movement as well.

References: I’d like to give you the URL

for the article by Suzanne Perez Tobias,

but it is no longer available at the

Wichita Eagle website. However, if

this topic interests you, other similar

interviews and quotes from Dr. Ray Hull

are available on the internet.

Here are three to get you started:

Teachers Should Talk Slower -

Children Don’t Understand Words

at the Adult Rate of Speed

http://educationalissues.suite101.com/arti

cle.cfm/teachers_should_talk_slower

Professor Researches

How to Speak to Children

http://www.hearingreview.com/insider/200

8-08-07_09.asp

Speak More Slowly To Your Students,

Says Audiology Professor

http://dyslexia.wordpress.com/2008/08/28/

help-students-hear-your-words-speak-

slower-says-audiology-professor/

”

If teachers would slow down, they would

be less frustrated, the children would

be less frustrated, andchildren would learn

with greater ease.

“

children! “DLS is totally unique to the educational process, not onlybecause it helps children master thebasics in academics, but because itaddresses each student’s individualneeds. Children not only gaintechniques for learning through DLS, but also the knowledge andawareness of how to managethemselves”, states Ms. Loflin.

Elbert School District #200 is arural school located about 45 milessoutheast of Denver and 35 milesnortheast of Colorado Springs.Approximately 280 students are

enrolled in grades Preschool through12. The average class size ranges from15 to 25 students. Most students inElbert come from hardworking,middle class families and their parentscommute to work in Denver orColorado Springs. Bob Beebe, theHigh School Principal at Elbert says,“We’re close to everything, but farenough away to give the impressionwe live more remotely. One thing Ilove about our school is thestudents…no matter where we go,people compliment us on theoutstanding behavior they exhibit.They have integrity and takeresponsibility for their actions, makingElbert a fun and rewarding place towork!”

DLS is utilized primarily inpreschool through grade 3, includingExceptional Education and Title Iprograms. It is supported orsupplemented in grades 4 and higher.Diane Pursell, second grade teacher atElbert said, “Because of DLS, myclass this year has gone farther in

Elbert Elementary (continued from page 1)Slow Speech (continued from page 3)

Kids are browsing dictionaries for fun!

PAGE 5

(continued on the next page)

reading than any class I’ve had so far.The DLS Basic Word Mastery reallycarries over.” Mrs. Becky Crabbs, firstgrade teacher at Elbert said, “Mystudents leave the classroom with somuch more than they had before DLS!These students are reading thedictionary for fun! Not only can theyuse it, but they are so interested in it - and it is due to DLS.” Herparaprofessional, Linda Kitzmannoted, “DLS adds so much morestructure to the madness of theeducational process.”

As teachers at Elbert have becomemore knowledgeable about DLSthrough practice and experience, theyare finding that it enhances everythingthey were already doing. Many staffmembers have commented that thesestrategies give them the flexibility toweave in DLS at various timesthroughout the school day, not justprior to “planned” or “key” times suchas reading, writing, or math. ShellyGould, elementary librarian at Elbert,incorporates DLS into whole groupstory time. In the library she reinforces the strategies which helps childrentake responsibility for their learningand behavior outside the classroom.Playground teachers ask children touse DLS before entering the building,establishing an expectation ofappropriate behavior – and it’s alldone with a “key” word that has been learned through these amazingstrategies.According to Mrs. Crabbs, “Itdoesn’t matter ifchildren areconsidered to beat risk, average,or above averagestudents; DLSaddresses theirneeds no matter where they’re at.”

Kim Stichler, paraprofessional atElbert, stated, “I work with somefairly timid students. Because of thereading exercises DLS offers, they areable to figure out some pretty bigwords - and they are as impressed with themselves as I am! I also workwith a student who was considered to

In just two years of implementation of DLS, Elbert Elementary is alreadyenjoying the many benefits that come as a result of implementing DLS in their classrooms. Anne Stewart-Green, Elbert Elementary Title Iteacher, has noted that many moreKindergartners than ever before stillremember their sight words when theyenter first grade. Teachers are alsoreporting that classroom behavior is

more manageable and disciplineproblems have dwindled significantly.Elbert’s third grade has gone fromscoring the lowest on the readingCSAP in the Pikes Peak Region toscoring the highest for two years in a row.

I want to wish Elbert School District#200 continued success with DavisLearning Strategies. The teachers whoutilize DLS are to be commended fortheir efforts to meet the needs of ALLstudents. Thanks again to the staff andadministration at Elbert for givingALL students the confidence to learn!

Kristi Thompson, Davis Facilitator and

DLS School Mentor/Presenter in Walsh,

Colorado

be at risk early in the school year.Now this student has gained a lot ofconfidence and has turned into areading machine! I’m sure that DLSis a large part of that success! As aparent, too, I believe that DLS canonly be more and more beneficial forchildren as they grow up, because ofthe self-regulation abilities DLS helpsthem build.”

Vikki Gould, elementaryExceptional Education teacher atElbert uses DLS in the resource room.Along with classroom teacher MickySimms, she also facilitates DLS BasicWord Mastery for the whole class inthe fourth grade, and in the fifth gradewith classroom teacher Kathy Franek.This helps supplement vocabularyand spelling, and supplies thosechildren with “hands-on” learningactivities.

“I think that classroom and schoolcommunity behavior has improved,after having DLS in the school fortwo full years now. The teachers alluse the same language, and the kidsknow what to expect as they advancethrough the grades with DLS,” saysMary Anderson, Elbert Kindergartenteacher. Mary also adds, “Ouradministration is fully committed toDLS and is always supportive andwilling to help us accomplish ourgoals.”

Elbert Preschool teacher, ConnieSchaffer, and her paraprofessional,

Lynne Ferguson,have noted that when thepreschoolers get alittle wild, and areasked to use theDLS strategies, allare able to adjusttheir energy leveland calm down.

Mrs. Shaffer also told me that as theygain more awareness about self-control, these preschool children havethe ability to determine “when” theyneed to use DLS strategies. Thiswould indicate that they are alreadylearning the importance that self-regulation has on the learningprocess.

An Elbert student, creating a

clay model of a basic word.

”

Elbert’s third gradehas gone from scoring

the lowest on the readingCSAP in the Pikes Peak

Region to scoring thehighest for two years

in a row.”

“

THE DYSLEXIC READER

to block, contain, or combat the symptoms

that the problem has brought forth.

In the field of medicine, this philosophy

resonates with many holistic approaches

which apply these exact same principles in

the ecology of the human body. Rather than

combating external symptoms, holistic

medicine attempts to track back to the reason

why the illness came about. In an attitude of

profound respect for the human body’s own

healing power, it then applies a minimal,

gentle force to the root

cause, enabling sometimes

dramatic recovery from

severe ill-health.

To date, however,

little attention has been

paid to the application of

the self-same principles in

the field of learning. We mine and plunder

the minds of our children, teaching them that

learning can only come through hard work.

We set them one-dimensional, linear tasks

that make little use of creative expression and

lateral thinking. We tell them to concentrate

on these tasks; and when our most creative

and spontaneous thinkers find themselves

unable to comply, we ply them with repetitive

exercises and mind-bending drugs such as

Ritalin and Strattera – out of the best

intentions, because we have nothing better to

offer them.

Dyslexia – A Gift Going to WasteMy organisation has the experience of

working and communicating with hundreds

of dyslexic children and adults. Without

exception, our dyslexic clients display one or

more – often several – of the following traits:

• Strong sense of justice

• Strong curiosity about one or more subject

areas and/or their environment

• Strong intuitive ability

• Vivid visual imagination and/or spatial

awareness (e.g., good at tracking a football

across a pitch)

• Unusually high speed of thinking (to the

point that some express irritation at the

slow pace at which others think)

• Practical or entrepreneurial skill

• Skill in art, design, engineering, architecture,

sports and/or the performing arts

THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Argentina

Silvana Ines RossiBuenos Aires+54 (114) 865 3898

v Australia

Brenda BairdBrisbane+61 (07) 3299 3994

Sally BeulkeMelbourne +61 (03) 572 51752

Anne CupittScarness, Queensland+61 (074) 128-2470

Mary DavieCaringbah NSW+61 (02) 9524 3837

Jan GormanEastwood/Sydney+61 (02) 9804 1184

Bets GregoryGordon NSW+61 (4) 1401 3490

Gail HallinanDLS Workshop Presenter-Mentor

Naremburn/Sydney+61 (02) 9405 2800

Barbara HoiMosman/Sydney +61 (02) 9968 1093

Eileen McCarthyManly/Sydney +61 (02) 9977 2061

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

Jayne PivacMordialloc/Melbourne+61 (342) 030 54 05

Jocelyn PrintKalgoorlie-Boulder WA +62 (04) 5868 3830

John ReillyBerala/Sydney+61 (02) 9649 4299

Heidi RosePennington/Adelaide +61 (08) 8240 1834

Joanne ZietschCurtin ACT+61 (0) 2 6282 1225

v Austria

Annette DietrichWien +43 (01) 888 90 25

InternationalDavis DyslexiaCorrection®

Providers

The Davis DyslexiaCorrection program is

now available from morethan 450 Facilitatorsaround the world. For updates, call:

(888) 805-7216 [Toll free] or(650) 692-7141 or visitwww.dyslexia.com/

providers.htm

by Richard Whitehead, Director of Davis

Learning Foundation, Canterbury, Kent, UK.

couple of years ago I was giving

a workshop to a group of 34

educational professionals and let slip the idea

that concentration gets in the way of learning.

The reaction was one of universal surprise

– “What, concentration is harmful? But

surely, learning is – has to be – all about

concentration?”

I thought that the

best way to illustrate my

point would be through

an interactive exercise,

and therefore set the

group a task.

Their task was to

attempt to levitate their

glass of water off the

table through sheer force of mental effort.

As the group got going with the task, the

room went very quiet and the huge amount

of concentration being exerted was visible

on everyone’s face.

As this was going on, I proceeded to take

off my jacket, turn it inside out and put it on

again, with the lining on the outside, in full

view of the entire room. Out of 34 people

present, only three noticed.

Mining our MindsConcentration gets in the way of learning.

It narrows your focus down into a small

tunnel, to the exclusion of everything else. It

is no surprise that 31 glass-levitating teachers

should fail to notice their workshop presenter

turn his jacket inside out. Nor is it surprising

that a child squeezing every last ounce of

mental effort into reading a sentence should

be left without the faintest idea what the

sentence was about.

At its root, green philosophy is about

the application of human ingenuity to the

accomplishment of a task with minimal

expenditure of energy, and in a manner

which is in harmony with surrounding

natural processes.

Frequently, it is about having the courage

and insight to track a problem back to its root

cause. This is because dealing with the

reason why a problem has occurred is more

efficient in the long term than merely trying

”

Dyslexia is not a lifelongdisability, but a form of

intelligence that deserves tobe treated with dignity and

respect.

“

The Ecology of LearningDyslexia: A Summons to Eco-Learning

PAGE 6

A

Dyslexia is not a lifelong disability, but

a form of intelligence that deserves to be

treated with dignity and respect. Time and

time again we watch our clients, children and

adults alike, utilising their natural strengths

and talents to build new skills in a matter of

days that they had spent years vainly

struggling to acquire. This in turn revitalises

their self-esteem, allowing them to tackle and

achieve things they never thought possible.

Among our clients we have documented

cases of reading ages leapfrogging biological

age, of huge surges in mathematical

performance, of handwriting transformed

after one afternoon session. This is not

because we have some magic wand. It is

because when properly stimulated, dyslexics

have it within themselves to succeed.

Harnessing Dyslexic Talent – the Green WayJust as green principles can guide us into

global harmony and good health, so they can

enable a person to master anything they wish

to learn.

What do green principles teach us, and

how can we apply them to a learning

problem?

Respect for the environmentA person’s mental environment is their

thinking style and natural strengths. A visual-

spatial thinker will learn well visually, an

intuitive thinker intuitively, and so on.

Invariably, learning problems are about a

mismatch between a person’s thinking style

and the way that information has been

presented.

Avoid: drill-based, repetitive tasks. If

something hasn’t worked the first time, it is

the approach, not the person, that needs to be

modified.

Adopt: an explorative approach to the

problem. Become genuinely curious about

how your dyslexic student thinks; find out

where the mismatch was and invest time in

developing an approach that harnesses your

student’s natural talents.

Energy efficiency Learning should always occur in a relaxed

state of focus. If something doesn’t come

easily and effortlessly, it will not go into the

long-term memory.

Avoid: concentration, excessive

timetabling of learning, and a culture

of “try harder”.

PAGE 7THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Austria (cont’d)

Jacinta FennessyWien +43 (01) 774 98 22

Ina Barbara Hallermann Riezlern +43 5517 20012

Marika KaufmannLochau +43 (05574) 446 98

v Belgium

Thera BruggheRoeselare+32 (051) 24 63 40

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

Hilde DuchesneBrasschaat+32 (0)3 653 1371

Inge LanneauBeernem+32 (050) 33 29 92

Peggy PoppeAntwerpen+32 (474) 50 23 32

Viki VandevenneBonheiden+32 (0473) 30 41 51

v Brazil

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

v Bulgaria

Daniela BonevaRuse +35 (988) 531 95 06

v Canada

Wayne Aadelstone-HasselHalfmoon Bay, BC+1 (604) 741-0605

Raylene BarnhillFredericton, New Brunswick+1 (506) 458-0494

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

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

Dyslexia Resources CanadaShelley CottonSharon RobertsWaterloo, Ontario +1 (519) 746-8422+1 (800) 981-6433 (Toll-Free)

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

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

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

Gerry GrantWorkshop PresenterWaterloo/Toronto+1 (519) 498-2424

Corinne GraumansMedicine Hat, Alberta +1 (403) 528-9848

Sue HallWest Vancouver+1 (604) 921-1084

Value: relaxation techniques, creative

games, taking an immediate break at the first

sign of concentration.

Sustainable energy sources Learning is fuelled by the curiosity of

the person learning. Personal curiosity, unless

suppressed, is infinitely sustainable and

therefore a renewable energy source.

Avoid: teaching someone something

against their will. This is a fundamental

violation of a learning partnership.

Value: working to your student’s personal

learning agenda; giving explanations through

metaphors that your student can relate to;

being excited by the learning material

yourself (enthusiasm is infectious).

Going to the root cause The root cause of a learning problem is

confusion. The key to resolving it is finding

out where and how the feeling of confusion

entered the area of learning in question,

and then devising an experience that replaces

the feeling of confusion with the feeling

of certainty.

Avoid: coping strategies, learning “tricks”

and memorisation. These might include the

alphabet song for a person who cannot

visualise letters, and memorising times tables

without an underlying understanding of what

multiplication is.

Read: The Gift of Dyslexia and

The Gift of Learning by Ronald Davis for

a systematic approach to creating a state

of relaxed focus and identifying and

resolving confusion in learning.

”

…we have documented cases ofreading ages leapfrogging

biological age, of huge surges inmathematical performance, of

handwriting transformed after oneafternoon session. This is not

because we have some magic wand.It is because when properly

stimulated, dyslexics have itwithin themselves to succeed.

“

This article was first published in

The Green Parent magazine

(Oct/Nov 2008)

www.thegreenparent.co.uk

Richard Whitehead

PAGE 8 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Canada (cont’d)

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

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

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

Carol LivermoreOttawa, Ontario +1 (800) 394-1535 [Toll Free]

Helen McGilivrayOakville/Toronto +1 (905) 464-4798Susan Nikolic-VicenticNewmarket/Toronto+1 (905) 953-1716

Maureen O’SullivanNewmarket, Ontario+1 (905) 853-3363

Tina PanaritisMontreal, Quebec+ 1 (514) 690-9164

Sharon PermackThornhill, Ontario+1 (905) 882-9292

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

Kendra RodychSaskatoon/Saskatchewan +1 (306) 227-7484

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

Edwina StoneKitchener Ontario+1 (519) 584-0873

Bernice TaylorRiverview, NB +1 (506) 871-5674

Tracy TrudellWallacetown, Ontario +1 (519) 762-2001

Kim J. Willson-RymerMississauga, Ontario+1 (905) 825-3153

Cheryl WoodHuntsville, Ontario+1 (705) 783-2763

v China

Yvonne Wong Ho HingHong Kong+852-7323-7702

Livia WongHong Kong+852-6398-3734

v Colombia

Laura Zink de DíazBogotá +57 (1) 704-4399

v Costa Rica

Maria Elena Guth BlancoSan Jose+506 296-4078

Gabrielle did a Davis

Program with Gerry Grant

at age seven. Recently, at

age 11, she completed the

Establishing Order Exercises

with her mother, Shelly

Cotton, Davis Facilitator in

Waterloo, Ontario.

Here she is, feeling light as a

feather, in the stress-free

room environment she

created.

ROOM STRESS

By Gabrielle Cotton,budding poet!

You have a room,a room that is a disaster.

Put a sign on the door saying,a hurricane passed through not me!

You feel so stressed out, like a weight inside of you.

You are grumpy,in a bad mood,

frustrated, yelling person,All because of your room.

You had a fan on one night,you woke and felt disgusted.

Stay home the next day.

Take everything out of your room,

but your bed and furniture.You dusted and worked hard,

assigning a place for each thing.

Once you finish, you feel,light as a feather.

Why do you feel so happy,joyful,

cheerful,and happiness

is over flowing you?Well, because you got rid of a

lot of stress.

You feel like you now have,no energy to fight anymore.All because of your room.

The Gift of Dyslexia – In One More Language!

The Slovenian edition of The Gift of Dyslexia was publishedin late December and is now on sale. This groundbreakingbook is now available in 18 languages:

American and

British English

Croatian

Danish

German

Spanish

French

You may not have heard of Slovenia (or officially, the

Republic of Slovenia), but it has a long and rich role in the history

of Central Europe. During most of the 20th Century Slovenia was

part of Yugoslavia, but in June of 1991, its people voted for and declared independence.

A “Ten-Day War” ensued, during which time Yugoslavia tried military intervention to retain

control of the region. Nonetheless, Slovenia remained independent and joined NATO and the

European Union in the spring of 2004. Slovenia is the first post-Communist country to hold

the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, for the first six months of 2008.

(The presidency is held by an entire government and rotates every six months. Currently

the Czech Republic holds the Presidency of the Council.)

Perhaps some day soon, not only will The Gift of Dyslexia be available in Slovenian,

but Davis Dyslexia Correction Programs as well!

Greek

Hebrew

Icelandic

Japanese

Italian

Dutch

Polish

Brazilian Portuguese

Russian

Serbian

Slovenian

Swedish

PAGE 9THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Costa Rica (cont’d)

Marcela RodriguezAlajuela +506 442-8090

v Cyprus

Alexis MouzourisLimassol +357 25 382 090

v Ecuador

Ana Magdalena EspinVargasAmbato +593 (2) 854 281

Nora Cristina Garza Díaz Ambato +593 (3) 282 5998

Cristina Mariela LaraSalazar Ambato + 593 (2) 854 281

Inés Gimena Paredes Ríos Ambato +593 (2) 854 281

v Finland

Elisabeth HelenelundBorga +358 400 79 54 97

v France

Christine BleusSaint Jean de Gonville/Genève +33 450 56 40 48

Corinne CouelleLyon +33 (628) 38 84 41

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

Françoise MagarianLegny/Lyon+33 (0474) 72 43 13

Carol NelsonBoulogne-Billancourt/Paris+33 (0) 1 49 09 12 33

Odile PugetSegny/Geneve +33 (0) 450 418 267

v Germany/Deutschland

Theresia AdlerBannewitz +49 (0351) 40 34 224

Ellen EbertAmmern +49 (03601) 813-660

Gabriele DoetschBad Windsheim+49 (098 41) 688 18 18

Cornelia GarbeBerlin +49 (030) 61 65 91 25

Monika GrafStuttgart+ 49 (711) 538 0033

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

Das Legasthenie InstitutIoannis TzivanakisSpecialist TrainerWorkshop PresenterDDA-DACH DirectorBerlin +49 (030) 66 30 63 17

Phun with Clay vs. FonixQ: I have twin boys, six years old. Oneappears to be dyslexic. I homeschool, so

as a first step in reading, I took them to a

Davis Facilitator (who had worked very

successfully with one of my older kids) so

they could master the alphabet in clay. Since

then we’ve focused on concrete words like

fish, snow, and spider. Most of the time the

twins are happy with the activities. But one

of them gets very tired when we do Spell

Reading, so much so that he doesn’t even

want to do Koosh any more, because he

knows what’s coming next. I’ve backed off

entirely and gone back to claying fun words

we find in stories or nursery rhymes. This

seems to work. But will

they really learn to read

this way? My facilitator

told me to avoid phonics,

and so far I have, because

phonics never seemed to

help my older kids. But

my son’s resistance to

Spell Reading makes me

wonder if the twins need

some phonics along with

their Davis tools. My facilitator believes that

if I put the twins in a fun phonics “learning

to read” program, they will regress. Do any

kids learn to read exclusively with a Davis

Program, or should they also have some

phonics training?

A: I suspect the problem with your 6-year-old is simply that he is too young, not

developmentally ready for reading yet. You

are right to back off for now and stick with

clay modeling. I'd also recommend doing the

Koosh ball exercise regularly with him,

because it really helps build neural

connections. So that he’ll be willing to work

with you, just tell him that you’ve decided not

to do Spell Reading again until he tells you

he's ready. My guess is that he will become

motivated later simply because he’ll want to

keep up with his brother.

It is not bad to introduce your sons to

phonics. The problem with phonics is not

necessarily the concepts, but the way they are

taught – especially the heavy emphasis on

sounding out words when English spelling is

so inconsistent. If your son has problems with

Spell Reading it’s likely that sounding out

words would be even more difficult for him.

And in that case he would also have difficulty

with most instructional approaches based on

phonics. You might instead try introducing

some simple word games or puzzles. For

example, sing some songs that encourage kids

to make up their own rhymes or substitute

sounds (like The Name Game or Down by

the Bay). These provide an opportunity for

kids to think about manipulating the sounds

of words.

Nonetheless, it’s important to remember

that disorientation is a habit often caused

by frustration. So you really should avoid

activities that cause

your son to experience

frustration.

Homeschooling is a

tremendous gift to both

your sons. Among other

advantages, it provides

you with flexibility:

you can choose to wait

until your son is really

ready to read.

I suspect that the reason your Facilitator

has suggested that the twins may regress in a

reading program is that they would learn “old

solutions.” I believe it’s best to introduce

concepts gently at home to get a sense of how

your children respond. You can still do many

activities with the boys that will help prepare

them for literacy: reading aloud to them,

playing games that build their vocabulary and

overall sense of language. Ask your

Facilitator if she has observed anything

specific in your sons that makes her

particularly concerned. I suspect she may

simply have the sense that one or both aren't

really ready for formal instruction in reading.

by Abigail Marshall

”

The problem with phonicsis not necessarily theconcepts, but the way

they are taught –especially the heavy

emphasis on sounding outwords when English

spelling is so inconsistent.

“

PAGE 10 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Germany/Deutschland (cont’d)

Christine HeinrichSchwäb Gmünd+49 (0717) 118 29 74

Sonja HeinrichSupervisor-SpecialistDDA-DACH DirectorGarbsen/Hannover+49 (040) 25 17 86 23

Kirsten HohageNürnberg+49 (0911) 54 85 234Ingrid HuthBerlin +49 (0179) 896 8007

Mechtild HyllaKassel +49 (0561) 602 78 20

Rita JarrarMünchen+49 (089) 821 20 30

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 +49 711 47 91 000

Jutta MeissnerStuttgart+49 (711) 882 2106

Gundula PatzlaffStuttgart+49 (0711) 23 64 86 0

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

Angela Przemus Shönebeck+49 (3928) 845 159

Colette ReimannLandshut+49 (0871) 770 994

Ursula RittlerStuttgart +49 (0711) 47 18 50

Phoebe SchafschetzyHamburg +49 (040) 392 589

Margarethe Schlauch-Agostini Volklingen +49 (0689) 844 10 40

Gabriela ScholterSupervisor-SpecialistAutism Facilitator-CoachStuttgart+49 (0711) 578 28 33

Carmen Stappenbacher Gundelsheim +49 (0951) 917 19 10

Beate Tiletzek Waldkraiburg+49 (08638) 88 17 89

Too Many Pictures?

Q: Why do dyslexic learners spellphonetically?

A: Generally, dyslexic learners rely onphonetic spelling strategies because it’s hard

for them to develop a consistent mental

picture of the visual appearance of a word

and the exact sequence of their letters.

Sometimes this is because dyslexics have

such a strong visual memory that they have

too many pictures – they remember what the

word looks like when spelled correctly, but

they also remember every misspelled version

they have ever seen, or think they’ve seen.

Since viewing letters in sequence is also a

problem for them, dyslexics often register the

letters in a word in the wrong order. This

problem is related to the way the brain

processes perceptual information. Although

this can be corrected with learned strategies,

it does make it more difficult to remember

sequences of letters correctly. Scientific

research (often using brain scans) shows that

while reading, many dyslexics do not activate

a part of the brain called the “visual word

form area.” Scientists think this part of the

brain is important for the recognition of

familiar words.

If a person cannot be sure what the

printed word is supposed to look like,

phonetics is the only way to try to reconstruct

the word. English is full of words that don't

follow rules – words like “thought” or

“scholar” – so the only way to learn the

“correct” or conventional spelling is through

experience seeing and remembering the

appearance of the word in print.

Just Google It!

Q: I am a teacher in Louisiana. My studentteacher says she was taught at university that

dyslexia is no longer a valid diagnosis.

Is this true?

A: It is not true. However, it is true thatdiagnosticians now often prefer to use more

specific or technical terminology. But these

are simply alternate labels for the same

problem. “Dyslexia” is a more generic,

umbrella term, covering a number of

different manifestations of language-based

learning disabilities. Your student teacher has

probably misconstrued what she was taught

about the preferred terminology.

If you go to Google Scholar

(http://scholar.google.com) and search for the

word “dyslexia” you will see that there are

thousands of research articles on the subject.

Clicking the link to “Recent Articles” will

show the ones that have been published in

the past few years – about 18,000 by doctors

and professors at major research universities.

They wouldn’t be doing this work if the

diagnosis were not valid.You might be interested in two books

I’ve authored: The Everything Parent's

Guide to Children with Dyslexia

by Abigail Marshall (Adams Media, 2004)

and When Your Child Has Dyslexia

by Abigail Marshall & Vincent Ianelli, MD

(Adams Media, 2009)I’ve heard from many teachers that they

found my “Everything” book extremely

helpful in understanding dyslexia and the

needs of their students. The second book is

an abridged and updated version of the first.

Finally, I would also point out that

“dyslexia” is specifically referred to in

federal law as a diagnosis that may require

Special Education services, and that qualifies

a student for support and accommodations

under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

While teachers should not try to diagnose

learning disabilities on their own, it could be

a serious mistake and create legal difficulties

for a school if a student teacher gave a parent

misinformation about dyslexia. If you teach

in a public school, I think you should advise

your student teacher that if parents suspect or

have questions about a learning disability, she

should refer them to the school’s resource

specialist or Special Education department.

PAGE 11THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Germany/Deutschland (cont’d)

Andrea ToloczykiHavixbeck/Münster+49 (02507) 57 04 84Ulrike von Kutzleben-HausenDeisslingen+49 (07420) 33 46Dr. Angelika WeidemannUlm +49 (0731) 931 46 46Gabriele WirtzStuttgart +49 (0711) 55 17 18

v Greece

Evagelia Apostolopoulou-Armaos

Patras +30 (261) 062 21 22Zoe DeliakidouThessaloniki +30 2310 434510 or +30 6934 662438Theano PanagiotopoulouAthens +30 (21) 111 953 50

Irma Vierstra-VourvachakisRethymnon/Crete+30 283105 8201 or 69766 40292

v Iceland

Áslaug ÁsgeirsdóttirMosfellsbaer+354 861-2537Gigja BaldursdottirReykjavik+354 562 2840

Sigrún Jónina BaldursdóttirSnaefellsbae+354 586 8180

Gudrún BenediktsdóttirHafnarfirdi+354 545 0103 or +354 822 0910

Gudbjörg EmilsdóttirDLS MentorKópavogur+354 554 3452

Hólmfridur GudmundsdóttirGardabae +354 895-0252

Sigurborg Svala GudmundsdóttirMosfellsbaer+354 867 1928

Ingibjörg IngolfsdóttirMosfellsbaer +354 899-2747

Sigrún JensdóttirMosfellsbaer +354 897 4437

Valgerdur JónsdóttirDLS MentorKópavogur +354 863 2005

Sturla KristjanssonDLS MentorHafnarfjordur+354 862 0872

Jon Einar Haraldsson Lambi

Akureyri +354 867 1875

Ásta OlafsdóttirVopnafjordur+354 473-1164Thorbjörg SigurdardóttirReykjavík +354 698 7213

Tommy SmothersBorn Thomas Bolin Smothers,III, Tommy Smothers is anacclaimed Americancomedian, composer andmusician from New York,New York. With his brother,Dick, he formed the musical comedy team,The Smothers Brothers, in 1959. Dick wassmooth and articulate, while Tommyportrayed “the dumb one”. They produced anenormously popular TV program, TheSmothers Brothers Comedy Hour, from 1967to 1969, and continued to appear in programsand specials throughout the 1970s and 1980s.Since then, the Smobro have continued todelight audiences of all ages in coast-to-coasttours. Tommy says, “I was dyslexic and I hadno idea what that was. I was always the lastone to get the spelling thing–the dumb one. Ialways played that, pretending I wasstupid…The thing about being dyslexic, Ialso have to search for words–it’s not justreading. I think of things and words don'tcome. I never did stutter, but there were theselittle lapses. It was a gift as far as comedytiming was concerned.”

Dr. Edward Hallowell Edward M. Hallowell is achild and adult psychiatristwho specializes inADD/ADHD and who alsohas ADHD. In spite of hisown challenges, he graduatedand became a faculty member at HarvardUniversity. He has authored a number ofbooks about learning challenges, the mostwell known of which may be Driven toDistraction (1994) and Delivered fromDistraction (2005, co-authored with Dr. JohnRatey). In 1996 Dr. Hallowell establishedThe Hallowell Center for Cognitive andEmotional Health in Sudbury, MA. Throughthe Center website (www.drhallowell.com) and his blog, he has much to share withparents and children about dyslexia otherlearning challenges: “At the end of firstgrade, I was still a poor reader, and, to thisday, I’m painfully slow at getting through abook...I have a dyslexic brain, a disorderedbrain, call it what you will. My brain got me

through Harvard as an English major and apre-med minor. I graduated magna cum laudeand went on to medical school, residency,and fellowship...If you’re born with a brainthat harbors dyslexia, I would say, ‘Luckyyou!’ You have untestable and immeasurablepotential. You’re a surprise package; no oneknows what you can do, including you. But I can tell you from years of experiencethat you can do special things. You havemany talents that can’t be taught, and a brainthat eludes the predictive powers of ourwisest sayers of sooth.”

Victor VillaseñorVictor Villaseñor was raisedon a ranch four miles northof Oceanside. His parentswere Mexican, and Victorspoke only Spanish until heentered school. After yearsof language and cultural barriers,discrimination and undiagnosed dyslexia, hedropped out of high school as a junior andmoved to Mexico. There he discovered awealth of Mexican art, literature, and music,that helped him recapture and understand thedignity and richness of his heritage. Upon hisreturn to the US at age 20 Victor returned tothe ranch (where he lives even today), andbegan to write. His books deal with manyissues he and other Mexican-Americans faceas members of a minority cultural group.Along with a number of non-fiction works,his bestselling novel, Rain of Gold (1991), isstill used by thousands of teachers and schoolsystems across the United States to teachabout the Mexican-American experience. Hisnovel, Burro Genius (2004) was nominatedfor a Pulitzer prize. Today, a best-sellingauthor and accomplished public speaker,Villaseñor has said, “First of all, I’d like youto know that dyslexia is a gift. It allowed meto see patterns that other people couldn’t see.In high school, it was very difficult at firstfor me to learn how to play chess, but thenonce I learned, I quickly became the bestchess player at our whole school, evenbeating our faculty and some of them thoughtthey were great chess players.”

(Quotes found at: http://www.disabled-

world.com/artman/publish/article_2130.shtml)

Famous Dyslexics Remember

Book Review

PAGE 12 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Germany/Deutschland (cont’d)

Kolbeinn SigurjonssonMosfellsbaer+354 566 6664Hugrún SvavarsdóttirMosfellsbær+354 698-6465

Margret Thorarinsdottir Selfoss +354 486 1188

v India

Kalpita PatelRajkot, Gujarat +91 (281) 244 2071

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

v Ireland

Veronica BaylyDublin+353 (86) 226 354

Anne Marie BeggsOld Portmarnock/Dublin+353 (86) 239-1545Paula HoranMullingar +353 44 934 1613Sister Antoinette KeelanDublin +353 (01) 884 4996

v Israel

Luba AlibashRamat Hasharon/Tel Aviv +972 (052) 272 9532

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

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

v Italy

Stefania BrunoNuoro, Sardinia+39 (388) 933 2486

Antonella DeriuNuoro, Sardinia+32 059 32 96

Elisa De FeliceRoma +39 (06) 507 3570Piera Angiola MaglioliOcchieppo Inferiore/Biella+39 (015) 259 3080

Sabina MansuttiTricesimo Udine+39 (349) 272 0307

Alessandro TaiocchiSettimo Milanese +39 (333) 443 7368

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

Rafaella ZingerleCorvara In Badia+39 (0471) 836 959

v Kenya

Josephine NaikuniNairobi+254 (20) 604 347

When Your Child Has . . . Dyslexia: Get the Right Diagnosis,Understand Treatment Options,and Help Your Child Learnby Abigail Marshall (author);

Vincent Iannelli (series editor)

Adams Media, 2009 $6.95

Many years ago, when my son was very

young, I believed that his primary grade

teachers would all have training in reading

instruction and know how to spot dyslexia

and what to do about it. I assumed that if my

son had any sort of learning barriers, the

school would be alert to it, there would be

specialists at hand to recommend and supply

appropriate interventions, and I could safely

rely on the advice of the “experts.”

Of course, the truth was very different.

My son’s public school teachers could not

help him, the school administration was

averse to labeling or classifying him, and

help was something we had to find on our

own. Fortunately this came to us in the form

of The Gift of Dyslexia, first published when

my son was age 11 – but though my son’s

issues with reading and writing were soon

resolved, I was in for another rude

awakening. To my dismay, I learned that the

Davis approach was viewed with skepticism

by traditional educators. My son’s school

principal politely declined my offer to try to

arrange a talk for parents and teachers about

the Davis program, and others were more

blunt in their dismissal of a program that

did not fit within the traditional model of

intensive and repetitive study of phonics.

If the school had provided good answers

of their own, I might have understood their

reticence. Unfortunately, my experience led

me to believe that not only were the “experts”

devoid of good answers, but that most

seemed unwilling to entertain or explore

anything that did not fit within their

preconceptions. They seemed more content to

claim that there was “nothing” more that

could be done than to explore the possibilities

of any approach that could not be absolutely

proven by “scientific” research. Their mantra

seemed to be that proof was required ahead

of the formulation of a hypothesis or an

experiment – something of a dead end in

areas where “proof” and effective solutions

seem hard to come by.

Ten years later, and much wiser, I was

blessed with the opportunity to write a book

of my own, based on what I had figured out

through my own journey. My book, titled The

Everything Parent’s Guide to Children with

Dyslexia, was published in 2004. It was the

first book ever written about dyslexia that

explored both the traditional tutoring-based

approaches and various alternative approaches

and therapies for dyslexia in an objective and

comprehensive manner. This book proved

popular with teachers as well as parents. I am

glad of this, because I felt that my book could

be a bridge to understanding when parents

sought specific educational accommodations

or were exploring IEP options for their

children. I think my book did a good job of

meeting my original goal: to share all the stuff

I had learned over the years that I wished I

had known in the first place.

So I am happy to announce that in

February of 2009, my second book will be

published: When Your Child Has... Dyslexia:

Get the Right Diagnosis, Understand

Treatment Options, and Help Your Child

Learn. This book is actually a revised and

abridged version of my first book – so in this

case I think it makes sense to review my own

book, as it is not really “new”. Rather, it is a

shorter, more to-the-point book with a small

price tag. I hope this means that parents will

be able to afford to buy several copies, so

that they have extras to give away to teachers

or other adults working with their kids.

by Abigail Marshall

PAGE 13THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Kenya (cont’d)

Manisha ShahNairobi+254 (0) 721 492 217

Kimberly SwallowNairobi+ 254 (20) 712 0472

v Lebanon

Samar Riad SaabBeirut +961 3 700 206

v Malaysia

Hilary CraigKuala Lumpur+60 (36) 201 55 95

v Mexico

Silvia B. Arana GarcíaMexico, D.F. +52 (55) 5540-7205

Cathy Calderón de la Barca México D.F.Davis Workshop Presenter+52 (55) 5540-7205

Hilda Fabiola Herrera CantuCuliacan, Sinaloa +52 81 6677 15 01 19

María Silvia Flores SalinasDDA DirectorSupervisor–SpecialistGarza García Monterrey NL+52 (81) 8378 61 75

Laura LammogliaTampico, Tamaulipas +52 (833) 213 4126

Alejandra Garcia MedinaHuixquilucan+52 (55) 1085 5608l

Maria Lourdes GutiérrezMexico D.F.+52 (555) 593 18 22

Lucero Palafox de MartinVeracruz+52 (229) 935 1302

Ana Elena Payro OgarrioCorregidora, Queretaro+52 442 228 1264

Lydia Gloria VargasGarza García Monterrey NL+52 (81) 8242 0666

Lourdes Zepeda Solorzano Cancún+52 (998) 577 30 90

v Netherlands

Liesbeth Berg-SchagenVleuten +31 (030) 604-9601

Manja BloemendalDen Haag+31 (70) 345 5252

Ineke BlomDorpstraat+31 (020) 436-1484

Lot BlomUtrecht +31 (030) 271 0005

Lieneke CharpentierNieuwegein+31 (030) 60 41 539 Hester CnossenVeghel +31 (495) 641 920Mine de RanitzDriebergen+31 (0343) 521 348

Sometimes it is just easier to explain

what you want or need when you have a

book at hand.

While the content is mostly taken from

the first book, the new book has been

updated to cover changes in the IEP process

that came with amendments to the federal

laws which were enacted at the end of 2004,

after publication of my first book.

Specifically, the new book has a section on

the “Response to Intervention” provisions

introduced at that time. This should be

particularly helpful for parents who want to

use the information during the IEP process –

for example, bringing the book to an IEP

meeting, with appropriate sections

highlighted for discussion.

Since the second book is abridged, I think

parents and teachers who want to know the

bigger picture will still

want to own my first

book – but my new

book will fill an

important niche for

people who are looking

for brief and direct

information in a very

affordable format.

Understanding ControversialTherapies for Children WithAutism, Attention Deficit Disorder,and Other Learning Disabilities: AGuide to Complementary andAlternative Medicine by Lisa A. Kurtz

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2008 $19.95

I have recently discovered another book

that should also prove valuable to parents

who are interested in exploring non-

traditional interventions and therapies for

their children with a variety of learning and

behavioral difficulties: Understanding

Controversial Therapies for Children with

Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder & Other

Learning Disabilities: A Guide to

Complementary and Alternative Therapies,

by Lisa A. Kurtz. This book provides exactly

what the title indicates – a comprehensive

guide to just about every outside-the-box

therapy you might run across, and then some.

Approaches are listed in alphabetical order

within broad categories: Alternative Medical

Systems, Mind-Body Interventions,

Biologically-Based Interventions,

Manipulative and Body-based Methods,

and Energy Therapies. From Acupuncture

to Zero Balancing, this book will provide

an objective description and overview

of just about everything you might want

to know about the sort of stuff that your

child’s doctor or school

teachers are unlikely

to tell you about.

I would note that

even though the title

refers to “controversial”

therapies, many of the

approaches detailed are

quite mainstream these

days. For example, it includes Art Therapy

and Yoga – no one is likely to look at you

funny for enrolling your child in one of these

programs. I think that what unites the

programs detailed in this book is simply that

they are far less likely to be on the menu of

established options at your child’s school –

and, more important, that this may well be

the ONLY book where you will find so many

different approaches so clearly laid out and

described. The book makes no attempt to

pass on the validity or advisability of any

particular approach – rather, it gives the

reader the information needed to understand

the options and to begin to learn more, such

as references for further reading and websites

and other contact information for the

providers or advocates of each approach.

After receiving my copy, I feel this book

is an absolutely essential reference for

anyone who wants to know and explore

available options; this is a book that I would

highly recommend to librarians and

professionals as well as to parents and

teachers.

”

may well be the ONLY bookwhere you will find so

many different approachesso clearly laid out

and described

“

THE DYSLEXIC READERPAGE 14

vNetherlands (cont’d)

Christien De SmitSluis +31 (0117) 461 963

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

Jolien FokkensBeilen +31 (0593) 540 141

Ina GausSantpoort-Zuid+31 (023) 538-3927

Jola GeldermansBeverwijk+31 (0251) 210 607

Jan GubbelsMaastricht+31 (043) 36 39 999

Maril HeijenLandgraaf+31 6 34 928 983

Judith HolzapfelDeventer +31 (0570) 619 553

Mia JenniskensEindhoven+31 (040) 245 9458

Trudy JolingLaren +31 (035) 531 00 66

Marie KoopmanBilthoven+31 (030) 228 4014

Carry KulingHeemstede+31 (0235) 287 782

Edith Kweekel-GöldiSoest +31 (035) 601 0611

Imelda LamakerHilversum+31 (035) 621 7309

Irma LammersBoxtel +31 (411) 68 56 83

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

Sjan MelsenArnhem +31 (026) 442 69 98

Cinda MustersAmsterdam +31 (20) 330-78 08

Bert NeeleMelick +31 (61) 259 8802

Marianne OosterbaanZeist +31 (030) 691 7309

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

Petra Pouw-LegêneDLS Nederlands DirectorDLS Mentor-PresenterBeek +31 (046) 437 4907

Karin RietbergHolten +31 (548) 364 286

Lydia Rogowski WijnbergHelmond +31 (0492) 513 169

Hanneke SchoemakerWageningen+31 (0317) 412 437

Ilse SchreuderAalzum/Dokkum +31 (051) 922-0315

Every dyslexic is different. Symptoms

and struggles vary depending upon the person

and the situation. Despite the increasing

shift in perception for our younger generation

that dyslexia is a gifted thinking style, the

stigma that remains for adults can lead to

low self-esteem…and wasted talent in the

workplace.

Many adult dyslexics conceal their

difficulties and are forced to compensate to

get through tasks that do not suit their skill-

set. According to Kerri St. Jean, Senior Vice

President, HR & Organizational Effectiveness

at Comcast’s NorthCentral Division,

“Today’s workplace is filled with diverse and

complex issues such as dyslexia, workplace

injuries, language barriers, family care and

elder care needs, just to mention a few.

Employers and individual managers who are

open to these unique circumstances and

provide both a supportive work environment

and actual support of the specific individuals

needs, always win in the end with higher

productivity, loyalty and morale. Employees

will give their best and thrive when they

know they can trust their manager to truly

care about them as an individual and value

them for their talents as well as their

developmental areas.”

There are many adult dyslexics who

thrive in their fields of talent, rising above

their challenges and succeeding well beyond

the non-dyslexic population. These adults

include the likes of Jay Leno, Charles

Schwab, Whoopi Goldberg, Richard Branson,

Henry Winkler, and Tommy Hilfiger (to

name a few). All of these amazing

individuals are dyslexic and attribute much of

their success to it. Their multi-dimensional,

picture-thinking style enables dyslexics to be

highly intuitive, out-of-the-box thinkers with

excellent problem-solving skills and creative

talents.

Employers who place their dyslexic

employees in positions where their strengths

are utilized will most likely report that these

are some of the highest producing employees

on their payroll. If not employed in an area

of strength, dyslexics may well exhibit

inconsistent work, struggle with spelling,

writing skills, fear of public speaking, or

may pass up promotions that would require

more administrative work.

“It is important for all of us to find

careers in industries, companies and

organizational cultures that play to our

strengths and value our natural talents. But

for dyslexics, the importance of finding this

match early on is critical,” says Kristine

Steinberg, CEO of Kismet Consulting, LLC,

a Business Consulting and Executive

Coaching firm. Steinberg further states,

“Dyslexics need mentors and managers

that can see through some of the surface

weaknesses, such as written communication

or need for validation/approval, and tap into

the vast creativity, perspective, and ingenuity

that dyslexics possess, but are sometimes not

realized. Managers and Supervisors would be

wise to learn more about dyslexia – how to

identify the symptoms and help employees

develop the confidence to fully express the

positive aspects of their thinking and learning

differences.”

Many adult dyslexics are undiagnosed or

unaware of their dyslexia. Some common

characteristics for adult dyslexics are:

• Employed in job/position that will conceal

difficulties, or not require dealing with

problematic areas.

• Hides difficulties from co-workers, friends

and even family.

• Difficulty with tests – passing standardized

tests can be a barrier to career

advancement.

• Highly successful over achiever, or

considered “not working up to potential.”

Either way, displays extreme work ethic.

Adult Dyslexia (continued from page 1)

“ Their multi-dimensional,picture-thinking style enables

dyslexics to be highlyintuitive, out-of-the-boxthinkers with excellent

problem-solving skills andcreative talents. ”

Dyslexics need mentors andmanagers that can see

through some of the surfaceweaknesses… and tap into

the vast creativity,perspective, and ingenuity

that dyslexics possess… ”

“

(continued on page 15)

Unlocking the Power of DyslexiaA brief look at the life of Ronald Davis and the impact of his remarkable discoveries. DVD: $8.00 (Run time: 15 minutes)

The Davis Dyslexia Correction Program This documentary film provides an excellent overview of Facilitators at work with Davis clients,explains how dyslexics thinkand perceive, what causes dyslexia, and what occurs during and after a Davis Program. DVD: $8.00 (Run time: 18 minutes)Davis Dyslexia Correction Orientation ProceduresThis detailed instructional DVD provides demonstrations of each of the Davis® procedures for assessment and orientationdescribed in The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning. These methods help focus attention, eliminate perceptual confu-sion, improve physical coordination, and control energy levels. DVD: $85.00

Davis Symbol Mastery and Reading ExercisesFeatures 27 examples of Facilitators and clients using the Davis Symbol Mastery Kit and practicing the Davis Reading Exercises. Included are mastering the alphabet, punctuationmarks, pronunciation, and words; and reading exercises to build visual tracking and whole word recognition skills, and toimprove reading fluency and comprehension. (This DVD is included with Davis Symbol Mastery Kit) DVD: $85.00

Dyslexia - The Gift

This documentary introduces the concepts and methods

in The Gift of Dyslexia. Viewers of all ages will find the

interviews and animated sequences highly informative

and entertaining.

Gift of Dyslexia Audio CD SetThis 4 CD set contains fullnarration of The Gift of Dyslexia,read by author Ron Davis.

Video or DVD $39.95

4-CD Set $39.95

ReadOn Interactive SoftwareA comprehensive learning tool, designed to assist people of all

ages learn to read or overcome reading problems associated with

dyslexia. Operating Systems: Windows 98, ME, NT4 (SP 6),

Win2000, XP Languages: English only

Software $175.00

I Can Do it–The Confidence to LearnTeachers, parents, and students discussbenefits of Davis Learning Strategies.Includes scenes of a DLS program at aschool in Vale, Oregon.

DVD: $9.00 (running time: 12 min.)

DVD/Audio CD/Software

Davis Symbol Mastery KitContains everything needed to do Davis

Symbol Mastery: A manual in checklist

format, 117-minute instructional DVD,

laminated alphabet strip, letter

recognition cards, dictionary, grammar

book, punctuation booklet, pronunciation

key cards, and clay—all in a sturdy nylon

shoulder bag. Suitable for work with

students of any age.

Symbol Mastery Kit $139.95

Davis Young Learner Kit for Home-UseProvides parents with the

instructions and materials needed

to provide 5-7 year olds with

effective and fun learning

strategies for improving pre-

reading and language arts skills.

Young Learner Kit for Home-Use $119.95

Davis Dyslexia Association BookstoreBooks & Tools for Doing it on Your Own

NEW!The Everything ParentsGuide to Children withAutism: Know What toExpect, Find the Help YouNeed, and Get Throughthe Day

by Adelle Jameson Tilton

Softcover: $14.95

From finding support groups to planning fortheir child's future, this book provides par-ents with all the information they need toensure that their child's--and their families'--needs are met.

A Parents Guide toAsperger Syndrome & High FunctioningAutism by Sally Ozonoff,Geraldine Dawson andJames McPartland

Softcover: $14.95

An indispensable guide packed withreal-life success stories, practicalproblem-solving ideas, and matter-of-fact advice.

UnderstandingControversial TherapiesFor Children with Autism,ADD and Other LearningDisabilities

by Lisa Kurtz

Softcover: $19.95

A comprehensive guide to just about

every outside-the-box therapy you might

run across, and then some. An absolutely

essential reference for anyone who wants

to know and explore available options

The Gift of Dyslexia: Why some of the smartestpeople can’t read and howthey can learn.by Ronald Davis, Eldon BraunExplains the theories behindDavis Dyslexia Correctionmethods, and details basicprocedures in an easy-to-follow, scripted format. Largetype, illustrations and photosmake this book dyslexic-friendly.

Softcover $14.95

The Gift of Learningby Ronald D. Davis, Eldon M. Braun

Expands the Davis Methodswith theories and correctionprocedures that address the three basic areas oflearning disability other thanreading, which children andadults experience.

Softcover $14.95

Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer?

by Dana Spears & Ron Braund

A must for parents of childrenwho are imaginative,sensitive,moody, stubborn, andcompassionate.Softcover $12.99

You Don’t Have to be Dyslexic

by Dr. Joan Smith

Case histories illustrate auseful and easy-to-usecollection of assessmentmethods, skill-buildingexercises, and learningstrategies geared to thedyslexic learning style.

Softcover $19.95

Attention Deficit Disorder:A Different Perception

by Thom Hartmann

Explores the benefits of an ‘A.D.D.’ mind, andprovides good reasons for ‘distractable’ people to celebrate their creativethinking style.

REVISED EDITIONSoftcover $12.00

The Myth of the ADD Child

by Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.

Essential for any parent of anactive child. Detailed profilesof behavior patterns are keyedto suggested strategies forgetting each child on track,without drugs or coercion.

Softcover $15.00

Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World

by Jeffrey Freed & Laurie Parsons

Innovative ideas and visual-spatial approaches for helping A.D.D. kids to tune in and excel ineducational endeavors.

Softcover $14.00

Learning Outside the Lines:

Two Ivy League Studentswith Learning Disabilitiesand ADHD Give You theTools for AcademicSuccess and EducationalRevolution

by Jonathan Mooney & David Cole

Softcover $14.00

In the Mind’s Eye-UPDATED

by Thomas West

An in-depth look at theconnections between creativeability, visual thinking, andacademic learning difficulties.Explores the minds of famousdyslexics from Einstein toChurchill.

Hardcover $29.00

Smart But Stuck: WhatEvery Therapist Needs to Know About LearningDisabilities and ImprisonedIntelligence

by Myrna Orenstein, Ph.D.

Deals largely with ndiagnosedlearning disabilities in adults.

Softcover $24.95

Teaching Kids withLearning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom

Find proven and powerfulstrategies and techniques to help any student become asuccessful learner.Softcover $36.95

The Right Mind: Making Sense of theHemispheres

Explores how our brainhemispheres work togetherto make sense of languageand accomplish other tasks.

Softcover $12.00

Beyond ADD: Hunting forReasons in the Past &Present

by Thom Hartmann

Explore a variety of theories as to why ADD has become so prevalent in modernsociety, and solutions relatedto many of the theories.

Softcover $12.95

Learning How to Learn:Getting Into andSurviving College WhenYou Have a LearningDisability-REVISED

by Joyanne Cobb

Softcover $18.95

El Don de la Dislexia

The Gift of Dyslexiain Spanish. Newly revisedwith additional chapters,illustrations and photographs.Published in Spain by Editex

Softcover $28.95

Getting The Horse To

Drink: How To Motivate

Unmotivated Students

by Suzanne H. Stevens

Practical teachingstrategies for motivatingstudents who have lost allinterest in academicachievement.

Softcover $9.95

$19.95

THE DYSLEXIC READERSUPPLEMENT PAGE A2

Everything Parent’s GuideTo Children With Dyslexia:All You Need To Ensure

Your Child’s Success

by Abigail Marshall

A “must read” for every parent

who knows or suspects their

child has dyslexia.

Softcover $14.95

The Secret Life of the

Dyslexic Child: How She

Thinks, How He Feels,

How They Can Succeed

by Robert Frank, Ph.D.

with Kathryn Livingston

Full of gentle advice and

practical suggestions for

parents to help build

self-esteem and confidence.

Softcover $14.95

The Everything Sign Language Book

by Irene Duke

The Language that let’s

you talk with your hands

and listen with your eyes.

More than 300 easy-to

-follow illustrations, including

expressions, songs,

emotions, ASL alphabet,

money, and time.

Softcover $14.95

BOOKS FOR CREATIVE LEARNING

All Cats have AspergerSyndromeBy Kathy Hoopman

Insightful and humorouslook at the AspergerSyndrome, especiallyendearing for cat lovers.$14.95 Hardcover

Ten Things Every Child WithAutism Wishes You Knew

by Ellen Notbohm

A must have for parents to

read and share. Provides

the insight needed to better

understand, love and support

an autistic family member

Softcover $14.95

Born on a Blue Day

by Daniel Tammet

First-person account of

living with synesthesia

and savantism, a rare

form of Asperger’s

syndrome

Softcover $14.00

Cursive ConnectionsWorkbook and Guide for Students, Parents and Teachers

by Kathryn Libby

Over 70 reproducible pages fordeveloping cursive writing skillsSoftcover $15.99

How to Read Music by Roger Evans

Fundamentals of Musical Notation Made EasySoftcover $11.95

Visual SAT Vocabulary Cardsby Rebecca L. Lev, M.Ed.$24.95

KID’S CORNER

Math-a-pedia: A visual

mathematical reference forintermediate students

Homework Without Tears: AParent’s Guide for MotivatingChildren to do Homework and to Succeed in School?

by Lee Canter & Lee Hausner, Ph.D.

Detailed, step-by-step approach to turningthe responsibility of homework over to your children. Hardcover $13.95

Barron’s Mathematics Study Dictionary

by Frank Tapson

Comprehensive definitions and explanations of

mathematical terms, organized by concept. Geared

to ages 10 to adult.

Softcover $14.99

Yes You Can! Help Your Kid Succeed in Math Even if You Think You Can’t

by Jean Bullard & Louise Oborne

Advice for parents and strategies for overcoming

math anxiety and other barriers to learning.

Softcover $18.00

Math on Call

by Andrew Kaplan,

et al

Softcover $23.00

Charlie’s Challenge

by Ann Root & Linda Gladden

This richly illustrated story offers apositive view and encouraging newsfor youngsters struggling in school.Geared to ages 5-9.

Softcover $14.95

The Hate to Write But Have To Writer’s Guide

by Jim Evers

Practical tips and guidelines help visualthinkers improve their writing skills.

Softcover $9.95

Peterson’s Colleges with Programs for Studentswith Learning Disabilitiesor Attention DeficitDisorders

Softcover $32.95

THE DYSLEXIC READER SUPPLEMENT PAGE A3

Math-a-pedia: IntermediateHardcover $34.95 each

Math-a-pedia: PrimaryHardcover $24.95 each

Ultimate Visual Dictionaryby Dorling Kindersley Publishing

Hardcover $39.95 (672 pages)

Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools You ShouldKnow About Even If You’reNot a Straight-A Student byLoren Pope REVISED 2005

Softcover $14.00

Math at Hand

by Great Source

Education Group Staff

Softcover $23.00

REFERENCE BOOKS

MATH BOOKS

AUTISM BOOKS

DAVIS DYSLEXIA MATERIALSUnlocking the Power of Dyslexia DVD . . . . . . . . . . $8.00Davis Dyslexia Correction Program DVD . . . . . . . . .$8.00Davis Orientation Procedures DVD. . . . . . . . . . . . . $85.00Symbol Mastery & Reading Exercises DVD . . . . . . $85.00I Can Do It—The Confidence to Learn. . . . . . . . . . . $9.00The Gift of Dyslexia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.95The Gift of Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.95Dyslexia- the Gift Video . . . . . $39.95Gift of Dyslexia audio CD Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39.95Symbol Mastery Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$139.95Gift of Dyslexia - Spanish Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . .$28.95OTHER BOOKS FOR REFERENCE & LEARNINGAll Cats have Asperger Syndrome . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.95ADD: A Different Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.00Barron’s Math Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.99Beyond ADD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.95Born on a Blue Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.00Charlie’s Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.95Checking Your Grammar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.99Colleges That Change Lives-Revised 2005 . . . . . . .$14.00Cursive Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15.99Everything Parent’s Guide To Autism . . . . . . . . . . .$14.95Everything Parent’s Guide To Dyslexia . . . . . . . . . .$14.95The Everything Sign Language Book . . . . . . . . . . .$14.95 Getting The Horse To Drink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9.95Hate to Write But Have To Writer’s Guide . . . . . . .$14.95Homework Without Tears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$13.95How to Read Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$11.95In the Mind’s Eye-Updated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29.00Learning How to Learn-Revised . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$18.95Learning Outside the Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14.00Math-a-pedia: Intermediate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$34.95Math-a-pedia: Primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.95Math On Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23.00Math On Hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23.00 Myth of the ADD Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15.00Parents Guide to Asperger Autism . . . . . . . . . . . .$18.95Peterson’s Guide to Colleges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$32.95Right Brained Children in a Left-Brained World . . .$14.00Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes . . . . . .$14.95The Right Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.00The Secret Life of The Dyslexic Child . . . . . . . . . . .$14.95Smart But Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.95Strong-Willed Child or Dreamer? . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.99Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties . . . . . . . .$36.95Ultimate Visual Dictionary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$39.95Understanding Controversial Therapies . . . . . . . . .$19.95Visual SAT Vocabulary Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.95Webster’s New World Children’s Dictionary . . . . . .$17.95Yes You Can! Help Your Kid Succeed in Math . . . .$18.00You Don’t Have to Be Dyslexic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19.95

OTHER ITEMSReadOn Interactive Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$175.00Young Learner Kit for Home Use . . . . . . . . . . . . .$119.95

Mail:DDAI1601 Old Bayshore Hwy. #260Burlingame, CA 94010

Fax:1-650-692-7075

Phone:Toll free 1-888-999-3324Local 1-650-692-7141

Online:www.dyslexia.com/bookstore

Ship to:

Address:

City/State:

Zip/Country:

Check here if you would like to receive FREE INFORMATION on:❑ Davis Dyslexia Correction Programs

❑ Professional Training in Davis Procedures

❑ Sponsoring Davis Workshops in your area

Payment:Check: ❑ Enclosed is my check made payable to “DDAI”

Credit Card:❑ VISA ❑ MasterCard ❑ Discover ❑ American Express

Card # Exp. date:

Name

Signature:

Phone:

ITEM DESCRIPTION UNIT PRICE QTY TOTAL

Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____Less 10% for DDAI Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____Subtotal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____CA Sales Tax (CA residents only) Subtotal x 0.0825 . .$ _______.____*Shipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____Total for books/materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____DDAI Membership (includes newsletter subscription)❑ 1 year - $50 ❑ 2 year - $80 $ _______.____Subscription Only❑ 1 year - $25 ❑ 2 year - $40 $ _______.____

(Canada/Mexico - add $5/yr Other countries - add $10/yr)GRAND TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ _______.____

US Shipping CostsBook Total First ClassUp to $20.00 $9.50$20.01 - $40.00 $11.50$40.01 - $60.00 $16.00$60.01 & above $20.00

*Kits & videos ship UPS to street addresses only; NO Post Office Box deliveryCanada/Mexico: Add $5.00 to US rates*Outside North America - Foreign orders must use acredit card. Airmail or fax this form to +1 (650) 692-7075.We’ll add airmail postage plus $5 for handling.

(as it appears on card)

How To Order

SAVE 10% ON THIS ORDER!

Become a DDAI Member and receive a 10%discount on all DDAI Bookstore orders anda FREE subscription to The Dyslexic Reader.

Your membership supports our efforts worldwide!

PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU MAY 31, 2009

$9.95

$19.95

ORDER FORM

THE DYSLEXIC READERSUPPLEMENT PAGE A4

NEW!

NEW!

NEW!

(Specify: VHS or DVD )

European Union Issues Warning on RitalinAccording to the Associated Press in a January 22, 2009 article in the Wall Street Journal

(http://online.wsj.com/article/ SB123266775105208041.html), medical regulators in the European

Union recommend that before prescribing Ritalin or other similar-acting medications, doctors

should screen patients of all ages for heart-rate or blood-pressure problems, as well as for family

history of heart disease. Likewise, as long as the patient takes these drugs, doctors should monitor

their blood pressure and heart rate and should watch for possible psychiatric symptoms.

Drugs containing methylphenidate are sold generically and under various brand names, such

as Ritalin (Novartis AG) and Concerta (Johnson & Johnson). Methylphenidate is considered a

safe treatement for ADHD in children and adolescents over six years of age. However,

precautions are recommended because these drugs have been linked to depression, suicidal

thoughts, hostility, psychosis and mania.

If you are considering a Davis Dyslexia Correction Program for a loved one taking Ritalin in

any form, please be sure to advise your facilitator during assessment. Davis Dyslexia Correction

is a drug-free approach. Ritalin can interfere with the efficacy of the Davis tools and methods.

PAGE 15THE DYSLEXIC READER

vNetherlands (cont’d)

Silvia Jolanda SikkemaDrachten +31 (0512) 538 815

Suzan SintemaartensdijkAkersloot +31 (25) 131-26 62

Marja SteijgerAmstel+31 (020) 496 52 53

Robin TempleSpecialist TrainerWorkshop PresenterMaria Hoop+31 (0475) 302 203

Romina TorozUtrecht +31 (61) 280-1821

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

Marieke UiterwijkLeiden +31 (06) 45 911 913

Mieke van DeldenLeek +31 (059) 4514985

Carly van den AkkerSchijndel/Einhoven+31 (06) 15 20 81 73

Agnes van den Homberg-Jacobs

America Limburg+31 (077) 464 23 22

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

Annemarie van HofUtrecht +31 (030) 65 86 700

Jacqueline van RijswijckVenray +31 (0478) 58 73 98

Lia VermeulenHuizen +31 (062) 3671530

Mary VerspagetAlmere+31 6 53 797 197

Christien VosTolbert +31 (0594) 511 607

Lucie Wauben-CrutsDLS MentorElsloo +31 (046) 437 0329

Gerda Witte-KuijsHeerhugowaard+31 (072) 571 3163

v New Zealand

Rochelle BoothWanganui +64 (027) 306-6743

Kirsteen BrittenChristchurch+64 (3) 348 1665

Vivienne CarsonAuckland+64 (09) 520-3270

Catherine ChurtonSupervisor-SpecialistAuckland+64 (021) 448 862

Jennifer ChurtonAuckland+64 (09) 360 494

Ann CookWarkworth/Auckland+64 (0) 9 422 0042

Adult Dyslexia (continued from page 14)

• Highly intuitive – known to have “street

smarts.” Is often “dead on” in judging

personalities of others. “Out of the box”

thinkers – strong strategizing and problem-

solving abilities.

• Remembers struggling in school. May have

dyslexic children and experience guilt when

seeing own child struggle. Insecurities arise

while reading to own children or helping

them with homework.

• Misspeaks, misuses, or mispronounces

words without realizing it.

• May confuse past conversations or be

accused of “not listening.”

• Difficulty remembering names of people,

but remembers faces. May have

compensatory tricks to help with this.

• Difficulty remembering verbal instructions

or directions. Poor recall of conversations

or sequence of events.

• May lose track of time, is frequently late –

or is highly aware of it and very rarely late.

• Avoids reading out loud. May dislike

public speaking. Will commonly perceive

that they “read better silently.”

• Has adopted compensatory tricks to

remember spelling and homonyms (their,

there, they’re), or misuses homonyms and

has poor spelling.

• Reading fluency and comprehension

fluctuates depending upon subject matter.

• Frequently has to re-read sentences in order

to comprehend. Fatigues or becomes bored

quickly while reading.

• Reliance on others (assistants, spouses,

significant others) for written

correspondence.

• Uncertainty with words, punctuation, and

spelling when writing. Reliance on spell-

check and grammar-check. Words out of

context look “wrong.”

• Writes with all capital letters, or mixes

capital letters within words.

• Abbreviates words frequently. Spelling is

inconsistent (may spell the same word

differently within the same document).

• Poor handwriting masks spelling mistakes.

• Work space may be extremely disorderly or

compulsively orderly.

For a more comprehensive list

of adult characteristics, visit http://www.ne-

dyslexia.com/adultdyslexiacharacteristics.html

© Karen LoGuidice; first published October 1, 2008,

at www.ne-dyslexia.blogspot.com. Reprinted with

permission.

PAGE 16 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v New Zealand (cont’d)

Martine FalconerChristchurch+64 (03) 383-1988

Konstanca Friedrich-PalzerMotueka/Nelson+64 (03) 527 8060

Tina GuyNelson +64 (03) 547 4958

Wendy HaddonMosgiel +64 (03) 489-8572

Sandra HartnettAppleby+64 (03) 544 2362

Alma HoldenAlexandra+64 (027) 485-6798

Glenys KnoppDarfield +64 (03) 317-9072

Raewyn MathesonDLS MentorInglewood+64 (027) 411-8350

Tania McGrathChristchurch +64 (03) 322 41 73

Colleen MortonGore +64 (03) 208 6308

Alison SymeDarfield +64 (03) 318-8480Lorna TimmsDavis Autism TrainerChristchurch +64 (03) 363 9358Margot YoungAuckland+64 (0) 9 638 3627

v Philippines

Imelda CasugaBaguio City +63 (744) 42 29 01

v Poland

Agnieszka £ubkowska Warsaw +48 (22) 658-2237

v Portugal

Catarina do PassoLisboa +35 (121) 781-6090

Cristina Rocha VieiraCoimbra +35 (123) 943 7732

Sofia Vassalo SantosLisboa+35 (191) 911-2565

Cristina Maria VieiraLisboa +35 (191) 921 4808

v Republic of Singapore

Phaik Sue ChinSingapore +65 6773 4070

Constance ChuaSingapore +65 6873 3873

v South Africa

Sharon GerkenDurban +27 (82) 82 85 180

The Hebrew alphabet has twenty-two letters, allconsonants. There is a systemof dots and dashes placedabove and below consonants,but vowels are not used innewspapers, magazines orbooks for general use. The ideais, if you speak Hebrew, youdon’t really need to see vowels:the context and combinationsof consonants allow you torecognize and pronouncewritten words. Vowels are only included in school books, textbooks forforeigners, and prayer books. I’ve studied a fewlanguages in my time, but I’ve never learned a language without written vowels. I wonder if we could get along without writing vowels in English?

We’re so accustomed to seeing our a-e-i-o-u’severywhere, that a sentence without them wouldlook funny even when it’s readable: “Vwls rn’tncssry fr gd rdrs.”Of course, words out ofcontext would present a few problems: Is “bth”bath or both? But then, words IN context are thewhole point of most reading anyway. On theother hand, “I” and “a”would present problems.Hmmm… would “y” be you or why?

Thinking about this, I removed all the vowelsexcept “I” from one full page of my journal theother day. The page had contained 6,331characters, includingspaces. After the vowelswere gone, it containedjust 4,546 – a 29%savings in space! We could reduce the length ofall books by nearly 30%! We’d save on paperand ink, on the energy we use to print… And I

Addicted to Vowels

could still read my page … well, most of it. I,too, am addicted to vowels, so it took a littleconcentration to decide whether “s”meant as,is, us or so. Ultimately, context solved thatissue, just as it tells us how to pronounce read insentences like “I used to love to read and whenmy eyes were younger and stronger, I read allthe time.”

On the other hand, if we tossed out all thevowels, we’d throw all the publishers of readingprograms into disarray. That has some appeal…who would buy all their phonics drills? Mostwould become irrelevant overnight! Thedemand for reading specialists in our schoolswould probably be cut in half. Not great forthem, but a lot of kids would celebrate!

In the end, though, we’d never convincepeople to make such a change. We take pride in

our crazy spelling. Weenjoy being one of thehardest languages forforeigners to master! No,

wait a minute… There’s a little stealth spellingreform going on right under our noses anyway:txt mssgng!

Quotable Quotes

The only realvoyage of discoveryconsists not in seeking newlandscapes but in havingnew eyes. --Marcel Proust,

novelist (1871-1922)

“A synonym is a word you use when youcan’t spell theword you firstthought of.”--Burt Bacharach,

pianist and composer

By Laura Zink de Díaz, Davis Facilitator, Bogotá, Colombia

“Vwls rn’t ncssry fr gd rdrs.”

The Hebrew vowels

PAGE 17THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Spain

Silvia María Sabatés Rodrigo

Madrid +34 (091) 636 31 44

v Switzerland/CH

Tinka Altwegg-Scheffmacher

St. Gallen+41 (071) 222 07 79

Monika AmreinZurich +41 (01) 341 8264

Regula Bacchetta-Bischofberger

Horw /Luzern +41 (041) 340 2136

Priska BaumgartnerWettingen +41 (056) 426 28 88

Renate Blum-MullerFull-Reuenthal +41 (56) 246-18 66

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

Vicki BrignoliLumino +41 (091) 829 05 36

Carole DubossonVeyras/Sierre+41 (027) 452 62 02

Brigitta DünkiRafz + 41 (079) 318-8300

Susi Fassler St. Gallen +41 (071) 244 5754

Ursula FischbacherOrpund +41 (032) 355 23 26

Mieke FriederichsReinach +41 (061) 712 42 06

Heidi Gander-BelzDLS Presenter-MentorMonchaltorf+41 (44) 948 14 10

Elisabeth GerberMettmenstetten +41 (044) 767 10 54

Katharina GrenacherBern +41(31) 382 00 29

Elisabeth GutGrut +41 (044) 932 3242

Ursula Hirzel EglerStäfa +41 (01) 926 2895

Christa JaegerRiehen +41 (061) 641 4667

Consuelo LangLumino +41 (091) 829 05 36

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

Beatrice LeutertStein am Rhein +41 (052) 232 03 83

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

Verena Luisa MoserRiken +41 (076) 346 93 34

Everything was perfect for The Whole

Dyslexic Society’s second annual fundraiser,

SHIFT 2008, and this year’s theme was:

“We are good at what we do, because of

our ‘gift of dyslexia’ not in spite of it!”

The financial generosity of Grouse

Mountain Resorts Ltd. made it possible for

140 ‘stars’ for the night to take a gondola

ride to the mountain lodge. It was a wet and

wild November evening, and the red carpet

treatment began in the cosy, firelit foyer.

The very dyslexic and very talented Yousef

Jawhari brought a team from his Pink Lime

Hair Salon and Spa to make sure that

everyone’s hair and make-up allowed them

to start the evening looking even more

fabulous than they thought possible!

Hair, make-up, then on to the red carpet!

Some of our young “corrected dyslexics”

mingled with our guests dressed as Leonardo

da Vinci, Keira Knightley, Tom Cruise, and

Steve Jobs. Two others, Alex Shore and

Alexa Ku, added to the star quality of the

evening by interviewing and photographing

our guests.

As the evening progressed, it just got

better and better: a Champagne Cocktail

Reception, a wonderful West Coast Dinner,

and Leonardo played the violin for us.

Don McLeod, of the School Alliance of

Singer Songwriters, composed a song,

“This Is My Gift,” especially for us,

premiering it after dinner. Tyler Norton,

Alicia Wisdom, Cassidy Engleby and Edie

Orenstein provided testimonials for the

Outreach and Bursary programs. And after

thanking our many sponsors, our guest of

honour, Ron Davis, took the floor. Ron’s

genius is what brought us all together, and

it was our privilege to have him join us

‘off duty’ for once!

Don McLeod

Scott and

Sue Jutson

with Ron Davis

Auctioneer

George Hall,

Sue Hall,

and Pink Lime’s

Joseph Jawhari

George Hall was our auctioneer for the

second year in a row, running the show at the

very stylish auction table he and Sue Jutson

set up. George’s unique sense of humour

triggered considerable laughter and

enjoyment. This year the Silent and Live

Auctions, the diamond ring raffle, and

donations brought in $10,000!

The weather provided a little extra

excitement towards the end of the evening,

since the wind started to gust as guests were

leaving on a smaller version of the Grouse

Mountain gondola. SHIFT 2008 was an event

for the history books. So much fun, so many

new friends and contacts, and the very

special energy that accompanies Ron and

our “corrected dyslexics.” So, on to next

year’s Symposium, where we aim to educate

the educators!Alexa, Sierra, and Alex

SHIFT 2008 Celebrity Edition!By Sue Hall, Davis Facilitator in Vancouver, BC, Canada

PAGE 18 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v Switzerland/CH (cont’d)

Maya MuraroStäfa +41 (079) 704 03 07

Véronique PfeifferZürich +41 (01) 342 22 61

Elisabeth RabergerEffretikon+41 (052) 343 62 34

Therese Rice-SchumacherUster/Zurich+41 (052) 267 5154

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

Regine Roth-GloorMohlin/Basel+41 (061) 851 2685

Doris Rubli-Huber St. Gallen +41 (071) 245 56 90Benita RuckliSigigen +41 (041) 495 04 09 or (079) 719 31 18Lotti Salivisberg Basel +41 (061) 263 33 44Sonja SartorWinterthur+41 (052) 242 4015Marianne SchutzZofinger+41 (62) 752 8281

Andreas VillainZürich +41 (076) 371 84 32

Catherine WarnerGeneva +41 (022) 321 70 42

Margit ZahndGerolfingen+41 (079) 256 86 65 or(032) 396 19 20

v United Arab Emirates

Linda RademanDubai +9714 348 1687

v United Kingdom

Kim BalaskasWestcliff on Sea, Essex + 44 (0) 8000 272657

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

Sarah DixonEast Horsley, Surrey +44 (01483) 283 088

Susan DuguidLondon+44 (020) 8878 9652

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

Christine EastKingsbridge, Devon+44 (0) 8000 272657

Hilary FarmerOxford, Oxon+44 (0118) 9464 892Nichola Farnum MALondon +44 (020) 8977 6699

THIS IS MY GIFT

Music & Lyrics by Don McLeod,

Copyright 2008

I’m a dreamer, of 3D pictures

I’m a traveler, of a different kind

I’m a builder, I’m a designer, I’m an actor

The stage is mine

This is my Gift

This is who I am

Finding my place, in this life

It ain’t always easy

But I’m not afraid

We’re all unique, in our own way…

This is my Gift

This is who I am

I hear the process, I see my thoughts

I view the feelings, in my Minds Eye

I’m a creator, I’m an investor, I’m an artist

The world is mine

This is my Gift

This is who I am

Finding my place, in this life

It ain’t always easy

But I’m not afraid

We’re all unique, in our own way

This is my Gift

This is who I am

There was a time I’d hide in shame

The system seemed to forget me

Now I see the system change

This is my Gift

This is who I am

Finding my place, in this life

It ain’t always easy

But I’m not afraid

We’re all unique, in our own way

This is my Gift

This is who I am

Finding my place, in this life

It ain’t always easy

But I’m not afraid

We’re all unique, in our own way

This is my Gift

This is who I am

Too Much AcademicFocus in First Grade:Depression inSeventhBy Laura Zink de Díaz, Davis Facilitator,

Bogotá, Colombia

When I ask parents what they’d liketheir child to get out of a Davis Dyslexia

Correction Program, nearly all of them

mention a desire that their child’s self-esteem

improve enough so that he will begin to feel

good about himself. Most of my young

clients began having trouble with schoolwork

as early as pre-school. Year after year of

interventions, therapies, bad grades, teasing

from peers, threats and perceived

disappointment on their parents’ faces, have

usually taken quite a toll, and we may be into

the third day of a five day program before

some of my clients realize that they’re being

successful, even brilliant! The change in

attitude about themselves and learning in

general, is usually enough to leave parents

and teachers very impressed and positive

about the child’s ability to go forward

successfully. This affirmative feeling rubs off

on the child. And everything at school and

home begins to gather positive momentum

and becomes a feedback loop building

towards success every day from that point on.

So I found it very interesting to discover

that a recent research project looked at the

progress of children from first to seventh

grade, to see if there was a relationship

between the children’s success or failure

early on, and their emotional state in seventh.

They discovered that there is indeed a link

between weak academic performance in the

first grade and depression and poor self-

image by middle school. I don’t find this

surprising.

…students in the first grade whostruggled academically with coresubjects, including reading andmath, later displayed negative

self-perceptions and symptoms ofdepression in sixth and seventh

grade, respectively. ”

“

PAGE 19THE DYSLEXIC READER

v United Kingdom (cont’d)

Jacqueline Ann FlisherHungerford Berks+44 (0) 8000 272657

Maureen FloridoHarleston, Norfolk+44 (0) 8000 272657

Carol ForsterGloucester+44 (1452) 331 573 Achsa GriffithsSandwich, Kent +44 (01304) 611 650Axel GudmundssonLondon +44 (020) 8341-7703

Tessa Halliwell Barrow upon Soar, Leics+44 (01509) 412 695

Shilpa PatelEaling, London+44 (0) 8000 272657

Karen HautzLondon+44 (0207) 228-2947

Annemette Hoegh-BanksBerkhamsted, Herts+44 1442 872185Catherine HooperCamborne+44 (01209) 717 754

Phyllida HowlettHaverfordwest,Pembrokeshire +44 (01437) 766 806Angela JamesReading, Berkshire+44 (0118) 947 6545Liz JollyFareham, Hants+44 (01329) 235 420Lisa KloossLondon +44 (0208) 960 9406Sara KramerCobham, Surrey +44 (1932) 863 440 Marilyn LaneRedhill +44 (0173) 776-9049Isabel MartinCrowborough East Sussex+44 (0) 8000 272657

Stuart ParsonsLowton/Warrington,Cheshire+44 (07754) 534 740

Shilpa PatelEaling, London+44 (0) 8000 272657

Fionna PilgrimKeighley, West Yorkshire +44 (0) 8000 272657

Maxine PiperCarterton, Oxon+44 (01993) 840 291

Elenica Nina PitoskaLondon +44 (020) 8451 4025

Rebecca RossLamberhurst, Kent +44 (0) 8000 272657

The study was carried out at the

University of Missouri-Columbia. Keith

Herman, Associate Professor of Education,

School and Counseling Psychology is quoted

in an article at ScienceDaily.com saying,

“We found that students in the first grade

who struggled academically with core

subjects, including reading and math, later

displayed negative self-perceptions and

symptoms of depression in sixth and seventh

grade, respectively. Often, children with

poor academic skills believe they have less

influence on important outcomes in their

life. Poor academic skills can influence

how children view themselves as students

and as social beings.”

The researchers did not look specifically

at students with learning challenges. They

studied 274 children in first

grade and followed up on

their behaviors and

performance in middle

school, discovering risk

factors for negative self-

beliefs and symptoms of

depression by sixth and

seventh grade. They also

discovered that these effects

were significantly stronger

in girls than in boys. To help

counteract this tendency,

Herman believes parents

and educators should take

pains to celebrate children’s achievements in

more than just the academics:

“One of the main ways children can get

others to like them in school is by being

good students. Children with poor academic

skills may believe that they have one less

method for influencing important social

outcomes, which could lead to negative

consequences later in life. Children’s

individual differences will always exist

in basic academic skills, so it is necessary

to explore and emphasize other assets in

students, especially those with lower

academic skill relative to their peers.

Along with reading and math, teachers

and parents should honor skills in other

areas, such as interpersonal skills,

non-core academic areas, athletics,

and music.”

I have a hard time not responding with a

deep sigh and a “Well, gee…” Why is it that

as a society we so often fail to consider

what’s right in front of us until somebody

validates it with a university study? And this

study does appear to validate what most

reasonable people have always known: that

although yes, we learn a great deal from our

mistakes and failures, being beaten over the

head with them, day after day, year after

year, while our talents in other areas are

consistently ignored as irrelevant, does not

always teach a child strength or persistence

in the face of adversity. Surely, some rebel

and gain strength after such treatment. But

I suspect those who do, gain that strength in

spite of their experience, not because of it,

and probably only because outside school

they have an understanding,

patient and encouraging

parent or other adult

influence, helping them

understand that they are

more than a test score,

greater than the sum of

all report cards.

I hope this study gets

disseminated widely. It’s

time to call a halt to the

Dickensian practices that

label children failures from

first grade on, simply

because they march to the

proverbial “different drum.” It’s not a case of

either we value academics or we don’t. It’s a

case of recognizing that our single-minded

focus on academics is not only unrealistic,

but damaging to children. If a society is

judged by how it treats its weakest members

– children and the aged – how are we to

judge one that creates depression in 12-year-

olds?

References:

University of Missouri-Columbia January 11, 2009

Recognizing Children’s Successes In All Areas

May Prevent Teenage Depression. ScienceDaily.

Retrieved January 12, 2009, from

http://www.sciencedaily.com/

releases/2009/01/090108111425.htm

Herman et al. Low academic competence

in first grade as a risk factor for depressive

cognitions and symptoms in middle school.

Journal of Counseling Psychology,

2008; 55 (3): 400 DOI: 10.1037/a0012654

But the more I read about Einstein the moreI found we had in common: poor memory,did badly at school, long periods ofunemployment....

So I was inspired to write a poem abouthim, which I have since read out in front of a crowd of a hundred people at Sheffield’s Words Aloud Poetry Night.(There is a recording of me reading it out on their website at http://wordsaloud.org.) It has also been read out by AnnieNightingale on Radio 1.

Now if someone had told me five yearsago I’d have a poem of mine read out onRadio 1, I’d have thought they were having alaugh. I currently work nights as a shelf fillerin a super market, but as I hope my poemmakes clear, I am capable of so much more! I want too prove to the world that dyslexicpeople have something to offer, that we arenot as stupid and lazy as people think weare. I think work like my poem can changepeoples’ attitudes about our condition. Afterall I am a bloke who stacks shelves butunderstands relativity! I often think I amliving the plot of the film “Good WillHunting.” I mean it’s quite funny when you think about it.

So here is the poem. I hope you enjoy it!Cheers, Rob.

PAGE 20 THE DYSLEXIC READER

v United Kingdom (cont’d)

Pauline RoylePoulton-le-Fylde, Lancs+44 (0) 8000 272657

Ian RichardsonBlaisdon Longhope, Glos+44 (0) 8000 272657

Rosemary SavinsonLondon +44 (0208) 316-1973

Janice ScholesLiversedge, West Yorkshire+44 (0) 8000 272657

Nigel SharpIsle of Wight +44 (0) 8000 272657

Judith ShawSupervisor-SpecialistSt. Leonards onSea/Hastings, East Sussex +44 (01424) 447 077

Elizabeth Shepherd Crowborough, East Sussex +44 (0189) 266-1052

Lynne SmithBrighton, East Sussex+44 (01273) 723 920

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

Frank WalkerGreasby Wirral/Liverpool+44 (0151) 678 14 99

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

The Learning PeopleMargarita WhiteheadDDA DirectorRichard WhiteheadDDA DirectorDLS Presenter-MentorFundamentals PresenterCanterbury, Kent+44 (01227) 738 972

Rachel WilliamsonHassocks, West Sussex+44 (0) 8000 272657

v United States

AlabamaLisa SprattHuntsville +1 (256) 426-4066

ArizonaDr. Edith FritzPhoenix+1 (602) 274-7738Nancy KressPhoenix+1 (480) 544-5031John MertzTucson+1 (520) 797-0201ArkansasRebecca LandesMulberry/Fort Smith +1 (479) 997-1996

By Rob Wheeldon

Hello. My name is Rob Wheeldon and I aman adult dyslexic. I didn’tfind out I was dyslexicuntil I was 27, and I amnow 36. As I am sure youare highly aware, mostdyslexics have a hard timeat school and I was no exception. In fact my own father often told me I “didn’t tryhard enough at school and was lazy.” And it didn’t help that my sister was a high flyer who came out with a Masters degreeand I left with nothing. I felt like a bigdisappointment to everyone.

I loved science and history at school andcouldn’t understand how I failed. Howeverwhen I found out I was dyslexic, I did a lotof soul searching. I went back intoeducation, with mixed results. I came outwith a Higher National Diploma instead of adegree, which feels like a consolation prize.

However I have tried looking on thepositive side. I read up about all the famousdyslexics. (I never knew there was so manyof them!) I became fascinated with AlbertEinstein most of all. Now, all my life I’vebeen told I was thick because I was dyslexic.

Never Underestimate the Bloke

Who Stacks the Shelves!

Relativity rap

All the fools think they are real clever With their Burberry hats and eyes to close togetherBut check Einstein he wrote the lineRelativity he found divineMass and energy is the same thingE=mc squared is da bling

E equals energy M equals massAnd the Mc sparks the time to passThe square root of two holds the whole thing togetherAnd the workings of this process are both elegant and clever

The equation describes the speed of light’s accretionAnd properties of mass to energy conversionFrom the well of gravity springs space/timeThe structure of which creates the world line

A curved prism light gave Newton insightThat the flow of quantum chromodynamics is the structural wave form which lights the planetsThe sun is a changeable force with a moving boundary which gives heat and light to you and meSpectral light emissions are part of the effect that curves space/time to a constant effect

PAGE 21THE DYSLEXIC READER

v United States/California (cont’d)

CaliforniaCyndi Cantillon-ColemanLadera Ranch/Irvine

+1 (949) 364-5606

Janet ConferRancho Santa Margarita+1 (949) 589-6394

Reading Research CouncilDyslexia Correction CenterRay DavisDavis Autism TrainerBurlingame/San Francisco+1 (800) 729-8990 (Toll-Free)

Anette FullerWalnut Creek+1 (925) 639-7846

Perola GoncalvesBerkeley+1 (510) 421-9272

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

David HirstRiverside+1 (951) 653-9251 or +1 (909) 241-6079

Suzanne Kisly-CoburnManhattan Beach+1 (310) 947-2662

Nicole MeltonDiamond Bar+1 (909) 861-5251

Cheryl RodriguesSan Jose+1 (408) 440-2280

David Carlos RosenSan Rafael+1 (415) 479-1700

Dee Weldon WhiteLexie White StrainSunnyvale+1 (650) 388-6808

ColoradoAnnie GarciaWheat Ridge / Denver+1 (303) 423-3397

Crystal PunchDLS MentorCentennial/Denver +1 (303) 850-0581

Kristi ThompsonDLS Presenter-MentorWalsh +1 (719) 324-9256

FloridaRandom (Randee)GarretsonLutz/Tampa/St. Petersburg+1 (813) 956-0502 Tina KirbyNavarre +1 (850) 218-5956Rita Von BonNavarre +1 (850) 934-1389

GeorgiaLesa HallPooler/Savannah+1 (912) 330-8577Martha PayneSuwanee+1 (404) 886-2720

Relativity rap

All the fools think they are real clever With their Burberry hats and eyes to close togetherBut check Einstein he wrote the lineRelativity he found divineMass and energy is the same thingE=mc squared is da bling

E equals energy M equals massAnd the Mc sparks the time to passThe square root of two holds the whole thing togetherAnd the workings of this process are both elegant and clever

The equation describes the speed of light’s accretionAnd properties of mass to energy conversionFrom the well of gravity springs space/timeThe structure of which creates the world line

A curved prism light gave Newton insightThat the flow of quantum chromodynamics is the structural wave form which lights the planetsThe sun is a changeable force with a moving boundary which gives heat and light to you and meSpectral light emissions are part of the effect that curves space/time to a constant effect

With energy the world resounds there’s are always motion where light is found E and mc squared gets it together and creates all kinds of cosmic weather Photons and electrons perform the trick that lets the clockwork universe tick It is not clockwork Newton’s bucket is wrong but try making that into a song

I understood Newtonian physics at school for every action an opposite I was no foolWell Dense energy equals mass they didn’t teach me that in class.Compressed energy is released in a dance a physical activity not left too chanceAll the sums must balance out and that’s what stars are all about

Nuclear fusion will cause no confusionIf you get over the simple delusion That every thing is in a fixed stateThat’s not how particles interrelate

A black hole it has no massProgress and motion towards its devotionNo light escapes this non-Euclidian potion Into what dimension does the energy emergeThe whole damn thing is truly absurd

Now please don't see this as a retraction Let me illustrate this action One two three all states emerge, mass and light and energyExtend from a singularity. Unleashed potential all around and that was how the light was found

The Lambda principle lets there be light who’s to say it’s not cosmologically right?A balanced creation of energy that creates everything mysteriouslyElectrons and photons Like to dance and will interact given half a chance

With its strange polarityThat exists on every scaleThe perfect geometry off this taleThe golden ratio that makes every thing goIt’s the strangest thing that we all know

Too all of us its quite clear the earths a sphereYou can not see the curve off the earth for its mighty girthThe curve of the line resting on the equatorIs the truth of the now in the past and the later?

Now it all seems quite neat these marvels of scienceThe globe travelling in relative motion and geodesic complianceBut the point of an arrow that curves on a dimeThis is the essence of circular time, gravity curves nature too a constant degree andeven time is a singularity

Come on now, and don't be morons just innovate your interneurons The Wheeler-DeWitt equation freezes time But is quantum gravity the key too undoing this mystery?The Tachyon maybe faster than the speed of light and into history it sets flightI hope this rhyme found the time to show you that physics is so sublime

By Rob WheeldonRob Wheeldon is an Adult dyslexic from Macclesfield England, home of the famous band Joy Division. He has written a number of other poems and articles on a variety of subjects. “I want to use my words too help other dyslexics find their voice which has been silent for too long”.

v United States/Georgia (cont’d)

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

HawaiiVickie Kozuki-Ah YouEwa Beach/Honolulu+1 (808) 664-9608

IdahoCarma SutherlandRexburg +1 (208) 356-3944

IllinoisKim AinisChicago +1 (312) 360-0805

Susan SmarjesseSpringfield+1 (217) 789-7323

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

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

Carol K. WilliamsJeffersonville+1 (651) 324-9156

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

MassachussettsKaren LoGiudiceAmesbury+1 (978) 337-7753

Carolyn TylerFairhaven+1 (508) 994-4577

MichiganNicki CatesSaint Clair Shores/Detroit+1 (586) 801-0772

Sandra McPhallGrandville/Grand Rapids+1 (616) 534-1385

Cinda Osterman, M. Ed.Charlotte+1 (517) 652-5156

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

Michele WellmanMt. Pleasant/Lansing+1 (989) 772-3084

MinnesotaCyndi DenesonSupervisor-Specialist Edina/Minneapolis+1 (888) 890-5380 (Toll-Free)+1 (952) 820-4673

MissouriCathy CookColumbia+1 (573) 819-6010 or 886-8917Gretchen FitzGeraldKansas City+1 (816) 806-8611

PAGE 22 THE DYSLEXIC READER

Sabina Mansutti “Aftergraduating in Psychology I was

looking for a specialization that

could be fulfilling and really help

people. Seven years ago I met a

young boy with dyslexia who told

me about how the Davis Method

helped him. I immediately felt that becoming a

Davis Facilitator was my future goal. I want this

method to provide new hope for those who haven’t

yet discovered their true potential.” Via Gorizia

25,Tricesimo-Udine, Italy 33019. +39 (349) 272

0307 sabinamansutti@yahoo.it

Monika Graf Im Lerchenrain 19,

70199 Stuttgart

Germany.

+49 (711) 538 00 33

mgraf-info@t-online.de

Maril Heijen “The GroeimeeCenter is a place where children

and adults can develop their skills.

The Davis Method offers strategies

for dyslexics that are in sync with

my vision on education: let people

learn in a safe and encouraging

environment so that they grow through their own,

intrinsic motivation.” Groeimee, Broekhuizenstraat

7, Landgraaf, 6374LH, Nederland.

+31 (634) 928 983 maril@groeimee.nl

Kim Balaskas “My own DavisProgramme changed my life. It

gave me the confidence to believe

that I can achieve all the goals and

aspirations I set for myself and

inspired me to train to help others.

Through this I have gained a much

deeper understanding of dyslexia and it’s potential

to advance learning and education. I feel that I

have finally found my true vocation and a career

that I am completely passionate about. Being

dyslexic myself, I have a lot of empathy for my

clients. I know what it is to be dyslexic in an

education system with no true understanding and

which offers no effective solutions. I want to help

others benefit from the Davis Method, discovering

the tools that will unlock their full potential and

allow them to achieve their goals.” 10 Winton

Hall, Westcliff Ave., Westcliff on Sea, Essex SS0

7QT, United Kingdom. +44 (0) 8000 272657

kim.balaskas@thelearningpeople.co.uk

Newly Licensed Davis FacilitatorsCongratulations to all the newest members of our growing

international community of Davis Program Providers!

Kalpita Patel “Currently I amworking in the Counseling Centre

of The Galaxy Education System

in Rajkot, India. I’m particularly

interested in visiting new places

and I am interested in growing by

looking inward. I enjoy reading,

painting, meditation and singing.” Rajkot,Gujarat,

India 360001. +91 (281) 244 2071

Kalpi70@gmail.com

Antonella Deriu “I have adegree in Educational Science and

am interesting in learning and

education. Three years ago my

delightful colleague, Stefania

Bruno, and I opened an educational

centre called ‘Officina degli

Apprendimenti.’ It’s located in Nuoro, a small city

in the beautiful island of Sardinia, in the middle of

the Mediterranean Sea. We work with many

students to improve their learning and school

performance with study and academic skills. Most

of our clients are dyslexic so we’re always looking

for new knowledge to help us do the best work we

can. This led us to the Davis Method. We read the

book and it gave us a clear understanding of what

dyslexia is. We decided to become facilitators to

make a difference in our country, helping dyslexic

students achieve their goals by using their gifts.”

Officina degli Apprendimenti, Viale Repubblica

166, Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy. 08100

+39 (320) 059 3296 deriu.ant@tiscali.it

Ines Grajales Pagán“Stepping Stones Learning

Disability Resource Center is in

the city of Caguas, Puerto Rico.

The Davis Dyslexia Correction

Program is one of the programs

offered at the center.” Stepping

Stones Learning Disability Resource Center,

Munoz Rivera 23 esq. Jimenez Sicardo,

Caguas, PR 00725. +1 (787) 743-0605

steppingstonepr@gmail.com

Gigja Baldursdottir “I work in a school forpeople over the age of 20. Many of the students

have dyslexia or other learning difficulties. My

background is in fine arts and I am also a certified

high school teacher.” Hringsja, Hatun 10D,

Reykjavik, Iceland. +354-562 2840

Gigjab@gmail.com

Cyndi Cantillon-Coleman Ladera ReadingSolutions for Dyslexia, 7 Creighton Place, Ladera

Ranch, CA 92694. +1 (949) 364-5606

Cyndicoleman@cox.net

PAGE 23THE DYSLEXIC READER

Montana

Kimberly BezansonMissoula +1 (406) 541-3076 or 677-4014

Elsie JohnsonManhatten +1 (406) 282-7416

NebraskaShawn CarlsonLincoln +1 (402) 420-1025

Elaine ThoendelChambers+1 (402) 482-5709

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

New HampshireGlenna GiveansLebanon+ 1 (603) 863-7877

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

New JerseyLynn ChigounisMontclair +1 (973) 746-5037

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

New YorkLisa AndersonSeneca Falls +1 (315)568-3166 or (800) 234-6922

Wendy RitchieHilton/Rochester+1 (585) 233-4364

North CarolinaGerri W. CoxDLS Presenter-MentorShallotte/Wilmington+1 (910) 754-9559

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

Jean MoserWinston-Salem+1 (336) 830-2390

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

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

OklahomaAshley GriceTulsa +1 (918) 779-7351

Rhonda LacyClinton +1 (580) 323-7323

Paula Roberts Tulsa+1 (903) 570-3427

Linda WrightMarlow+1 (580) 641-1056

I read The Gift of Dyslexia. It was so enlightening

that I made a decision to train as a Davis

Facilitator. I’m the first Davis Facilitator in the

college and hope to use Davis on a regular basis to

help students. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity

to combine my teaching skills and the Davis

training to deliver programmes. In the future, I

hope to start my own venture”. The Learning

People, 64 Milgrave Road, Ealing, London, UK,

W5 1LE, +44 (0) 8000 272657,

shilpa.patel@thelearningpeople.co.uk

Theano PanagiotopoulouLeof. Vas. Sophias 119

Athens 11521, Greece

+30 211-1195350

theanop@dyslexiagift.gr

Cinda Osterman, M.Ed.“I discovered The Gift of Dyslexia

while working on a research project

in special education. Not knowing

much about dyslexia, I choose it for

my research subject. I was intrigued

with the concepts in the book, but

never considered using them in class. After

teaching all grades in a one-room classroom, I

opened a tutoring service specializing in English,

reading, spelling, and math for 3-D thinkers.

I worked with students and adults who struggled

with reading. I could help many, but there were

some I couldn’t help no matter what I tried.

Then I recalled The Gift of Dyslexia and looked

for training. Today, I have the best jobs: a tutoring

service, Training Gifted Minds, for so-called right-

brain thinkers; I work with English language

learners from a private school and train teachers in

multiage education, reading and math techniques

for picture thinkers; and now, as a Davis

Facilitator, I have the tools I need to help all my

students succeed. I am so thankful for Ronald

Davis, and his desire to help children.” Training

Gifted Minds, PO Box 103, Charlotte, MI 48813,

+1 (517) 652-5156 (cell), +1 (517) 541-0774 (home),

cinda_o@hotmail.com

Edward E. Owen “My passionto become a Davis Facilitator

developed at the age of 8, after I

had completed my own program at

the Reading Research Council in

Burlingame, California. I am

honored and pleased to now be

qualified to share with others that which has had

such a significant impact on my life. A very

special thanks to all who have helped me achieve

this lifelong goal.” Assistant Director, Accelerated

Comprehension Center, Dallas/Ft. Worth,

accedwardowen@gmail.com,

+1 (817) 919-6200, +1 (888) 329-1134,

accedwardowen@gmail.com

Veronica Bayly “I always believed that thingshappened for a reason. But when my son was

diagnosed with dyslexia I could not find any

positive or good thing about it. All I could think

of was the difficult road that lay ahead of him until

one day I found the book, The Gift of Dyslexia.

I bought it in spite of its title. With all of its

difficulties, how could dyslexia be a gift? As I read

the book I began to understand and soon it all

made sense. I enrolled my son in a Davis Dyslexia

Correction Program, and inquired about training to

become a Davis Facilitator. Now, two years later,

my son is a happy, confident young man, blessed

with the gift of vision. I am privilieged to be part

of this wonderful way of learning. Thank you,

Ron Davis, and all the specialists for sharing your

knowledge and insight.” 7 Monastery Drive,

Dublin 22, Ireland. +353 (87) 622 6354

baywyn@gmail.com

Mary Verspaget “I am fromHolland and my children are

dyslexic. They were my drive to

become a Davis Facilitator. I have

seen with my own eyes what Davis

Dyslexia Correction has brought

my children. But I also realize what

it can offer all the other children who need help,

not just with academic problems, but also with the

emotional issues related to their dyslexic learning

style. I hope to help them grow to respect

themselves and take responsibility for their own

lives.” Beeldin, Lyzyde 26, Almere 1316

VH, Nederland. +31 (653) 797 197

mary@beeldin.nl

Adaleen Makin “I’m marriedwith two grown children and three

granddaughters. It has been a joy to

touch the lives of children in my

twenty-five plus years of teaching.

Several years ago I had an

opportunity to participate in a

Davis Learning Strategies workshop. When I

witnessed the success of my students using these

strategies, my desire to become a Davis Facilitator

was born, and helping dyslexic children became

my passion. Davis has not only given me the gift

of guiding others to success but it has given me

a deeper understanding of my inner self. I’m

anxious to begin my journey!” Comprehension

Plus, 5509 Lynn Street, Greenville, TX 75402,

+1 (903) 268-1394,

Comprehensionplus@gmail.com

Shilpa Patel “My original background is inMathematics, Computing and Statistics. I retrained

to teach English as a Second Language (ESOL)

and am currently working in a Further Education

College (State). My journey with Davis started

when I found out that my youngest son is dyslexic.

Gabriela Scholter has been alicensed Davis Facilitator inStuttgart, Germany since August of1999 and has been a DavisSupervisor-Specialist sinceNovember 2002. Walter Flex Str. 48B, 70619Stuttgart, Germany. +49 (0711) 578 28 33gscholter@web.de

New Davis Autism Approach Facilitator-CoachesCongratulations to Gale Long and Gabriela Scholter,

who have recently achieved the status of Davis Autism Approach Facilitator and Coach.

PAGE 24 THE DYSLEXIC READER

OregonRhonda ErstromVale +1 (541) 881-7817

Kathy PozziOntario +1 (541) 881 6497

Melissa SlominskiTigard /Portland+1 (503) 957-2998

PennsylvaniaMaude Le RouxGlen Mills+1 (484) 840-1529Marcia MaustBerlin/Pittsburgh+1 (814) 267-5765

Puerto RicoInes Grajales PaganCaguas +1 (787) 743-0605

Rhode Island

Linda M. DanielsProvidence+1 (401) 301-7604

South Carolina

Angela KeiferGreenville+1 (864) 420-1627

South DakotaKim CarsonDLS Presenter-MentorBrookings/Sioux Falls +1 (605) 692-1785

Lillian “Lee” MilesSioux Falls+1 (605) 274-2294

TennesseeJackie BlackDover1-866-218-1614 (Toll-Free)

TexasKellie Antrim-BrownFt. Worth+1 (817) 989-0783

Janalee BealsBedford/Dallas/Ft. Worth+1 (817) 354-2896

Success Learning CenterRhonda ClemonsDLS Presenter-MentorColleen MillslagleDLS Presenter-MentorTyler/Dallas+1 (866) 531-2446 (Toll Free)+1 (903) 531-2446

Shari ChuHelotes /San Antonio +1 (210) 414-0116

Jodie HarberCedar Park/Austin+1 (512) 918-9247

Lori JohnsonBoerne/San Antonio+1 (210) 843-8161

Casey Linwick-RouzerSugar Land/Houston+1 (832) 724-0492Frances Adaleen MakinGreenville/DFW +1 (903) 268-1394

Leslie McLeanAmarillo+1 (806) 331-4099 or +1 (877) 331-4099 (Toll Free)

The Davis Facilitator TrainingProgram requires approximately 400hours of course work.

The Davis Specialist TrainingProgram requires extensive experienceproviding Davis programs and anadditional 260 hours of training.Specialists and Facilitators are subject toannual re-licensing based upon casereview and adherence to the DDAIStandards of Practice.

Davis Training Programs

Davis Learning Strategies Mentorsand Workshop Presenters areexperienced teachers and trainers with 2-3 years of specialized training andexperience mentoring classroomteachers of children 5-9 years of age.

For information about training and afull directory of Davis providers, go to:www.dyslexia.com/providers.htm

or call +1 (650) 692-7141 or +1-888-805-7216 toll-free in the USA.

Gale Long has been a licensedDavis Facilitator since May of2000 in Elkview, West Virginia.New Horizons Dyslexia andAutism Center, 223 N. Pinch Road,Elkview, West Virginia 25071. +1 (888) 517-7830dyslexiawv@aol.com

PAGE 25THE DYSLEXIC READER

v United States/Texas (cont’d)

Accelerated Comprehension CenterDorothy OwenSupervisor SpecialistEdward E. OwenDallas/Ft. Worth+1 (888) 329-1134 (Toll Free)+1 (817) 919-6200Laura WarrenDLS Mentor-PresenterLubbock +1 (806) 790-7292

VirginiaDonna KouriMontpelier/Richmond+1 (804) 883-8867Angela OdomDLS Presenter-MentorMidlothian/Richmond+1 (804) 833-8858Jamie Worley Yorktown/Williamsburg +1 (757) 867-1164

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

Nancy SittonMarysville +1 (360) 651-1241

Renie Royce SmithSpokane & Everett+1-800-371-6028 (Toll-Free)+1 (509) 443-1737

Ruth Ann YoungbergBellingham+1 (360) 752-5723West VirginiaGale LongAutism Facilitator-CoachElkview/Charleston+1 (888) 517-7830 (Toll Free)+1 (304) 965-7400

WisconsinNew Hope Learning

Centers, Inc.Darlene BishopMargaret Hayes Milwaukee+1 (888) 890-5380 (Toll Free)+1 (262) 255-3900Anne MataczynskiWausau +1 (715) 551-7144

v UruguayMarcela PiffarettiMontevideo+598 (02) 600-6326

v

This Directory is current as ofFebruary 1, 2009. It is subject to

change. Between newsletterissues, new Facilitators are

added, and occasionally, somebecome inactive. However, the Davis Providers list at

www.dyslexia.comis always up to date.

Based on the Davis DyslexiaCorrection methods, this Kit enables parents of children, ages 5-7, to home-teach and help younglearners 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 learningproblem

• improve sight word recognition andcomprehension

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

Young Learner Kitfor Home-Use

The Kit includes:

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

• 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 children with the self-directed ability to be physically and mentally focused on thelearning task at hand.

Davis Symbol Mastery enables children tomaster 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 8 and up), werecommend the Davis Symbol Mastery Kit.

The Young Learner Kit

PAGE 26 THE DYSLEXIC READER

Teachers, 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?

• Use research-based 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 equips

young 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.

Materials include:• Detailed Manual with suggested year-long guides, black-line

masters, and numerous tips for each implementing each

Strategy in various curriculum activities.

• Videotape or DVD demonstrating each classroom Strategy.

• Teacher Kit: alphabet strip, letter recognition cards, clay,

cutter, dictionary and two Koosh® balls. (Classroom

materials sold separately)

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 State

University. Cost is $54 per unit, plus $35 administrative fee.

A written assignment, which can be completed before and

during 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

“In the forefront of what I liked most was how easily theDavis strategies fit into many areas of Kindergartencurriculum. It relieved me of a paper-pencil approach andgave me a hands-on, kinesthetic approach. It helpeddevelop the little finger muscles to move on tocoordinate paper-pencil activities. Creating the alphabetover time also accomplished the development ofownership, responsibility, and a sense a pride in all thechildren. I believe all Kindergarten children would benefitfrom Davis Learning Strategies.”

–LB, Kindergarten Teacher, Mission San Jose Elementary School, Fremont, California

2009 DATES & LOCATIONS

Date Location Telephone

Nederland

March 20-21 2009 Barchem +31 046-437 4907

April 3-4 2009 Vught +31 046-437 4907

June 5-6 2009 Amsterdam +31 046-437 4907

United States

Aug. 4-5 2009 Brookings, SD +1 (605) 692-1785

Aug. 6-7 2009 Denver, CO +1 (719) 324-9256

Aug 7-8 2009 Lubbock, TX +1 (806) 790-7292

Oct. 1-2 2009 Tyler, TX +1 (866) 531-2446

For more details, visit www.davislearn.com

PAGE 27THE DYSLEXIC READER

The Gift of Dyslexia WorkshopFundamentals of Davis Dyslexia Correction®

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

DAY ONE

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

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

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

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

France11 - 14 June 2009: ParisPresenter: Ioannis TzivanakisLanguage: English with French translationEmail: info@dyslexia.deTelephone: +49 (040) 25 17 86 22

Germany31 April - 3 May 2009: FreiburgPresenter: Ioannis TzivanakisLanguage: German/English translationEmail: info@dyslexia.deTelephone: +49 (040) 25 17 86 22

29 Oct -1 Nov 2009: HamburgPresenter: Ioannis TzivanakisLanguage: German/English translationEmail: info@dyslexia.deTelephone: +49 (040) 25 17 86 22

Mexico25 - 28 March 2009: GuadalajaraPresenter: Cathy CalderónLanguage: Spanish Email:davislatam@gmail.comTelephone: (52)(81)8335 9435 01800 830 3881

United Kingdom6 - 9 March 2009: Ponteland, Nr.Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Northumberland Presenter: Richard WhiteheadLanguage: EnglishEmail: uk@dyslexia.comTelephone: +44 (0)1227 732288

United States25 - 28 March 2009: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TXPresenter: Gerry GrantLanguage: EnglishEmail: training@dyslexia.comTelephone: Toll Free: +1 (888) 392-1134

27 - 30 June 2009: Burlingame, CAPresenter: Gerry GrantLanguage: EnglishEmail: training@dyslexia.comTelephone: +1 (888) 392-1134

22 - 25 July 2009: Washington, D.C.Presenter: Gerry GrantLanguage: EnglishEmail: training@dyslexia.comTelephone: +1 (888) 392-1134

12 - 15 Sept 2009: Dallas/Ft. Worth, TXPresenter: Gerry GrantLanguage: EnglishEmail: training@dyslexia.comTelephone: +1 (888) 392-1134

Materials included with workshop

2009 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Continued on page 22

TheDys•lex •́ic Read •́er1601 Old Bayshore Highway, Suite 260

Burlingame, CA 94010

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDBURLINGAME, CAPERMIT NO.14

~

DDAI-Int’l, Canada & USA1601 Bayshore Highway, Ste 260Burlingame, CA 94010Tel: 1-888-805-7216 Fax: 1 (650) 692-7075E-mail: ddai@dyslexia.com

DDA-Israel20 Ha’shahafim St.Ra’anana 43724 ISRAELTel: 972 (0523) 693 384 or (0)9 774 7979Fax: 972 (09) 772-9889E-mail: Israel@dyslexia.com

DDA-DACHDeutschland-Austria-SwitzerlandWandsbecker Chausee 132D-22089 Hamburg GERMANYTel: 49 (040) 25 17 86 22 Fax: 49 (040) 25 17 86 24E-mail: germany@dyslexia.comSWITZERLANDTel: 41 (061) 273 81 85E-MAIL: ch@dyslexia.com

DDA- Latin AmericaCalzada del Valle #400 Local 8Colonia del ValleGarza García, Monterrey Nuevo LeónMÉXICO, CP 66220Tel: 52 (81) 8335-9435Email: spanish@dyslexia.com

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

DDA-UKDavis Learning FoundationPO Box 972CanterburyKent CT1 9DNTel: +44 (0)1227 732 288Fax: +44 (0)1227 731 756E-mail: uk@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:• Reading Specialists & Tutors• Parents & Homeschoolers• Resource Specialists• Educational Therapists• Occupational Therapists• Speech/Language Therapists

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 27 for more workshop details.

Enrollment limited ❖ Classes fill Early ❖ 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.

The Gift of Dyslexia Workshop

6 - 9 Mar Ponteland, Nr. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne UK

25 - 28 Mar Guadalajara Mexico

25 – 28 Mar Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX USA

31 Apr – 3 May Freiburg Germany

11 - 14 June Paris France

27 – 30 June Burlingame, CA USA

22 – 25 July Washington, D.C. USA

12 – 15 Sept Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX USA

29 Oct – 1 Nov Hamburg Germany

2009 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• $925 per person• $875 early bird discount and group rates• Advance registration and $200 deposit required• Includes manual, one-year DDAI membership,

verification of attendance, and Symbol Mastery Kit

• Academic units and CEUs available

Questions?Call Dorothy Owen Davis Training Consultant:

Toll Free: 1-888-392-1134Email: answers@davistraining.org

U.S.A. Workshop Information: