Vol. 20 Davis Dyslexia Association International Issue 1 • 2000

Dys lex ic Read er• •́ •́~The

by Patricia Hodge

Proficient reading is an essentialtool for learning a large part ofthe subject matter taught at

school. With an ever increasingemphasis on education and literacy,more and more children and adultsare needing help in learning to read,spell, express their thoughts on paperand acquire adequate use of grammar.

A dyslexic child who finds theacquisition of these literacy skillsdifficult can also suffer anguish andtrauma, particularly when they maybe mentally abused within the schoolenvironment because they have alearning difficulty. Much can be done

to alleviate this by integrating thechild into the class environment(which is predominantly a learningenvironment) where he/she can feelcomfortable and develop confidenceand self esteem.

Class teachers may be particularlyconfused by the student whoseconsistent underachievement seemsdue to what may look likecarelessness or lack of effort.

These children can be made to feelvery different from their peers simplybecause they may be unable to followsimple instructions, which for othersseem easy. It is a class teacher’sresponsibility to provide anatmosphere conducive to learning forALL pupils within their class.

June Location Presenters1 - 4 Basel, Switzerland Sharon Pfeiffer

and Bonny Beuret9-12 Hamburg, Germany Sharon Pfeiffer and

Sonja Heinrich19 - 22 Richmond, Virginia Elizabeth Davis26 - 29 Des Moines, Iowa Mary Kay Frasier26 - 29 Burlingame, California Sharon Pfeiffer

July11 - 14 July Bedford, Texas Sharon Pfeiffer

August1 - 4 Bellingham, Washington Marlene Easley

November18 - 21 Basel, Switerzland Bonnie Beuret

Call 1-888-805-7216 toll-free or email training@dyslexia.com for abrochure, costs and further details. u

Davis Learning StrategiesTeacher Workshops - Year 2000 Schedule

A Dyslexic Child Within the Class– a guide for teachers and parents

Continued on page 3

News & Feature Articles:A Dyslexic Child Within the Class . . . . . . .1Year 2000 Teacher Workshop Schedule . .1Can You Hear Your Child’s Cry? . . . . . . . .2My Reading Buddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Success Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5News from Dyslexia, the Gift Website . . . .7My Boss is About to Guess . . . . . . . . . . .10Grate? Graet? Great News . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Regular Features:Alex PDQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 & 5Newly Licensed Facilitators . . . . . . . . . . . .8Davis Providers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

In This Issue

Anthony Balinton with DorothyOwen at the Reading ResearchCouncil, on his graduation day.

(see story page 10)

PAGE 2 THE DYSLEXIC READER

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

The opinions and views expressed in articles and letters are not necessarily those of DDAI. Davis Dyslexia Correction®, Davis SymbolMastery® , Davis Orientation Counseling® are registered trademarks of Ronald D. Davis. Copyright © 2000 by DDAI, unless otherwisenoted. All rights reserved.

Don’t miss Alex’s latest adventures each week at:http://www.dyslexia.com/alexpdq/

ALEX PDQCan You Hear YourChild's Cry?

The house is so quietthe time draws nearSoon he'll be hometo shed some more tears

He comes home from schoolwith tears in his eyesYou ask him what's wrongHe continues to cry

He gets out his bookand opens the pageThe look on his face turns to sorrow and rage

He says, "This is too hard"."I'm stupid, I know.""the other kids can do it""But, I'm just too slow"

The teacher tells me that I just don't careShe says "if you’re not going to try,then why are you here"?

Then the call comesThe school’s on the lineYour son has a problemHe's falling behind

You go to the schoolThey say "He can't stay on task"This class is too hardYou must send him back

Back he goesone more gradeThis isn't helping a mistake has been made

When he's finally testedthe fact becomes knownThe child is DyslexicHe's not just slow

So if your child has a problemand you don't know whyI'm asking you nowCan you hear your child's cry?

- Bonnie SeiserWest Fork, AR

Created by: Adrienne Kleid, 10 yrs. old.

Adrienne attended a Davis DyslexiaCorrection Program in the Spring of1999. Since then, she has mastered112 words and has completed 2 yearsprogress in reading in 1 year.

Adrienne’s collage is now framed in theReading Research Council for display.

PAGE 3THE DYSLEXIC READER

Class teachers need to have anunderstanding of the problems thatthe dyslexic child may have withinthe classroom situation. Hopefully,with this knowledge, a great deal ofmisunderstanding of a child’sbehavior can be prevented. In apositive and encouragingenvironment, a dyslexic child willexperience the feeling of success andself-value.

Of particular importance is anunderstanding of the problems thatpoor auditory short term memory cancause, in terms of retaining inputfrom the teacher.

Examples of poor auditory shortterm memory can be a difficulty inremembering the sounds in spokenwords long enough to match these, insequence, with letters for spelling.Often children with poor auditoryshort term memory cannot remembereven a short list of instructions. u

Patricia Lynn Hodge lives in Oman,and is a teacher and parent of a dyslexicchild, who holds a Diploma in teaching‘Specific Learning Difficulties/Dyslexia'using traditional methods. She iscurrently studying to become a DavisFacilitator through DDA-France. Pat hasbrought Davis methods to her localschool system, where she has workedwith several students, and continues towork with other teachers to assess herstudents and document the rates ofprogress with Davis methods.

In The Classcontinued from page 1

In the class:

· Of value to all children in the class is an outline of whatis going to be taught in the lesson, ending the lessonwith a resume of what has been taught. In this wayinformation is more likely to go from short termmemory to long term memory.

· When homework is set, it is important to check that thechild correctly writes down exactly what is required.Try to ensure that the appropriate worksheets andbooks are with the child to take home.

· In the front of the pupils’ homework book get them towrite down the telephone numbers of a couple offriends. Then, if there is any doubt over homework,they can ring up and check, rather than worry or spendtime doing the wrong work.

· Make sure that messages and day to day classroomactivities are written down, and never sent verbally. i.e.music, P. E. swimming etc.

· Make a daily check list for the pupil to refer to eachevening. Encourage a daily routine to help develop thechild’s own self-reliance and responsibilities.

· Encourage good organizational skills by the use offolders and dividers to keep work easily accessible andin an orderly fashion.

· Break tasks down into small easily remembered piecesof information.

· If visual memory is poor, copying must be kept to aminimum. Notes or handouts are far more useful.

· Seat the child fairly near the class teacher so that theteacher is available to help if necessary, or he can besupported by a well-motivated and sympatheticclassmate.

Copying from the blackboard:

· Use different color chalks for each line if there is a lotof written information on the board, or underline everysecond line with a different colored chalk.

· Ensure that the writing is well spaced.

· Leave the writing on the blackboard long enough toensure the child doesn’t rush, or that the work is noterased from the board before the child has finishedcopying.

Reading:

· A structured reading scheme that involves repetition andintroduces new words slowly is extremely important.This allows the child to develop confidence and selfesteem when reading.

· Don’t ask pupils to read a book at a level beyond theircurrent skills, this will instantly demotivate them.Motivation is far better when demands are not toohigh, and the child can actually enjoy the book. If hehas to labor over every word he will forget themeaning of what he is reading.

· Save the dyslexic child the ordeal of having to ‘readaloud in class’. Reserve this for a quiet time with theclass teacher. Alternatively, perhaps give the childadvanced time to read pre-selected reading material, tobe practiced at home the day before. This will helpensure that the child is seen to be able to read out loud,along with other children

· Real books should also be available for paired readingwith an adult, which will often generate enthusiasm forbooks. Story tapes can be of great benefit for theenjoyment and enhancement of vocabulary. No childshould be denied the pleasure of gaining access to themeaning of print even if he cannot decode it fully.

· Remember reading should be fun.

The following items should provide useful guidelines for teachers and parents to follow and support:

Continued on page 6

PAGE 4 THE DYSLEXIC READER

We worry aboutwhat a child will betomorrow, yet we forget that he or she issomeone today.

- Stacia Tausher

After attending the Fundamentalsof Davis Dyslexia CorrectionWorkshop in April 1999 in NewJersey, I have been very interested inhow our mind works in order tolearn language and how we learn toread. I came across the bookThinking in Pictures in our publiclibrary and found it helpful in betterunderstanding the important conceptof children with dyslexia thinking inpictures rather than words. It alsohelped me to see again, the realimportance of Ron’s idea of makingthe clay models representing wordsby using Symbol MasteryProcedures.

Grandin states that she thinks inpictures and that words are like asecond language to her. Shetranslates both spoken and writtenwords into full-color movies,complete with sound, which run likea VCR tape in her head. In hersection on “Processing NonvisualInformation”, Grandin explains that“autistics have problems learningthings that cannot be thought aboutin pictures. The easiest words for anautistic child to learn are nouns,because they directly relate topictures.” (p.29) “Spatial words suchas ‘over’ and ‘under’ had nomeaning for me until I had a visualimage to fix them in my memory.”

This goes along with understandingthe difficulty in mastering some ofthe key trigger words fordisorientation and the importance ofSymbol Mastery.

Grandin refers to others withautism and includes many referencesand excellent resources for learningmore about autism. I would highlyrecommend this book for all that areinterested in helping others learnhow to read. u

Mary R. Johnson has a Master ofArts in Special Education and is ateacher of children with visualimpairments in Fairfax CountyPublic Schools, Virginia.

BOOK REVIEWby Mary R. Johnson

“Thinking in Pictures and Other Reports from My life with Autism”By Temple Grandin, Doubleday, 1995.

Every day after recess it’stime for reading buddies.This is when my class goes

and reads for 40 minutes withyounger kids. I walk to a differentclassroom with about 8 otherclassmates. We have differentreading buddies. They are autistic.

Now it’s hard to label themsimply ‘autistic’ because they are alldifferent. I slowly walk down thehall with my buddy. I am holdingher hand, guiding her to the rightclass as she looks up at the ceiling,down at the floor, and side to side.As I’m doing this I look at the otherkids. Some of them are just like mybuddy. Some of the kids walk faster,slower, louder, softer. Some are moreaffectionate and alert, some less.

We come to the classroom. Westart by her reading the title of thebook. Then we read. She has hergood days when she is attentive and

reads well, and her bad days whenyou have to keep repeating the samecommands: “Hands down, look atthe book.” But then I smile to showher not to be afraid or shy away. Shehas body movements: shaking herhands, scratching her back, etc.Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s alearning experience.

I have the teachers of this class tohelp me but I don’t know if theynotice the small things I do, likeChris’ high-functioning autism, orAnthony’s hyperlexic autism. Sadlynot many know much about thismental oddity. Many label it simpleretardation but I see it as a gift. Likeso many are. u

Elise Bergerson is a 6thgrade student in Pacifica,California. She hopes tobecome a clinicalpsychologist and children’sauthor when she grows up.

My Reading BuddyBy Elise Bergerson

It’s not that I’mso smart, it’s just that Istay with problemslonger.

- Albert Einstein

Things should bemade as simple aspossible, but not anysimpler.

- Albert Einstein

PAGE 5THE DYSLEXIC READER

This book is simple, no-nonsense guide to a variety oftreatments for Attention Deficitproblems that do not involveprescription drugs. Because ofits compact size and meticulousfootnotes, it is useful as a quickreference as well as providing astrong argument against quick‘diagnosis’ and drug therapy forchildren exhibiting behavior andattention focus problems.

Author Mary Ann Block is aparent of a child who sufferedgreatly due to an ever-changingregimen of drug therapy forurinary tract problems. Herpersonal experiences led her tobecome skeptical of the medicalprofession, and to pursue adegree as a doctor ofOsteopathy. An interestingsubtext to this book is theauthor’s personal account of howcircumstances forced her to

overcome her own bias againstosteopathic medicine.

The book provides a detailedoverview of the kinds ofmedications commonlyprescribed for ADD/ADHD,including side-effects and thereasons these drugs may beprescribed. It also exploresseveral other common conditionsthat give rise to ADD- likesymptoms, including low bloodsugar (hypoglycemia), foodsensitivities, vitamindeficiencies, and learningdifferences.

The book is particularlyhelpful because it explains whyphysicians may fail to consideror diagnose easily-rectifiedproblems like food reactions, andlists corresponding symptoms ina way that will allow parents totake their own initiative in

exploring these difficulties. Theauthor explains the differencebetween a food allergy andsensitivity, and how to properlyevaluate food sensitivitiesthrough elimination diets.

I would highly recommendthis book to anyone looking tohelp a child with possibleADD/ADHD, and I consider it tobe a ‘must-read’ for any parentconsidering Ritalin or othermedications. The authorpresents some very alarmingfacts about these drugs, allbacked up by published researchin reputable journals.

Fortunately, the book alsopresents several practical andoften highly effectivealternatives to explore beforeresorting to psycho-activemedication. u

By J.B. Suhr

My son had terribleproblems in school. Asa single mom I spent a

lot of money getting him testedand for special tutoring. I knewhe was brilliant, but the teacherscalled him lazy and stupid. Iwas told by one principal that Iwas overprotective.

He hated to go to school andbecame physically ill when testtime came around. I took manyclasses myself and did researchinto brain studies so I could

work with him at home. Heused to tell me he wished theteachers treated he and hisfriends that way.

One week a teacher called mein and said that David had hisheart set on being in specialforces in the military and that heset his goals too high. He said Ineeded to get him more realistic.After I peeled him off the wall, Iinformed the teacher that I betternever hear of him telling thesevery special human beings tolower their standards.

We moved to New Jerseyshortly after and I found

Charlotte Foster who spent aweek with David using theDavis program. He improvedsignificantly. The rest is historyas they say.

Long story short, my son isnow a team leader in the specialforces for the Marines and isstudying to be a medic. He justinformed me he plans to finishcollege and perhaps become anorthopedic surgeon.

He still wants me to start afoundation to help kids like himand some day I plan to do justthat. u

BOOK REVIEWby Abigail Marshal

“No More Ritalin: Treating ADHD Without Drugs”By Dr. Mary Ann Block, 1996.

Success Story

Lydia Rogowski is a trainednurse and mid-wife who alsopractices as a Touch and Reikitherapist. She decided tobecome a Facilitator in 1997after finding her own dyslexicproblems were greatly helpedby going through a Davis

program. Reeboklaan 32, 5704 DT Helmond,Holland. +31 (0492) 51 31 69.Rysiek@iaehv.nl

Käthi Kamm has a dyslexic son who hasmade great progress after doing a Davisprogram. After 20 years of being aVeterinarian, Kathi has decided to changeprofessions and become a Davis programprovider. She plans on opening her ownpractice in Urdorf near Zürich located in thevalley where she grew up. Niederweg 8,8907 Wettswil a/A, Switzerland. +41 (01) 700 16 33.

Consuelo Lang is a Primaryschool teacher and mother oftwo children, with vastexperience as a voluntaryworker in education andsocial services. She and herpartner have opened a centerin the Swiss-Italian region,

Ticino, where no similar service is available.Centro per la Dislessia, via Bellinzona, CH-6533 Lumino, Switzerland. +41 (091) 8290536. dislessia@freesurf.ch

Vicky Brignoli is of Dutchorigin but is now living in theItalian part of Switzerland.She and Consuelo Lang haveopened a center in the Swiss-Italian region. She is anAnalyst and mother of twoand is currently active in

regional social work. Centro per la Dislessia,via Bellinzona, CH-6533 Lumino,Switzerland. +41 (091) 829 0536.dislessia@freesurf.ch

Nic Carter has a degree inSpecial Needs andNaturopathy. He has workedwith disabled and autisticchildren for the past fouryears. Nic is the clinical headof Syntonics Institute in Baseland his enthusiasm towards

the Davis Methods grows continually. He isthe father of two boys and has his ownpractice where he treats children and adultswith the principles of anthroposophicmedicine. Syntonics Institute, Freie Strasse81, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland. +41 (061) 272 24 00.

Yvette Wyer is a special needs teacheraffiliated with several schools in the canton ofValais. Blattenstrasse 9, CH-3904 Naters,Switzerland. +41 (027) 923 70 77.wyer.m@rhone.ch

Erika Kühni is a Secondaryschool teacher. After furtherstudies in psychology andtherapeutic pedagogy she hasbeen working with childrenand juveniles, suffering fromlanguage problems for manyyears. Bienenstr. 43, CH-4104

Oberwil, Switzerland +41 (061) 401 28 75.

Monique Ubachs has 18years of experience teachingFrench and English. She iscurrently on sabbatical fromteaching to establish herprivate practice offering theDavis Progam and theOjemann Picture-Thinking

assessment methods. Marspoortstraat 4, NL-7201 JB Zutphen, Nederland. +31 (0575) 54 16 25. ubachs@tebenet.nl

Hector Linares Flores is originally from ElSalvador where he graduated from theUniversidad Francisco Gavidia and earned hisdegree in Psychology in 1998. For the pastfour years he has worked as a teacher at theColegio Maya de El Salvador. La Puerta delas Letras, Privada Fuentes #110, ColoniaSanta Engracia, Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon,Mexico. +52 (08) 335 94 35.mexico@dyslexia.com

Karla Tapia has been working at La Puertade las Letras in Monterrey, Mexico since1997. She graduated from the University ofMonterrey where she earned a degree inPsychology. Karla plans to continue workingat “La Puerta” as a Facilitator. PrivadaFuentes #110, Colonia Santa Engracia, GarzaGarcia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. +52 (08) 335 94 35. mexico@dyslexia.com

Maya Merkli has 20 yearsexperience as a kindergartenteacher. In her years ofteaching she has come acrossmany children with severedifficulties in school. A yearago she noticed the progress achild of a friend made after

attending a Davis Program and became veryinterested in the Davis Methods. Maya plansto work as a Facilitator in the Canton ofZurich either on her own or in a small teamwith other Facilitators. Gottlieb Binderstr. 17,CH-8802 Kilchberg, Switzerland. +41 (01)715 25 39. bmerkli@bluewin.ch

Vreny Schällibaum is a teacher and also adyslexia therapist. She works in associationwith schools in the canton of St. Gallen.Bleikenstr. 20, CH-9630 Wattwil,Switzerland. +41 (071) 988 3025.

Brigitte Zimmermann is akindergarten teacher, amember of the local schoolinspectorate, and mother of adyslexic child. She plans towork intensively withdyslexics and also introducethe Davis methods to the

schools in her community. Auf der Hürnen69, 8706 CH-Meilen (ZH), Switzerland. +41 (01) 923 70 17.

Rebecca Luera has a Mastersin Education with anemphasis in Language Arts.Her post-graduate work hascentered on the gifted learner.She has been a classroomteacher in both public andprivate schools for 17 years.

Both her son and daughter are dyslexic andwere the inspiration for becoming a DavisFacilitator. Dyslexia Mastery, 4503 281stPlace S.E., Fall City, WA 98024. (800) 818-9056. RL-dysmas@hotmail.com

Carol F. Stromberg decidedto become a Davis Facilitatorafter two of her six childrenread The Gift of Dyslexia andsaid it described how theirminds worked. As aRegistered Nurse she finds itvery gratifying to see the

positive results the Davis Methods have onpeople of all ages. Carol works out of herhome in a high mountain valley in WesternColorado and would consider traveling toother areas. 6 R’s Correction, 58308 PERoad, Collbran, CO 81624. (970) 487-0228.csrn@iname.com

Anna Zawidowski was born and educated inIsrael, learning pedagogics for children withspecial needs. She has lived and worked inGermany since 1978, and has been apractitioner of natural medicine since 1996specializing in childhood problems. Annaspeaks German, Hebrew and English.Krautgartenstr. 26 85232 Feldgeding beiMunchen. +49 (08131) 85 303.Zawidowski@aol.com

Louise Huijgens is a learning disabilityspecialist with her own private practice.Isabellaland 1868, NL-2591 ES Den Haag,Nederland. +31 (070) 38 348 53.Loeshuyg@casema.net

Newly Licensed Davis FacilitatorsCongratulations and Welcome to our growing international family of Davis Program providers!

PAGE 8 THE DYSLEXIC READER

PAGE 9THE DYSLEXIC READER

Aleta L. Clark enrolled inthe Davis Facilitator Trainingafter reading The Gift ofDyslexia. She has beenexcited ever since and longsto bring the program toothers. Aleta intends topractice in Auburn,

Washington with fellow new Facilitator,Marilyn Anderson. Dyslexia CorrectionCenter of Washington, 1609 S. Central, SuiteR, Kent, WA 98032. (253) 854-9377 or (888) 894-3354.mrmaril@juno.com

Gerry Grant majored inPsychology and hasexperience as a volunteer inliteracy programs. It was thisexperience that led him tosearch for a more efficientmethod to help people withreading problems. In his spare

time he likes to coach baseball andbasketball. Gerry provides Davis programs topeople throughout Ontario. DyslexiaSolutions Canada, Ltd., 114 Dundas StreetEast, Princeton, Ontario, Canada, N0J 1V0.(800) 981-6433. ggrant@dyslexia.ca

Helena Strohbach is a highly experiencedteacher working in the canton of Zurich.Tiefenbrunnenstr. 5, CH-8630 Rüti,Switzerland. +41 (055) 240 21 67.

Marilyn Anderson is amother of 7 children and has9 grandchildren. She has abackground in teaching andcounseling. She has workedas an AdministrativeAssistant, a nutritionalcounselor and is certified in

Rapid Eye Technology. She was instrumentalin organizing the Benjamin FranklinAcademy, a cooperative home-schoolorganization in Washington State and hashome-schooled one of her own children.Dyslexia Correction Center of Washington.P.O. Box 1091, Auburn, WA 98071. (253) 854-9377 or (888) 894-3354.mrmaril@juno.com

Nancy Cimprich decided to become a DavisFacilitator after helping her 7 year olddaughter, Amy, achieve dramatic results withthe Davis Methods. Previously, Nancydesigned and taught Technology curriculumand certification programs to adults incorporations. “Helping dyslexics childrenand adults to reach their full potential hasenriched my life and brought me great joy.”Creative Learning Systems, 378 Route 40,P.O. Box 613, Elmer, NJ 08318. (856) 358-3102. dyslexia@worldnet.att.net

Andrea Fleckenstein wastrained as ArchitecturalEngineer. She also hasexperience in social workwith children and adultcounseling. She is one of themothers featured on theDyslexia–The Gift video.

Wartebergstr. 10, D-37213 Witzenhausen,Germany. +49 (05542) 91 16 07.fleckenstein.wiz@t-online.de

Denise Gabriel has been on staff at theSyntonics Institute in Switzerland for overtwo years. She is a licensed Primary Schoolteacher, with several years experience in theclassroom. She is currently studying SocialPsychology. Syntonics Institute,Munsterberg 1, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland.+41 (061) 272 77 88. ch@dyslexia.com

Ruth Ann Youngberg is acertified teacher with aMasters in Family Relations.She has taught all ages from3 years to adult. She enjoyshelping dyslexics realize theirgifts and minimize theproblems connected to it. She

is the mother of six and has enjoyed workingwith them, as well as others to help themreach their maximum potential. DyslexiaMastered, 1129 Sudden Valley, Bellingham,WA 98226. (360) 671-9858.bryoungberg@peoplepc.com

Katharina Grenacher works with childrenin a Rudolf Steiner school in the canton ofGraubünden. Plaz 42, CH-7554 Sent,Switzerland. +41 (081) 864 01 88.

Susanna Tarolli is a part-time teacher at apublic school and plans to offer the DavisMethods in the area of dyslexia anddyscalculia in her own practice. “As ateacher and dyslexia therapist with manyyears of experience I have been looking forsuch an extensive method for a long time.These positive experiences and the creativeaspect have convinced me to use and helpspread the Davis Method with joy andenthusiasm” Brunnenstr. 7, CH-9450Altstätten, Switzerland. +41 (071) 755 1154. tarolli@bluewin.ch

D’vorah Hoffman has been teachingsculpture for over 25 years to adults andchildren with an emphasis on self-esteem andpersonal creativity. She studied Art Therapywhile completing a degree at the OntarioCollege of Art and Design. “I decided tobecome a Davis Facilitator after my son’s lifewas changed by a Davis Program. I now seesimilar results with my clients and amthrilled to be a part of such important work.”Living Hands Learning Centre, 98Laurelcrest Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M3H2B3 Canada . (416) 398-6779.claykdsh@interlog.com

Gesa Heidsieck is a trained SocialPaedagogic and has counseling experience indifferent institutions, working with familiesand children as well as teenagers. One of herspecial interests is the Systems approach tofamily therapy. Convenstr. 14, 22089Hamburg, Germany. +49 (040) 251 786 22

Judith Holzapfel is fluent in Dutch andGerman. She plans to provideindividual Davis programsand also help get Davismethods known and used inschools. Steenstraat 25, NL-3572 SW Utrecht,Nederlands. +31 (030) 271 28 14.

Maria McLoughlin was educated in Ireland.She worked for a television companydesigning live on-screen graphics beforejoining Hilary Farmer & Associates in 1999.“I trained to be a Facilitator after I undertookthe Davis Program with Hilary. That weekchanged my life. At last the search forunderstanding and help was over. Here wassomeone at last speaking my language. Iwant to continue to provide dyslexics withthe tools to improve the quality of their lives.I also want to bring the Davis Methods intoIreland.” Hilary Farmer & Associates, 20/21Market Place, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX143HA, United Kingdom. +44 (01235) 53 61 11

The Davis Facilitator Training Program requires approximately

400 hours of course work. The Davis Specialist program requiresextensive experience providing Davis programs and an

additional 260 hours of training. Specialists and Facilitators are

subject to annual re-licensing based upon case review and

adherence to the DDAI Standards of Practice.

For information about training or a full directory of Davis

providers, see www.dyslexia.com/affil.htm, or call +1 (650) 692-7141 or toll-free in the US at 1-888-805-7216.

Most people are more thanwilling to help if asked; yet noneare willing to help if told.

- Daniel Willemin

PAGE 6 THE DYSLEXIC READER

Spelling:

· Many of the normal classroomtechniques used to teach spellingsdo not help the dyslexic child. Allpupils in the class can benefit fromstructured and systematic exposureto rules and patterns that underpina language.

· Spelling rules can be given to thewhole class. Words for classspelling tests are often topic basedrather than grouped for structure.If there are one or two dyslexics inthe class, a short list of structure-based words for their weeklyspelling test, will be far morehelpful than random words. Threeor four irregular words can beincluded each week. Eventuallythis should be seen to improvetheir free-writing skills.

· All children should be encouragedto proof read, which can be usefulfor initial correction of spellings.Dyslexics seem to be unable tocorrect their spellingsspontaneously as they write, butthey can be trained to look out forerrors that are particular to them.

· Remember, poor spelling is not anindication of low intelligence.

Maths:

· Maths has its own language, andthis can be the root of manyproblems. While some dyslexicstudents are good at maths, it hasbeen estimated that around 90% ofdyslexic children have problems inat least some areas of maths.General mathematical terminologywords need to be clearlyunderstood before they can beused in calculations, e.g. add, plus,sum of, increase and total, alldescribe a single mathematicalprocess. Other related difficultiescould be with visual/perceptualskills, directional confusion,sequencing, word skills andmemory. Dyslexic students may

have special difficulties withaspects of maths that require manysteps or place a heavy load on theshort-term memory, e.g. longdivision or algebra.

· The value of learning the skills ofestimation cannot be too stronglystressed for the dyslexic child. Useand encourage the use ofestimation. The child should betaught to form the habit ofchecking his answers against thequestion when he has finished thecalculation, i.e. is the answerpossible, sensible or ludicrous?

· When using mental arithmetic,allow the dyslexic child to jotdown the key number and theappropriate mathematical signfrom the question.

· Encourage pupils to verbalize and totalk their way through each step ofthe problem. Many children findthis very helpful.

· Teach the pupil how to use thetimes table square and encouragehim to say his workings out as heuses it.

· Encourage a dyslexic child to use acalculator. Make sure he fullyunderstands how to use it. Ensurethat he has been taught to estimateto check his calculations. This is away of ‘proof reading’ what hedoes.

· Put key words on a card indexsystem or on the inside cover ofthe pupils maths book so it can beused for reference and revision.

· Rehearse mathematical vocabularyconstantly, using multisensory/kinesthetic methods.

· Put the decimal point in red ink. Ithelps visual perception with thedyslexic child.

Handwriting:

· Reasons for poor handwriting at anyage can be poor motor control,tension, badly formed letters,speed, etc. A cursive joined style

is most helpful to children withdyslexic problems. Encourage thechildren to study their writing andbe self-critical. Get them to decidefor themselves where faults lie andwhat improvements can be made,so that no resentment is built up atyet another person complainingabout their written work.

· Discuss the advantages of goodhandwriting and the goals to beachieved with the class. Analyzecommon faults in writing, bywriting a few well chosen wordson the board for class comment.

· Make sure a small reference chart isavailable to serve as a constantreminder for the cursive script inupper and lower case.

· If handwriting practice is needed, itis essential to use words thatpresent no problem to the dyslexicchild in terms of meaning orspelling.

· Improvement in handwriting skillscan improve self confidence,which in turn reflects favorablythroughout a pupil’s work.

Marking of work:

· Credit for effort as well asachievement are both essential.This gives the pupil a betterchance of getting a balanced mark.Creative writing should be markedon content.

· Spelling mistakes pinpointed shouldbe those appropriate to the child’slevel of spelling. Marking shouldbe done in pencil and havepositive comments.

· Try not to use red pens to mark thedyslexic child’s work. There’snothing more disheartening for thechild than to have work returnedcovered in red ink, when they’veinevitably tried harder than theirpeers to produce the work.

· Only ask a pupil to rewrite a pieceof work that is going to bedisplayed. Rewriting pages for noreason at all is soul destroying as

In The Classcontinued from page 6

PAGE 7THE DYSLEXIC READER

usually much effort will havealready been put into the originalpiece of work.

Homework:

· By the end of a school day adyslexic child is generally moretired than his peers becauseeverything requires more thought,tasks take longer and nothingcomes easily. More errors arelikely to be made. Only sethomework that will be of realbenefit to the child.

· In allocating homework andexercises that may be a littledifferent or less demanding, it isimportant to use tact. Self-esteemis rapidly undermined if a teacheris underlining the differencesbetween those with difficulties andtheir peers. However, it shouldalso be remembered that far moreeffort may be needed for adyslexic child to complete theassignment than for their peers.

· Set a limit on time spent onhomework, as often a dyslexicchild will take a lot longer toproduce the same work thatanother child with good literacyskills may produce easily.

Integration:

· A dyslexic child’s ability to writedown thoughts and ideas will bequite different from the level ofinformation the child can giveverbally. For successfulintegration, the pupil must be ableto demonstrate to the teacher thathe knows the information andwhere he is in each subject. Beprepared to accept verbaldescriptions as an alternative towritten descriptions if appropriate.

· Alternative ways of recordingshould be looked at, such as :

· The use of computers for wordprocessing.

· Audio tapes for recordinglessons that can then be writtenup at a later stage.

· Written record of the pupil’sverbal account, or voice activatedsoftware can be used.

· More time should be allocated forcompletion of work because of theextra time a dyslexic child needsfor reading, planning, rewritingand proofreading their work.

· For a dyslexic child the feeling ofbeing ‘different’ can be acutewhen faced with the obvious andvery important need of ‘specialist’help for his literacy and possiblymathematical skills. Somespecialist methods can beincorporated into the classroom soall children can benefit from them,thus reducing the feeling of‘difference’.

Conclusion:

· In order to be able to teach, as far aspossible, according to each child’seducational needs, it is essential tosee him or her as a whole person,complete with individual strengthsand weaknesses.

· An understanding of the pupil’sspecific difficulties, and how theymay affect the student’s classroomperformance, can enable theteacher to adopt teaching methodsand strategies to help the dyslexicchild to be successfully integratedinto the classroom environment.

· Dyslexics have many strengths: oralskills, comprehension, good visualspatial awareness/artistic abilities.More and more dyslexic childrencould become talented and giftedmembers of our schools if weworked not only with their specificareas of difficulty, but also theirspecific areas of strengths from anearly age. To do this we have tolet go of outmoded viewpoints thata dyslexic child must first fail, inorder to be identified.

· These are the children of our futureand they have a right to help andsupport before they develop the

dreadful sense of failure which isso insidious.

· Class teachers dealing with dyslexicchildren need to be flexible intheir approach, so that they can, asfar as possible, find a method thatsuits the pupil, rather thanexpecting that all pupils will learnin the same way.

· Above all, there must be anunderstanding from all who teachthem, that they may have manytalents and skills. Their abilitiesmust not be measured purely onthe basis of their difficulties inacquiring literacy skills.

· Dyslexic children, like all children,thrive on challenges and success.

In The Classcontinued from page 8

News fromDyslexia, the GiftWebsite

New look for the Dyslexia BulletinBoard & On Line Chat

The Dyslexia Bulletin Board at theDyslexia, the Gift web site has recentlybeen moved to its own server, andgiven a new name: Dyslexia Talk. It canbe accessed directly athttp://www.dyslexiatalk.com/ as well asthrough the regular website athttp://www.dyslexia.com/

Under the “Dyslexic’s Network” topic,due to popular demand, we have addedlive chat capabilities. Visitors areencouraged to schedule their ownpreferred times for chat, and to postthose times on the chat schedule at ourboard.

New at the Dyslexia Library:The Dyslexia Library now features a“Best of the Web” section containingfeatured artlicles and resources fromother websites. The articles arepresented in a framed gallery formatthat allows visitors to easily view thearticles without leaving thedyslexia.com web site. We thankBrain.com, Dyslexia Parents Magazine,Wrightslaw, the Gifted DevelopmentCenter, and the Reading and LanguageArts Centers for helping us to build thisnew resource. The dyslexia library is at:http://www.dyslexia.com/library.htm

PAGE 10 THE DYSLEXIC READER

At last - Davis FacilitatorTraining will be available inCanada.

This summer - The Fundamentalsof Davis Dyslexia Correction® willbe taught by Ronald D. Davis andCharlotte Foster - in Vancouver -August 28-31, 2000. This four dayWorkshop provides an introductionto the basic theories, principles andapplications of all the proceduresdescribed in "The Gift of Dyslexia".

This is the early stage of myintention to establish Davis DyslexiaAssociation CANADA - to promoteawareness of what dyslexia really is,to increase knowledge for parents,tutors, teachers, the teachers ofteachers - thereby creating respect,recognition and support of adifferent learning style.

There is a need to reduce theanger, frustration and painexperienced by dyslexics in learning

and life situations.One day I hope that Davis

Learning Strategies™ will beavailable in all schools, public andprivate alike - and that theCorrection Programs will beavailable to all.u

Sue Hall+1 (604) 921-1084 (Phone & Fax)Email: Posihall@paralynx.com

GRATE ? GRAET ? GREAT NEWS!!- Did I get your attention?

From the Davis Dyslexia DiscussionBoard: Dyslexic’s Network: Chat - Sharing - Support

By duck’n’dive on Monday,February 7, 2000:

I have ducked and dived for nearlythree years, but I think my boss isabout to guess I am dyslexic. I workhard and I am good at my job and Inever let him down. I was onlydiagnosed a year ago. I have mycomputer set up so well that no onewould guess. But I think he has, andI am just waiting for the confrontation.He is a nice guy, but I am just notsure how it will go and I am veryscared. Anyone have any ideas ofwhat I might say to make it ok?

By Danwill on Wednesday,February 9, 2000:

Duck’n dive, In a word Educate! You say your

boss is a nice person. I hope that heis smart as well. There is no reasonto fear disclosure as long as youeducate you employer as to thestrengths you (and other dyslexics)have. The biggest problem isignorance about dyslexia. Peopleonly hear of the disability associatedwith dyslexia. They have no conceptof the abnormal strengths mostdyslexics have.

You may need to educate yourselfalso. I have found that even traineddoctors and psychologists rarelyfocus on strengths, only the areas ofproblems. Researchers are usually

trying to find the source of aproblem. Even symptom lists usuallyfocus only on areas of deficiencies.

Have faith in your self! You soundexactly like the kind of employeeevery boss wants. You are good atyour job, you work hard, and younever let your boss down! Whatmore could an employer want?

In managing a successful workgroup, it is of the utmost importanceto first have a diversified workgroup. Second is to make sure thatthese people are in position to usetheir strengths to complement eachother. You may find that you will beable to do less of the work that youfind difficult and more tasks you likeif your boss knows more about yourstrengths as well as your weaknesses.There is a lot of positive informationabout dyslexia on this site. I will alsoadd some links to other sites below.There is no reason to duck ‘n divewhen you can run with the big dogs!

Useful sights:

www.special-needs-company.com/dyslexia/The_Professional_Dyslexic.html

www.Ldonline.org/first_person/first_person_archive.html

By “run with big dogs” onWednesday, February 9, 2000:

Thanks for your encouragingwords DW - I will have a look rightnow at those sites. I am feeling a bitbetter already.u

The best indicator of success forthe Davis program is the level of aclient's motivation -- and 11-year-oldAnthony Balinton was willing to goon national television to get theprogram for himself.

Anthony knew that his motherwas not able to pay for the Davisprogram, so he wrote to talk showhost Sally Jessy Raphael for help.Sally arranged for Anthony to meetDavis Specialist Dorothy Owen, ona television segment broadcast inJanuary, 2000, where Dorothy readhim a personal letter from RonDavis.

A few weeks later, Anthonybecame a proud graduate of theDavis program! u

Anthony shows his clay representationof a word and a concept.

Uh oh...I think my boss is about to ‘guess’

Davis Dyslexia Correction® ProvidersThe Davis Dyslexia Correction program is now available from more than 100 Facilitators

around the world. A full print directory is available on request from DDAI, by calling(888) 805-7216 [Toll Free] or (650) 692-7141 or at http://www.dyslexia.com/affil.htm

United States

PAGE 11THE DYSLEXIC READER

Arizona:John Mertz, Arizona Dyslexia Correction Center Telephone: (877)219-0613 (Tucson)

California:Ron Davis • Alice Davis • Dr. Fatima Ali, Ph.D.Brian Grimes • Sharon Pfeiffer Reading Research Council Dyslexia CorrectionTelephone: (800)729-8990/(650)692-8990 (Burlingame)

Janalee E. Beals, M.S. Ed., The Dyslexia MentorTelephone: (877)439-7539 (Palm Springs)

Richard A. Harmel, Solutions for Dyslexia Telephone: (310)823-8900 (Marina Del Rey)

Dwight E. UnderhillTelephone: (510)559-7869 (El Cerrito)

Colorado:Terry CiminoTelephone: (303)850-7668 (Littleton)

Carol Faye Stromberg, 6 R’s CorrectionTelephone: (800)290-7605/(970)487-0228 (Colbran)

Florida :Alice J. Pratt, Dyslexia PlusTelephone: (904)389-9251 (Jacksonville)

Georgia:Bill Allen,"THE" Dyslexia CoachTelephone: (770)594-1770 (Atlanta)

Indiana:Myrna Burkholder, Michiana Dyslexia Correction CenterTelephone: (219)533-7455 (Goshen)

Iowa:Mary Kay Frasier, Innovative Learning ProfessionalsTelephone: (515)270-0280 (Des Moines)

Michigan:Ann Minkel, Michigan Dyslexia ResourcesTelephone: (877)347-9467 (Six Lakes)

Dean Schalow & Sandy Schalow, Tri-PointTelephone: (800)794-3060/(231)929-4516 (Traverse City)

New Jersey:Charlotte Foster, Multivariant Learning Systems Telephone: (908)766-5399 (Basking Ridge)

Nancy Cimprich, Creative Learning SystemsTelephone: (856)358-3102 (Elmer)

New Mexico:Annie Johnson-Goodwin, Dyslexia Resource Telephone: (505)982-9843 (Santa Fe)

New York:Carla Niessen Telephone: (914)883-5766

Texas:Kellie Brown, B.S., & Maile KampfhenkelDyslexia Correction Partners of TexasTelephone: (877)230-2622 (Ft. Worth)

Julia Garcia, Hidden Genius Learning SolutionsTelephone: (877)678-8773 (The Colony)

Dorothy Owen, DFW Dyslexia Correction Telephone: (888)331-4902/(817)498-8871 (Bedford)

Virginia:Elizabeth Davis, Virginia Center for DyslexiaTelephone: (804)358-6153 (Richmond)

Washington:Marilyn Anderson & Aleta Clark,Dyslexia Correction Center of WashingtonTelephone: (253)854-9377 or (888)894-3354 (Auburn)

Marlene Easley, Dyslexia UnlearnedTelephone: (360)714-9619 (Bellingham)

Rebecca Luera, Dyslexia MasteryTelephone: (800)818-9056 (Fall City)

Renie Smith, Meadowbrook Education ServicesTelephone: (800)371-6028/(509)443-1732 (Spokane)

Ruth Ann Youngberg, Dyslexia MasteredTelephone: (360)671-9858 (Bellingham)

Wisconsin:Cyndi Deneson, New Hope Learning Centers, Inc.Telephone: (888)890-5380 /(414)774-4586 (Milwaukee)

Canada:Sue Hall, Positive DyslexiaTelephone: (604)921-1084 (West Vancouver)

D’vorah Hoffman, Living Hands Learning CentreTelephone: (416)398-6779 (Toronto, Ontario)

Gerry Grant, Dyslexia Solutions Canada, Ltd.Telephone: (800)981-6433 (Princeton, Ontario)

Wayman E. (Wes) Sole, Dyslexia HelpTelephone: (519)472-1255 (London, Ontario)

Names of providers in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands,the U.K., and Mexico, can be obtained from the DDA offices in

those countries. [See listings on back cover]

Fundamentals of Davis Dyslexia Correction Workshop

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

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

BULK RATE U.S.POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 14

BURLINGAME, CA94010

DDA-CHMunsterberg 1CH 4001 Basel,SWITZERLANDTel: +41 (061) 273 81 85 Fax: +41 (061) 272 42 41e-mail: ch@dyslexia.com

DDA-DeutschlandConventstrasse 14D-22089 HamburgGERMANYTel: +49 (040) 25 17 86 22 Fax: +49 (040) 25 17 86 24E-mail: germany@dyslexia.com

DDA-France33 Boulevard BernadotteF-78230 Le Pecq/SeineFRANCETel/Fax: +33 (01) 39 76 69 09E-mail: france@dyslexia.com

DDA- MéxicoPrivada Fuentes #110, esq. con Ricardo MargaínColonia Santa EngraciaGarza García - Monterrey, 66220Nuevo León MÉXICOTel/Fax: +52 (08) 335 9435 or +52 (08) 356-8389E-mail: mexico@dyslexia.com

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

DDA-UKLin SewardP.O. Box 40Winchester S022 6ZHENGLAND+44 (01962) 820 005 E-mail: uk@dyslexia.com

DDAI-US1601 Bayshore Highway, Ste 245Burlingame, CA 94010Tel: 1-888-805-7216 Fax: +1 (650) 692-7075E:mail: ddai@dyslexia.com

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

Based on the best-selling book The Gift ofDyslexia by Ronald D. Davis

This 4-day workshop is an introduction to the basictheories, principles and application of all the proceduresdescribed in The Gift of Dyslexia. Training is done with acombination of lectures, demonstrations, group practice,and question and answer sessions. This is the first step inDavis Facilitator training. Attendance is limited to ensure thehighest quality of training.

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

• How to assess for the “gift of dyslexia” and establish asymptoms profile.

• How to help dyslexics eliminate perceptualdisorientation and focus their attention.

• Special techniques (not in the book) for working withADD (attention deficit disorder) symptoms

• How to incorporate and use proven methods forreducing confusion and mistakes in a classroom, homeschooling, tutoring or therapeutic setting.

• How to structure a Davis Dyslexia Correction Program

2000 International ScheduleSwitzerland Basel May 18-21Texas Dallas/Ft. Worth June 14-17California Burlingame July 11-14Minnesota Minneapolis July 19-22British Columbia Vancouver Aug 28-31UK Winchester Oct 19-22New Jersey Morris/Somerset Oct 23-26

County Area

U.S. Course Schedule• 8:30 - 9:00 Registration (first day)

• 9:00 - 5:30 Daily (Lunch break 12:00-1:30)

U.S. Fees and Discounts• $975 per person plus $75 materials fee• $925 for DDAI members or groups of two or more

plus $75 materials fee• $975 if paid in full 60 days in advance incl. materials• Advance registration and $200 deposit required• Includes manual, one-year DDAI membership,

verification of attendance, Symbol Mastery Kit, andpost-workshop consultation

• Academic units available

~

For a fulldescription of theDavis Facilitator

CertificationProgram, ask for

our booklet.

Enrollment Limited u Classes Fill Early u Call 1-888-805-7216 or 650-692-7141For updated workshop schedules visit http://www.dyslexia.com/train.htm