An Article Advice on Dyslexia
This might end up being a long and rambling article. It grew out of a request from an author for info to help his granddaughter who had just been diagnosed. Please feel free to share with any family and friends as needed.
First this is my story: Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict. I have also written about How I Read So Much, now. In summary I failed grade one, was tested and they did not find it, and then repeated grade 1. In grade 2 I was still really struggling. The teacher pushed for me to be retested and it was discovered. This was in the mid-seventies. I was lucky in that I lived in a University town and had the same clinic and same doctor do my testing from 1976 to when I started university in 1988.
The big change for me was a private summer school I went to, 8 hours a day for my whole summer break. I did reading both mornings and afternoons and my next brother down did reading in the mornings and math in the afternoons. Once I learned to read it was whole worlds I never knew existed and I have been addicted since.
My tips for where to start with supporting someone diagnosed with dyslexia. For dyslexia is a genre of diseases, it its much like having the flu, the symptoms and what helps could vary greatly from person to person. When I was in school what is today dyscalculia was often part of dyslexia and dyslexia treatment.
The first place I would start would be a vision assessment with a developmental optometrist. For example Vue3, which we used for our son for eye tracking issues. Sometimes other vision issues are misdiagnosed as dyslexia. But a through process here will help any other steps whether it is dyslexia or not.
Second I would test reading strips, There are different styles and colour. You want to test isolating the sentence being read and highlighting it. Different people work better with different colours. I do better with blues and purples. My son was yellows and reds.
Third, combine audio with reading. I often use adaptive technology to listen to books, or listen while reading. Sometimes I have it reading from one device and mike highlights and notes on a second.
This one is not specific to dyslexia but will help develop other skills and make the overall process learning. To be up front my wife works there, and all three of our children have gone there. Breakthroughs in Learning & Careers. Their therapy can be done remotely and some of the success stories on the website are amazing. Including the owners, as it was founded as his mother needed a way to help him and his brother.
A book I have heard great things about is The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L Eide. Another is Ben Foss The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. I have not read either of these but heard good things. I have read and reviewed this one, living lexi': a walk in the life of a dyslexic by Shelley Trammell.
My main advice would be to try anything you hear about, keep what works, and drop what doesn’t. And advocate, advocate, advocate it was advocates who got me going on a new path, all the way back to that teacher in grade 2. Advocate for assistance in school. By high school I had exams in a separate room, with 1.5 time. I also had it in university and by then was able to do my exams on a computer with the extra time. When I returned to school as a mature student I often did not use all or occasionally some of the extra time. Keep it anyways, better to have it and not need it then not have it.
Also there are many famous people who have or had dyslexia. The list includes Richard Branson, Tom Cruise, Cher, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Aniston, Henry Winkler and many more.
Henry Winkler even wrote a series of books about his experience growing up with dyslexia. The first was Niagara Falls, or Does It?. Which was done as a TV series in the UK, Hank Zipzer. The book and show really capture what it is like living with dyslexia. Well worth reading with her or watching it with her.
If anyone wants to have a conversation I am happy to be a sounding board.
Other Articles About being a Dyslexic Bibliophile:
Who Am I? Who Am I? -2008
Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict - 2009
Steven R. McEvoy Interview - 2012
2014 My Goals
Confession of a Dyslexic Bibliophile - eBooks, Regional Rights and More
Who Am I? Who Am I? -2008
Confessions of a Bibliophile #5 - How I Became a Bibliophile, From Dyslexic to Addict - 2009
Steven R. McEvoy Interview - 2012
2014 My Goals
Confession of a Dyslexic Bibliophile - eBooks, Regional Rights and More
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