Ron Davis video

This little clip from the Ron Davis video was set into someone’s blog – it is good to see the positive comments that have been linked to it.

How acquiring literacy skills leads to increased confidence

Thank you to Derek who wrote me a very moving letter after we finished working together.
As he began to understand his learning style and his spelling has improved, he found ‘this has given me a lot more confidence in myself and .. I can push on more and deal with situations that before I would leave and push to the back of my mind.’
For Derek, the key factor in acquiring literacy skills was the use of a teaching method that matched his learning style. He has strongly visual thought processes and had struggled over the years to learn using a phonic based approach

Young Learners Day & Dyslexia in the Workplace

I had a great day on Saturday attending a workshop on practical techniques for working with Young Learners. It echoed the Davis principles of making learning fun and acquiring knowledge through experience.

Thank you to Carol Forster of Learning-Well in Gloucester for such an informative day

and then tomorrow I am starting the British Dyslexia Association’s Workplace Assessor Programme (They don’t realise what a tough act they have to follow).

Listening Books downloads

Listening Books have just announced that they are now offering a download service for their audio books, as well as the option to receive CDs in the post or stream the books. It already was good value and that makes it even better!

They also have a comprehensive section on their website to support the National Curriculum so now you can borrow books for pleasure or to help with your studies.

Remember we’re blue sky…

Recently someone wrote to a national newspaper to enquire whether it was possible to find a fulfilling job with his learning difficulties. Two interesting replies were printed the following week. One offered practical advice, but it was the reply from Hilla Joshi that struck a chord. She asked that her original spelling and punctuation be preserved and wrote:

To begin dyslexia is a gift. Its juts that the worlf and educatipo does not agree. Because we challenge the orm.

Being dyslexic, life has not been esay. … So what if you’r clumsy, cant spell; Your wiring is unique!!,.

Remember we’re blue sky, outside the box, creative thinkers, when not depressed because the outside world labels our lack of conformity as disrtupitive, studip and thick. My mind can work at twice the speed, problem solve, see the bigger picture and bring resolution where most are stuck at first base.

…honesty has done wonders and is appreciated because of the talenta and skills i bring.

The full reply can be read at The Guardian Online. 

South African research

Researchers at University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, compared the progress of 18 dyslexic students who were given instruction using Davis Dyslexia Correction techniques with a control group of students from the same school. They reported that over a period of nine months, the Davis students performed significantly better on tests of word recognition skills and spelling than a control group of students taught with phonological strategies.

Abigail Marshall’s summary about South African Researchers Report Reading Success with Davis Methods can be read here.

Young Achiever’s Award 2010

The British Dyslexia Association is running a Young Achievers’ Award 2010. The winner will be announced at the BDA Members Day, in Leicester, on Saturday 19th June.

If you would like to nominate yourself or a friend to be a Young Achiever, all you have to do is meet the following criteria and complete an application form:

•      The candidate must be dyslexic.

•      The Award is open to candidates of any age; however they must be under 25 years old on 1 June 2010.

•      The candidate must have shown outstanding achievement in day-to-day life to help overcome their difficulties.

The nomination process is open to everyone. To nominate candidates please complete the application form and return to the BDA office by 30 April 2010

Candidates can send in their application to the BDA via post at Unit 8 Bracknell Beeches, Old Bracknell Lane, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7BW or via fax on 0845 251 9005 

’24 in 25 people miss out on dyslexia’

There are two videos on YouTube called ‘Dyslexia – an unwrapped gift’. These are really upbeat and celebrate the dyslexic thinking style. Tom West and Roland Meighan outline their thoughts on how dyslexics are the future as machines take over repetitive skills and many reading and writing tasks, and Julie Logan summarises the findings of her research into dyslexia and creativity in owner mangers. But the best bits are the thumbnail interviews with dyslexic teenagers and the final thought that ’24 in 25 people miss out on dyslexia’!

Click on the links to see what you think – Unwrapping the Gift Part 1 and Part 2

The Gift of Dyslexia (revised edition)

The revised edition of The Gift of Dyslexia is finally available in the UK.

Revised and updated, with a forward by Linda Silverman, renowned author of Upside-Down Brilliance: The Visual Spatial Learner, The Gift of Dyslexia provides new sections on Ronald Davis’ teaching techniques, and a framework for teachers and parents to use.

The Gift of Dyslexia (ISBN 9780285638730) will be available from bookstores from March 18th priced at £14.99 or online from book store at the Davis Learning Foundation

World Book Day 2010

Next Thursday, March 4th, is World Book day. All school children will receive a £1 Book Day Token to buy one of the special World Book Day books. There will be six books suitable for children from 5 to early teens.

For older readers, there will be ten new titles in the Quick Reads series.  These action packed stories are written by bestselling writers and celebrities and range from advice on how to make money work for you to Rolf Harris’ memoires about his childhood pet, Buster Fleabags. All that for just £1.99 each!