The Dyslexic Reader 2014 Issue 66

THE DYSLEXIC READER
DAVIS DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
ISSUE 1I 2014 VOL 66
The Truth
about Dyslexic
Underdogs
not letting the wrestling that you are doing

on a daily basis get the better of you. What
you will realize down the road is that the
extra time and energy that you put into the
things that you did will benefit you later.
If you have dyslexia or another learning
disability, you shouldnt be embarrassed
about it. Walt Disney, Thomas Edison,
and Albert Einstein are just a few of the
By Victoria Barski
famous people that have accomplished
amazing things in spite of their disability
(Famous People with the Gift of Dyslexia).
I believe that students who have dyslexia If you read their stories you will see
. read a book by Malcolm Gladwell
that they looked at things in a way that
and other learning disabilities should read
called David and Goliath that explains
nobody else did.
Gladwells David and Goliath because
the advantages and disadvantages of being
I am dyslexic, and while I say that I do
he shows that both disadvantages and
an underdog. He puts this to readers in
not view that label as a disability, I know
advantages can be turned around; what
very simple terms to help them get a better
that it is a part of me and it will be an
once was a disadvantage could now be
understanding of the story in a much
your greatest advantage and vice versa. For advantage in my life. Gladwell speaks about
different light than we already know. He
dyslexia as a disability that people have
example, if you are the smartest kid in the
brings new information to the readers
to learn or find some way to overcome.
class, you might take this for granted and
attention that helps the reader better
I know that because it has taught me the
think that you dont need to study and be
understand the situation. With regard to
art of perseverance. I will not let dyslexia,
less prepared than you should be. But if
Goliath, you learn that he may have had
you are the kid that struggles, you can turn or anything else for that matter, stand in
acromegaly, a disease which gave him his
the way of achieving my goals and dreams.
this into your greatest asset because you
incredible size, but also caused him to see
I have found that sometimes it takes all
double. David, the underdog, unknowingly have learned the art of perseverance and
uses Goliaths disadvantage of seeing double can power through any situation. The point night to accomplish the same amount of
reading and understanding as someone
to his advantage when he uses his slingshot is that even if you are fighting to make
good grades, you might come out with the who reads and comprehends after the
to kill him. David did the unthinkable by
turning the tables and coming out victorious highest test score over all; its all a matter of first reading. One of the more difficult
as an underdog (pages 3-15).
(continued on page 3)
Study supports Davis Symbol Mastery

By Abigail Marshall
A recently published case studywho

documents the progress of a fourth
grade special education student
successfully used a modified form of

Davis Symbol Mastery to improve
spelling skills. The study subject, a 9-yearold boy named Dylynn, was diagnosed
with dyslexia and had first-grade level
reading and spelling skills at the outset of
the study. He received support at school
during a daily session with a student
teacher, during which he typically studied
and modeled one to three words.
After the Davis-based

intervention, he was
generally able to
achieve 100% correct
on spelling tests.
With each new word, Dylynn

first wrote the word in his journal.
He then looked the word up in a
dictionary and then wrote the words
NEWS & FEATURE ARTICLES

The Truth about Dyslexic Underdogs ...........1, 3
Study supports Davis Symbol Mastery.........1, 4
New research: small screen e-readers...........4
Word meaning and processing speed..............5
Two lovely testimonials........................................6

Rescuing Childhood.................................... 7-8, 17
What can't be measured...............................9, 16
An elegant reply..................................................18
REGULAR FEATURES
In the Mail...............................................................2
Famous Dyslexics Remember............................5
Q&A.................................................................. 10-11
Lazy Reader Book Club.................................12-13
THE DYSLEXIC READER
In The Mail
Heres a quick text message in Spanish
(with translation below) recently sent to
Laura Zink de Daz, Davis Facilitator in
Cajic, Colombia. Laura worked with
Santiago in 2008, when he was in high
school.
If my mind wanders during class,
think of me as part of a distance learning program.
Hola Laura!
Te quiero comentar que tu paciente,
Santiago, est en Berln, donde est
estudiando alemn para hacer el preuniversitario...y ya pas su primer
examen de alemn en la Universidad
de Hamburgo. Qu orgullo no? Estos
son los frutos del Mtodo Davis! T
fuiste clave para Santi. Gracias!
Te recordamos con mucha gratitud
y cario!
C. T.
Hi Laura,
I want to let you know that Santiago
is in Berlin, where hes studying German
to fulfill prerequisites for university
admission and he just passed his
first German exam at the University
of Hamburg! Im so proud! These are
the fruits of the Davis Method!
Your work with Santi was key for
him. Thank you!
We remember you with gratitude
and affection.
C. T.
John Mertz, Davis Facilitator in Tucson,

Arizona, recently shared this lovely thank
you letter with us.
Dear John,
Thank you so much for all the help
you have given James. After his sessions
with you, the first day he went back to
school, his teacher commented that he
walked into his classroom with a big
smile on his face.
Before your work with him, James
had behavior issues in school and on
the bus. Now he has none. His behavior
is as it should be. He is a happier kid,
all around. Not only is he happier, he
is more confident. It shows up in
everything he does.
Most importantly, his reading level
has gone up considerably. When he
came to you he was reading at about
a second grade level. He just told me
he finished the book, Diary of a Wimpy
Kid, which I am told is about a fourth
grade level book.
His teacher commented on the
noticeable improvement in his reading.
She also reported to his mom that he
is one of her best students now. He
just received his latest grade report.
He earned all As and one B. He is proud

of himself, as are we all.
One of our friends sent him a birthday
card. When he opened it, he read it out
loud. I was shocked, because it was
written in cursive. Huge changes,
as you can see.
What a difference your help has made
in his life. The follow-up materials for
his mom and his teachers helped them to
maintain his progress. When we asked
him if he wanted to work with you again,
he jumped at the chance.
We cant thank you enough. We are
all grateful to you and recommend you
to everyone we know who needs help
with reading.
Thank you, John, for helping to
change James life. His future looks
so much brighter because of the Davis
Method, your patience and your
kindness.
Eileen and Dennis
John Mertz has been a Davis Facilitator
running the AZ Dyslexia Correction
Center since 1999. If youd like to contact
him, you can visit his website, http://
www.azdyslexia.com/, or you can email
him at azdyslexia@hotmail.com.
The Dyslexic Reader is periodic publication of Davis Dyslexia Association International (DDAI)
1601 Bayshore Hwy., Suite 260, Burlingame, CA 94010 USA. Tel. +1 (650) 692-7141
OURGOALS are to increase worldwide awareness about the positive aspects of dyslexia and related learning styles;
and to present methods for improving literacy, education and academic success. We believe that all peoples abilities
and talents should be recognized and valued, and that learning problems can be corrected.
EDITORIALBOARD: Laura Zink de Daz, Alice Davis and Abigail Marshall DESIGN: Michael Troller Design
SUBSCRIPTIONS: one year $25 in US, add $5 in Canada; add $10 elsewhere. BACKISSUES: send $8.00 to DDAI.
SUBMISSIONS&LETTERS: We welcome letters, comments and articles. Mail to DDAI at the above address.
VIAFAX: +1 (650) 692-7075 VIAE-MAIL: editor@dyslexia.com INTERNET: www.dyslexia.com
The opinions and views expressed in articles and letters are not necessarily those of DDAI. Davis, Davis Dyslexia Correction, Davis Symbol Mastery,
Davis Orientation Counseling, Davis Autism Approach, Seed of Genius, and Davis Learning Strategies are trademarks
of Ronald D. Davis. Copyright 2014 by DDAI, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
THE DYSLEXIC READER
The Truth about Dyslexic Underdogs from page 1
challenges that I face is with writing

papers, but I know that the more I work
on them, the easier the work becomes;
that is when I will triumph and my
disadvantage becomes the advantage.
When I read my chapters of homework,
I sometimes have to read those two or
three times, but once I get the information
it is solid like concrete.
Ashamed is not the emotion that I
would use to describe how I have reacted
to being dyslexic. I know that it has
shaped me and will continue to shape me
every day. I know that it has engrained
into my DNA the trait of hard work.
Throughout the years, I have been told
by my teachers and other adults in my
life that I am a hard and conscientious
worker, and I know that stems from the
learning trials I have endured. I am also
a very determined person; once I decide
to do something, I do not quit until I
have accomplished it. How you face lifes
challenges is one of the most important
things that you can do to shape your
personality. I believe that the ways in
which you handle setbacks in life can
either help you or hurt you; dyslexics
know that better than anyone else.
In David and Goliath by Malcolm
Gladwell, you meet The Redwood City,
a junior league basketball team. These
are blonde, blue-eyed twelve year-old girls
from Menlo Park, California. We find out
that most of these girls have never picked
up a basketball in their lives. And the
coaches, Vivek Ranadive and Roger Craig,
are not your ideal basketball coaches.
Ranadive had never seen a basketball
game before, and the game doesnt make
much sense to him at first. Roger Craig,
on the other hand, is a former professional
athlete. The Redwood City team played
basketball in a way that no other junior
league team had before. Knowing that
they were out-skilled in most aspects of the
game, they decided to use the skills that
they did have. They never gave up. The
whole Redwood City philosophy was
based on a willingness to try harder than
anyone else (Gladwell 29).
Much like the Redwood City
philosophy to work harder than anyone
else, dyslexics learn that they have to
work hard at everything they do. It is
not enough to put in the same amount
of energy as non-dyslexics do. Scientists
are now finding that this apparent
disadvantage for dyslexics might really be
an advantage in the long run. Annie M.
Paul states in The Upside of Dyslexia,
the latest findings on dyslexia are leading
to a new way of looking at the condition:
I am dyslexic, and
while I say that I do
not view that label
as a disability, I know
that it is a part of
me and it will be an
advantage in my life.
not just as an impediment, but as an

advantage, especially in certain artistic
and scientific fields. A series of ingenious
experiments have shown that many people
with dyslexia possess distinctive perceptual
abilities. For example, scientists have
produced a growing body of evidence that
people with the condition have sharper
peripheral vision than others.
This shows that our understanding
of dyslexia may be all wrong. Educators
need to rethink and reevaluate what they
commonly categorize as advantages and
disadvantages for each person.
I believe that I will be the one student

who will ask the hard questions or the
questions that other students will not ask,
either out of fear or insecurity. I know that
all the extra time I spend studying for tests
and classwork will be the deciding factor
between getting an A or a B in my
classes. I know that staying after class,
working with my professors, asking for
extra help, and doing everything I can to
ensure that I have a solid understanding
of the material, is one way to show
your professors that I am committed
to learning, not just trying to skate
through my classes.
Students who have dyslexia and other
learning disabilities should read David and
Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell because
he shows that both disadvantages and
advantages can be turned around: what
once was a disadvantage can be your
greatest advantage and vice versa. It is all
a matter of how the situation is looked at
and how it can be solved. This gives me, as
a dyslexic, hope, and helps me throughout
every-day life. Knowing that anything is
possible if you just put your mind to it is
something that can help you when youd
like nothing more than to give up.
Works Cited
- Famous People with the Gift of Dyslexia.
Davis Dyslexia Association International,
Dyslexia the Gift Web. 25 Feb. 2014
- Gladwell, Malcolm. Goliath.
Introduction. David and Goliath:
Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling
Giants. New York: Little, Brown, and
Company, n.d. 3-15. Print.
- Gladwell, Malcolm. Part One: The
Advantages of Disadvantages (And the
Disadvantages of Advantages). David
Advantages for dyslexics have turned
out to be things that they themselves have and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the
Art of Battling Giants. New York: Little,
had to learn and develop on their own.
These skills are actually things that anyone Brown and Company, 2013. 19-96. Print.
- Paul, Annie Murphy. The Upside of
can develop or strengthen. Dyslexics just
do not have the privilege of doing the bare Dyslexia. The New York Times Sunday
Review. New York Times, 4 Feb. 2012.
minimum like everyone else. This extra
effort has actually helped them to succeed Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
- Wininger, Mary Carroll. The Positive
in life and get to where they are today.
Side of Dyslexia. New York Parenting.
What non-dyslexics need to realize
N.p., 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.
is that dyslexics live in a very different
world from everyone else. Their world
Victoria Barski is a freshman
is not about just getting by and doing as
at Texas Lutheran University.
little as possible, but rather doing as much
Diagnosed with dyslexia quite
as they can and putting their whole self
young, she gradually learned
into everything that they do; they learn
to manage her symptoms
to change disadvantages into advantages.
and considers her dyslexia a
Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide of Dyslexic
driving force in her pursuit of her dreams.
Advantage, state that Typically, [dyslexics
She feels that her first steps towards
have] learned to use these strengths to
work around their weaknesses, rather than success were made in a 2-year program
outside of school that taught her to read
letting their weaknesses define who they
are or what they are capable of achieving again. She carried a 90+ average all
through high school and currently
(www.dyslexicadvantage.com).
studies Business Management. v
THE DYSLEXIC READER
4
International
Davis Dyslexia
Correction
Providers
Study Supports Davis Symbol Mastery continued from page 1
The Davis Dyslexia Correction

program is available from more
than 450 Facilitators around
the world. For updates, call:
(888) 805-7216 Toll Free or
(650) 692-7141 o r visit
dyslexia.com/providers.htm
The following is a current list of all
Davis Facilitators, some Facilitators
may also offer other Davis services.
v Argentina
Silvana Ines Rossi
Buenos Aires +54 (114) 865 3898
v Australia
Linda Alexander
Coomera, Queensland
+61 (459) 171 270
Brenda Baird
Brisbane +61 (07) 3299 3994
Sally Beulke
Melbourne +61 (03) 572 51752
Suzanne Buchauer
Kew, Victoria
+61 (03) 9817 4886
Anne Cupitt
Hervey Bay, Queensland
+61 (074) 128-2470
Mary Davie
Sydney NSW
+61 (02) 9521 3685
Amanda Du Toit
Beaumont Hills NSW
+61 (405) 565 338
Jan Gorman
Eastwood/Sydney
+61 (02) 9874 7498
Bets Gregory
also Autism Facilitator/Coach
Gordon NSW
+61 (4) 1401 3490
Gail Hallinan
Naremburn/Sydney
+61 (02) 9405 2800
Barbara Hoi
Mosman/Sydney
+61 (02) 9968 1093
Annette Johnston
Rockingham WA
+61 (8) 9591 3482
pronunciation and a definition. He would then

draw a picture depicting the words meaning,
followed by modeling the word in clay, spelling
the word aloud, and repeating its meaning.
The student teacher helped Dylynn learn 50
words, in sets of 10, with pre and post testing
after each word set. When the program started,
Dylynn was only able to spell one word out
of ten during baseline testing. After the Davisbased intervention, he was generally able to
achieve 100% correct on spelling tests. In fact,
his achievement was lower on only one of four
word set trials, where he scored 90% on the
post-intervention test.
The researchers reported: Dylynn clearly
was able to consistently spell words for which
he had performed the Davis procedure whereas
before he had very low achievement levels with
those words. He also seemed to develop a sense
of ownership over his learning of spelling words.
He consistently worked hard and demonstrated
creativity in his drawings and clay formations
of the words.
Jayne Pivac
Parkdale Victoria/Melbourne
+61 (0) 420 305 405
Marika Kaufmann
Lochau +43 (05574) 446 98
This article, by Abigail Marshall, was first

published at Dyslexia the Gift Blog at:
http://blog.dyslexia.com/?p=877 v
The students who had the greatest difficulty

with phoneme decoding or efficient sight
word reading read more rapidly, and students
with limited visual attention spans gained in
comprehension. Based on previous eye tracking
studies, the researchers believe that reading
improves because of the shorter lines of text.
Janette Padinis
Aspendale Gardens, Victoria
+61 0412 021 604
Jacinta Fennessy
Wien +43 (01) 774 98 22
For more
information,
Davis research
bibliography:
http://www.dyslexia.
com/science/researchlist.
htm
Davis research
overview: http://
www.dyslexia.com/
science/research.htm
Davis Symbol Mastery
support site: http://
www.symbolmastery.
com/
By Abigail Marshall
Marianne Mullally
Crows Nest, Sydney
+61 (02) 9436 3766
Annette Dietrich
Wien +43 (01) 888 90 25
Research Citation:
Amsberry, Gianna; T. F. Mclaughlin; K. Mark
Derby; Teresa Waco. The Effects Of The Davis
Symbol Mastery System To Assist A Fourth
Grader With Dyslexia In Spelling: A Case
Report, I-managers Journal On Educational
Psychology. Vol. 6, No. 2, pp 13-18, AugustOctober. 2012
New Research: Small Screen E-readers And Dyslexia
Eileen McCarthy
Manly/Sydney
+61 (02) 9977 2061
John Reilly
Berala/Sydney
+61 (02) 9649 4299
Heidi Rose
Pennington, S.A.
+61 (8) 8240 1834
Jan Stead
Gladstone, S.A.
+61 (4) 048 839 8788
v Austria
All the directions and guidelines for the

intervention were clearly found in the Davis
Symbol Mastery System Handbook, but even
those were not needed after the first session. The
student was quickly able to proceed through the
steps of the process without direction from the
first author.
Citation:
Schneps MH, Thomson JM, Chen C, Sonnert
G, Pomplun M (2013) E-Readers Are More
Effective than Paper for Some with Dyslexia.
PLoS ONE 8(9): e75634.
A new study supports the use of tablets and
other e-reading devices for dyslexic high school
students. Researchers found that the students
experienced significant reading gains in speed and
comprehension when using an iPod, configured to
display only a few words of text per line.
This article, by Abigail Marshall, was first

published at Dyslexia the Gift Blog at:
http://blog.dyslexia.com/?p=912 v
THE DYSLEXIC READER
Word meaning and processing speed

By Abigail Marshall
Dyslexia expert Maryanne Wolf says, the more
you know about a word, the faster you can read it.
Now researchers have demonstrated that the brain
recognizes words with concrete meanings faster than
abstract words, and that words that are associated
with large size are recognized faster than words
signifying smallness. For example, test subjects
will respond faster to the word elephant than
the word mouse.
The faster response for concrete words seems to
be tied to their visuo-spatial impact: something that
conjures up a mental image of something big also
seems to be a stronger draw for mental attention.
For abstract words, there is something different
at work. Test subjects responded more quickly
to words such as paradise or disaster (ideas
associated with sense of largeness) than to humble
or intimate (concepts tied to a sense of smallness).
These differences seemed to be associated with a
greater level of emotional arousal invoked with the
words that are connected to big ideas.
The researchers explained: Bigger concepts
(e.g., disaster) tend to comprise a bigger range
These findings shed

light on Ron Davis early
discovery that dyslexics
tend to stumble on small,
abstract words
of language.
Goedele Decuypere
Oostkamp (Near Brugge)
+32 (4) 75 81 71 92
Ann Devloo-Delva
Veurne +32 (058) 31 63 52
Chantal Guyot
Bruxelles +32 (04) 77 55 97 66
Marie Louise Habran
Liege +32 (4) 99 29 43 72
Inge Lanneau
Beernem +32 (050) 33 29 92
Juana Lopez Le Jeune
Bruxelles +32 (498) 720 250
Peggy Poppe
Antwerpen +32 (474) 50 23 32
Bethisabea Rossitto
Bruxelles +32 (477) 68 56 06
of introspective, social, and situational associations

than smaller concepts (e.g., incident). Access to a
richer network of semantic information grants
bigger concepts a cognitive advantage over smaller
concepts in word recognition.
These findings shed light on Ron Davis early
discovery that dyslexics tend to stumble on small,
abstract words of language. The Davis trigger words
are the very small function words of language: not
only are words such as to or at orthographically
small and abstract, but their meanings also tend to
have low emotional resonance.
Citations:
1) Maryanne Wolf, Common Questions
about Fluency. Scholastic.com
2) Yao B, Vasiljevic M, Weick M, Sereno ME,
ODonnell PJ, et al. (2013) Semantic Size of
Abstract Concepts: It Gets Emotional When You
Cant See It. PLoS ONE 8(9): e75000. doi:10.1371/
journal.pone.0075000
This article, was first published at Abigails blog
Dyslexia the Gift http://blog.dyslexia.com/?p=924 v
Famous Dyslexics Remember

Princess Beatrice of York
v Belgium
Princess Beatrice, grand-daughter of the Queen of England and eldest daughter

of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, ought to be referred to formally
and with a curtsey or bow as Her Royal Highness. Although Beatrice is sixth
in line to the throne, shes a thoroughly modern woman and says, I dont want
any of that. Im just Beatrice. Maybe before they meet me people might be a bit
scared, but once they find out Im just me, it should make it easier.
It might also put some people at ease to know that shes dyslexic. Recently, she
visited Bolingbroke Academy and the ARK Globe Academy in London, and told
students at those institutions that dyslexia is an opportunity that should not
hold them back. It certainly hasnt held Beatrice back. She left school with very respectable grades
and also did well as a student of history at Goldsmiths College in London.
Beatrice told the students she visited, Dyslexia is not a pigeonhole to say you cant do anything.
It is an opportunity and a possibility to learn differently. You have magical brains, they just process
differently. Dont feel like you should be held back by it. I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was
seven, and it was a bit of a struggle to begin with. It was a challenge as I began my school career
spelling and reading was something I couldnt really get my head around.
She went on to tell the kids that the Harry Potter books changed how she felt about reading:
The second the story came out, I couldnt put it down. Now I read so much quicker, so much better,
and I studied history at university which involved a lot of reading.
Chantal Wyseur
Waterloo +32 (486) 11 65 82
v Bolivia
Veronica Kaune
La Paz
+591 (2) 278 9031
v Brazil
Ana Lima
Rio De Janeiro
+55 (021) 2295-1505
v Bulgaria
Daniela Boneva
Ruse
+35 (988) 531 95 06
v Canada
Carol Taljeh Ariss
North Vancouver, BC
+1 (788)706-8595
Rocky Point Academy
Stacey Borger-Smith
also Autism Training Supervisor
also Supervisor Specialist
Lawrence Smith, Jr.
also Workshop Presenter
Calgary +1 (403) 685-0067
+1 (866) 685-0067 (Toll-Free)
Paddy Carson
Edmonton, Alberta
+1 (780) 489-6225
Marcia Code
Kanata, Ontario
+1 (613) 284-6315
Dyslexia Resources Canada
Shelley Cotton
Sharon Roberts
Brantford, Ontario
+1 (519) 304-0535
+1 (800) 981-6433 (Toll-Free)
Janet Currie Richards
Boutiliers Point, Nova Scotia
+1 (902) 826-1512
Elizabeth Currie Shier
Oakville (Near Toronto)
+1 (905) 829-4084
Brenda Davies
Rosedale Station, Alberta
+1 (403) 823-6680
Cathy Dodge Smith
Oakville/Toronto
+1 (905) 844-4144
+1 (888) 569-1113 toll-free
Sandy Farrell
Hudson, Quebec
+1 (450) 458-4777
Rene Figlarz
Montreal, Quebec
+1 (514) 815-7827
Carole Ford
Ladysmith, BC
+1 (250) 245-8412
THE DYSLEXIC READER
6
v Canada (continued)
Sher Goerzen
Maple Ridge, BC
+1 (604) 290-5063
Corinne Graumans
Medicine Hat, Alberta
+1 (403) 528-9848
Sue Hall
West Vancouver
+1 (604) 921-1084
Chelan Hermanson
Wainwright Alberta
+1 (780) 209-2525
Dvorah Hoffman
Toronto +1 (416) 398-6779
Sue Jutson
Vancouver, B.C. +1 (604) 732-1516
Mary Ann Kettlewell
London, Ontario
+1 (519) 652-0252
Kathy Mahoney
Ottawa Ontario
+1 (613) 794-1756
Colleen Malone
Newmarket Ontario
+ 1 (905) 252-7426
Helen McGilivray
Oakville/Toronto
+1 (905) 464-4798
Carl Nigi
Kanata, Ontario
+1 (613) 558-7797
Maureen OSullivan
Newmarket, Ontario
+1 (905) 853-3363
Joanna Pellegrino
Thunder Bay Ontario
+1 (807) 708-4754
Rachel Pihrag
Calgary Alberta
+1 (866) 685-0067 (Toll Free)
Desmond Smith
Oakville, Ontario
+1 (905) 844-4144
Tracy Trudell
London, Ontario
+1 (519) 494-9884
Kim J. Willson-Rymer
Mississauga, Ontario
+1 (905) 825-3153
v Chile
Ximena Hidalgo Pirotte
Santiago +56 (02) 243 0860
v China
Twiggy Chan
Hong Kong +852-6175-8439
Yvonne Wong Ho Hing
Hong Kong +852-6302-5630
Livia Wong
Hong Kong +852-2756-6603
v Colombia
Laura Zink de Daz
Bogot +57 (1) 704-4399
v Costa Rica
Maria Elena Guth Blanco
San Jose +506 296-4078
Marcela Rodriguez
Alajuela +506 442-8090
Ana Gabriela Vargas Morales
San Jose Escazu
+ 506 2288 0980
v Cyprus
Alexis Mouzouris
Limassol
+357 25 382 090
v Denmark
Moniek Geven
also DLS Mentor
Bryrup +45 7575 7105
Two Lovely Testimonials

Ten years ago John Mertz, Davis facilitator in Tucson, Arizona, worked with
a ten-year-old girl named Aubrey. Her parents have never forgotten what a
difference John made in the life of their daughter.
Hi John - Im not sure if you remember our

family, but you helped our daughter, Aubrey, with
her dyslexia about ten years ago. I know youve
helped many people since then. For quite some
time Ive wanted to let you know that we think
of you all the time, and are soooo grateful to you
for helping Aubrey. Its so much fun to read the
testimonial I wrote for you on your website and
remember the stages of Aubreys progress.
Do you remember the big crocodile Aubrey
made with your clay that you let her take home
with her? Do you remember how we thought she
might have Aspergers syndrome and how quiet and
nervous she was, and how I was afraid she wouldnt
be able to handle your sessions? Of course, you
made her feel comfortable and she loved them!
Well, Aubrey is now 20 and not only is she
an avid reader, thanks to you, but she is also a
budding writer of two books shes been working
on for many years although she still doesnt spell
well! Shes a beautiful artist and a gifted sculptor,
and shes overcome her fears and gained so much
confidence that shes traveled to Virginia for a
year and a half to be a missionary for our church!
Youve never met a happier girl! She even had a
4.0 cumulative GPA through high school and her
third semester of college. (Her high school grades
consisted of art, ceramics and jewelry classes,
because she was home schooled for the rest, but
in college she took core classes.) And now, after 5
semesters of college she still gets mostly As!
I hope you and your wife are well. I think
about you both often and thank the Lord for
your influence in Aubreys life. Remember that
Aubrey, to say thanks to you for teaching her to
read, shared her favorite book with you some
scriptures. That is the first and only time I know
of her doing that. Yet now shes sharing that book
with the people of Virginia all day, every day, and is
happier than she ever knew she could be! You were
the first one to teach her to work with clay and
now shes a beginning sculptor. You were to one to
teach her to stay on point so she could read and
now she reads so much that she writes her own
books. You made her feel so good about herself
that she had the confidence to share her beliefs
with you and now shes confident enough to leave
home and share them with everyone she meets,
full time, for a year and a half. Its amazing what
a difference one person can make! Thank you for
making a difference in Aubreys life, and in ours!
We will always love you and your wife for
opening up your home and yourselves to us! We
love the memories of our trips to Tucson and the
times you took us to dinner. We remember often.
Thank you!
S. C.
This Testimonial Was Posted at AZ Dyslexia

Correction after Aubreys Davis Program
Dear John,
I would just like to take a moment to thank
you for all that you have done for our daughter
Aubrey and for our family. Aubrey loved every
minute of her time with you and learning the
Davis Method.
The first thing we noticed was the confidence
she felt after working with you. That was our
immediate reward. But it was only the beginning!
She started reading better and better. She still
struggles, but at this point she can sit down and
read a 150 page book (not including pictures)
such as Jack Londons White Fang in two days.
Today as she finished her book she said, I love to
read! I wish I could read all day for school. She
is still working on her symbol mastery, so she is
still learning and getting better and better.
I think the best part for us is that she now has
a future and dreams and hopes for her future.
Before being able to read, she could not see a
future for herself. I would ask her what she
wanted to do when she grew up. No answer.
What her goals were for 1 year, 5 year, 10 years
etc. She would just cry. She had no vision of the
future. No hopes. Without being able to read,
she couldnt imagine driving. Without being able
to read and being embarrassed about that, she
couldnt imagine being independent enough to
go anywhere later in life without her mom and
dad. Getting married and starting a family
unimaginable! Getting a job? No way!
She is now imagining herself actually growing
up! She talks of driving cars and dating. She
wants to dress like a 12-year-old. She tries new
hair styles all the time. This was stuff that she just
didnt do before you worked with her.
A whole new door has been opened to her. It
opens wider for her all the time and her future
looks brighter and more exciting to her all the
time. We know shes got a lot of catching up to
do. But now shes willing.
We are so grateful to you, John. Thanks is not
enough for what youve given Aubrey.
S.C.
THE DYSLEXIC READER
Rescuing Childhood
killings happened on highways between the large

cities and favorite rural towns.
Things have improved dramatically. The civil
By Laura Zink de Daz
war isnt entirely over, but most of Colombia is
now safe. Families are taking car trips again, and
Play it's by definition absorbing. The outcome every time theres a three-day weekend, or longer
is always uncertain. Play makes children nimble
vacation, the streets of the capital, Bogot, are
neurobiologically, mentally, behaviorally
almost empty, as everyone rushes to get out to
capable of adapting to a rapidly evolving world.
the countryside. Nonetheless, people still dont
That makes it just about the best preparation for
generally let their kids play in their neighborhoods,
life in the 21st century. Psychologists believe that
away from the safety of their own patio. Or they
play cajoles people toward their human potential buy homes in gated communities, which allow
because it preserves all the possibilities nervous
their children to play in a larger area, fenced
systems tend to otherwise prune away. It's no
off from outsiders. But these are not designed
accident that all of the predicaments of play the to provide kids vacant lots to explore or trees
challenges, the dares, the
to climb; rather, they
races and chases model
have sidewalks and small
the struggle for survival.
playgrounds with a swingset,
Her occupational therapy
Think of play as the
perhaps a jungle gym.
future with sneakers on.
business is booming, she
In my own complex,
Hara Estroff Marano,
believes, because so many
theres a little playground.
Psychology Today
But kids arent supposed
of todays children live
to play there without adult
inside a good ninety
I have a friend who
supervision, and the grass
percent of their lives.
runs an occupational
under the swings is fake.
therapy clinic in the north
About the only unsupervised
of Bogot. Kids at her
play for my neighbors
clinic which by rights
kids is to ride their bikes
ought to be considered a gym play in sand boxes, around and around past manicured lawns.
draw on white boards with shaving cream, play
My occupational therapist friend believes that
on balance beams and swing on inner-tubes and
the absence of freedom to invent your own
various other bizarre-looking swings suspended
imaginative games, the inability to play in
from the ceiling beams. Bizarre, they may look, but nature, explore vacant lots and local creeks with
they also look like great fun, even to this grownup! other kids and without adult supervision is
She tells me is that when she was a child, she
producing children who dont develop physically
played in her neighborhood. I did that too. Like
the way they used to. Her occupational therapy
me, she had friends who lived on her block or
business is booming, she believes, because so
nearby, and every day, after school, theyd get out many of todays children live inside a good
of their school uniforms and into their play clothes ninety percent of their lives.
and run outside. They climbed anything climb I thought back on my own life. I grew up
able, ran, rode their bikes, jumped on and off
in northern Indiana, where summers were hot
rocks and low walls, organized impromptu games and sticky and winters, really snowy and cold.
of stick-ball, and engaged in all kinds of fantasy.
I remember spending hours tramping around my
But in the 1980s, things changed.
neighborhood all bundled up in a snowsuit, with
Colombia has been plagued by civil unrest
my sisters, friends or by myself, stomping through
since the 1950s, and during the 1980s the fighting the thin layer of ice that sometimes formed over
worsened. For a long time, fighting had been
several inches of snow, making snow people and
limited to the countryside and jungles, but it
forts, engaging in snowball fights, and sometimes
inevitably made its way into the cities. Along with just imagining myself in an adventure story I
the violence, leftist guerrilla forces and right-wing made up as I played. And in summer, we explored
military groups both began to kidnap adults and
vacant lots, climbed the catalpa tree a couple of
children and hold them for ransom, as a way to
blocks away, to survey what we considered to
finance their activities. As a result, parents stopped be our realm. We made bows and arrows out
allowing their children to play outside the home.
of sticks we found on the ground or stripped off
Along with free-range play, another long-standing small trees, rode bikes around for hours (trying
Colombian tradition disappeared. For decades city hard to avoid the more aggressive dogs who often
dwellers had been accustomed to taking weekend
chased us, snapping at our shoes), and lay in tall
and school vacation trips out to the
grass to stare at clouds, imagining
countryside, staying in small towns,
their changing shapes were the
where rooms and meals were cheap,
characters of stories we invented
or at family farms near rivers and
effortlessly. How different from my
lakes, where their children could
own childrens lives, during a later
enjoy free play close to or right in
time when parents felt it necessary
the arms of tropical nature. This too,
to warn their children not to speak
became a dangerous activity, because
with strangers, to shout NO! and
many of the kidnappings and even
(continued on the next page)
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THE DYSLEXIC READER
8
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Bannewitz
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Sonja Heinrich
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Workshop Presenter
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Havixbeck/Mnster
+49 (02507) 57 04 84
Ioannis Tzivanakis
also Specialist Trainer
also DDA-DACH Director
Berlin +49 (030) 66 30 63 17
Ulrike von Kutzleben-Hausen
Deisslingen +49 (07420) 33 46
Rescuing Childhood - continued from page 7
But Sobel also sees an incipient countermovement, focusing on nature-based education

which he hopes may rescue childhood from our
damaging educational policies.
Over a hundred years ago, exemplary
kindergarten curricula included such fuzzy
activities as observation of the sun, the moon,
the stars, the sky, the clouds, rain and snow
shadows indoors and out-of-doors care of
living animals, [such as] a kitten learning
names of natural objects. Sobel visited an
out-door kindergarten on a farm outside
Boston called Waldkindergarten, where
children spend 90% of their day outside,
even in the dead of winter.
run away if an adult in a car spoke to them on

the walk home from school, threw away all the
caramel apples and home-made treats, and took
Halloween candy to be x-rayed before allowing
their kids to eat any of it. No civil war in the USA,
but much has changed.
My therapist friend has referred a number of
children to me for Davis Dyslexia Correction
Programs over the years, and when I talk with
them, I find her perception of modern life is true
for nearly all of them. They live their home lives
mostly inside; and their school lives are the same.
I worry about many of them, who do so well
during their Programs, but must return to the
The children meet their teachers at a bread oven
same environments.
adjacent to the farm administration building. They
And Ive been particularly worried about
never go inside, and when everyone is there, they
whats been happening to kindergarten and pretrundle back into the woods. On the way some get
schools in the United States and in Colombia,
distracted tossing sticks
which always looks north
into a marshy stream.
and tends to model its
One teacher takes the time
education on ours. Im
The problem-solving that
to linger here while the
always watching the school
occurs in play may promote
other children and teachers
reform movement, but
head around the corner.
executive functioning
with kindergarten now, its
The outdoor classroom
a higher-level skill that
personal, because I have
is a sun-dappled acre
two lovely twin grandsons
integrates attention
of towering pines with
approaching school age.
and other cognitive
smaller, scattered oaks.
Most of the time what
functions such as planning,
There are a couple of log
I read about todays
organizing, sequencing, and
circles, a low balancekindergartens reveals that
decision-making.
beam structure, some
our schools are requiring
homemade hobbyhorses,
five-year-olds to work on
and a bakery a
many things I consider
sandpile with lots of
drastically age-inappropriate, almost Dickensian.
kitchen equipment, a digging pit, and childSo I was particularly interested when I encountered
sized rough-hewn tables. The centerpiece is a
the article, You Cant Bounce Off the Walls If
There Are No Walls: Outdoor Schools Make Kids storybook cottage with a steep-pitched roof.
I wonder when were going to get out of the
Happier and Smarter, by David Sobel.
cold. But we dont Instead, the children
The original kindergarten the childrens garden convene in a circle on the ground and sing
conceived by German educator Friedrich Froebel chants and rhymes.
in the 19th century, was a place where children
The children perform real tasks, preparing
learned through play, often in nature. That idea is
snacks, collecting kindling, raking. And these tasks
fast eroding. Children arent playing in the garden
lead to many different kinds of play, digging in a clay
anymore; instead theyre filling in bubbles on
pit, whispering secrets to tree trunks, creating acorn
worksheets. Kindergarten is the new first grade.
creatures to perform in plays the children imagine
Its teachers are required to focus on a narrowing
range of literacy and math skills; studies show that and put on for their peers and teachers. Sobel also
visited the Dode Nature Preschool, in St. Paul:
some kindergarteners spend up to six times as
much time on those topics and on testing and test It is designed to look like a cottage in lake
prep than they do in free play or choice time, country. Just inside the front door, theres a family
area around a fireplace with comfy Craftsman
Sobel refers to the indoor-ification of early
couches and overstuffed pillows. Each classroom
childhood activities around so-called teacherhas lots of nooks and crannies that support
proof, scripted lessons monitored by supervisors
and experts to ensure teachers as well as students different kinds of activities, a plumbed table that
allows children to play with water, numerous
stay focused on academics; drastically reduced
windows, and direct access to the outdoors.
time for free play or centers that children can
During the first part of the morning some children
choose freely; such an intense focus on academics
build with blocks, others make paper dolls, a few
that theres very little time for teachers to follow
the interests of the children; and the elimination or make believe they are dinosaurs. There is a healthy
snack of apples, crackers, and honey followed
reduction of recess and even physical education,
by reading aloud from a picture book about the
in spite of our understanding that children need
wind and play-acting based on a story a child
exercise and movement in order to develop
properly.
THE DYSLEXIC READER
What Cant Be
Measured
Ive seen lists like these on the internet for

several years, ever since corporate reform of
education began sweeping across the country.
Such lists are all similar, and make a similar
point. After all, where do any of us acquire these
By Laura Zink de Daz,
and other traits? We learn them from the people
Davis Facilitator in Cajic, Colombia
we interact most with: our parents, neighbors,
teachers, siblings and friends. And we learn them
One sees clearly only with the
from the stories our culture tells us: fictional stories
heart. What is essential is invisible of lovers, heroes, villains, and cowards, true-life
stories of admirable people who came before us,
to the eye.
in novels, movies, poetry, myths, comic books,
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupry
television shows, listening to our elders recount
their experiences
In fact, every experience we have, in and out of
school, lived or communicated to us, by voice, on
big and small screens, in texts, from the time were
High-stakes standardized test scores are among born until were laid to rest at the end of life, leads
the strategies du jour in corporate education
us to become who we truly are. A standardized
reform. They assign numbers to children and
test score even a stack of them accumulated over
reformers purport that those numbers define who
all the years of our formal schooling is far too
children are academically, as if their academic
limited in scope to detect the essential truth of
progress were the only important thing about
who we are becoming, or how valuable we will
them. In some states, those test scores determine
ultimately be to society or to those who meet us.
whether children proceed to the next grade, or
And yet, weve allowed our children to be
must stay behind. In others, the plan is that those
subjected for ten years or more to an educational
same test scores will determine whether teachers
experiment, led by people who know nothing
keep their jobs, or lose them.
about teaching. Its an experiment which assumes
Some believe that high-stakes standardized
that we can produce better people, if we hold
testing is essential, on the assumption that if
them to higher standards, define the standards
children havent learned the basics taught in
in excruciating detail, and then, just as carefully,
whatever grade theyre in, theyll be unprepared
monitor students academic progress, holding some
for the next level. This belief assumes that grade
back on the assumption that if we just demand
level is tightly defined. But in fact, grade levels
more, theyll eventually comply.
reflect an average level of performance there are
This has all been tried before, many times, in
always those who exceed the average, and those
many places, though never with the precision of
who dont reach it and because grade levels are
the computer age, and perhaps never under the
a range, rather than a point, children of varying
influence of so many corporate powers, filling their
ability can function in the same class. High-stakes
coffers with billions off this effort. But it has never
testing pretends that this truth doesnt exist, and
resulted in a better human product. We are none
punishes children for conforming to human reality. of us raw material to be fashioned into perfectly
Standardized tests cant tell us anything about
functioning end products. We are imperfect,
the characteristics that are most important to
short-sighted creatures, for whom easy solutions
society. Heres an incomplete list of characteristics to complex problems hold great appeal. And our
every society needs and appreciates in its members, societies reflect our flaws.
characteristics that cannot be revealed in the scores We do not bring children into the world to be
children receive on standardized tests.
products of a system that requires compliance
with standards set by those who think that
Kindness
Courage
while their own children learn enthusiastically in
Humility Generosity
private schools, the children of the rest should be
Creativity Imagination
engineered, like widgets, in schools that focus on
career readiness and obedience to norms. That is
Sticktoitiveness
Strength of Character
the stuff of apocalyptic science fiction. That stuff
Critical Thinking
Flexibility
has nothing to do with the characteristics we most
Resourcefulness
Spirit
Resilience Spontaneity value, the virtues all philosophies and religions
encourage us to aim for. I dont know about you,
Sense of Beauty
Sense of Wonder
but in my life, Ive found just as much talent,
Motivation Persistence
wisdom and kindness among relatively uneducated
Leadership
Compassion
acquaintances, as I have among those whose
Curiosity
Sense of Humor
elementary school test scores were undoubtedly
Civic-Mindedness
Empathy
top notch.
Adaptability
Endurance
Theres a growing movement of resistance
Self-Awareness
Self-Discipline
against the corporate reform of education and its
high-stakes, mass testing regime. In some states
Reliability
Enthusiasm
families can opt their children out of this kind
v Germany/Deutschland
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THE DYSLEXIC READER
10
Nonverbal Learning
Disorder or Dyslexia?
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Q: I am a educational counselor at a high school,
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Anne Guignard
Fentange
+352 (27) 767 872
Nadine Roeder
Luxembourg
+352 691 30 0296
Eugenie Schares
Bascharage
+352 (621) 625 626
v Malaysia
Hilary Craig
Kuala Lumpur
+60 (36) 201 55 95
v Mexico
Magarita Saucedo Alvarez Icaza
San Jos Insurgentes DF
+52 (55) 35 38 52 40
Katharine Aranda Vollmer
Ciudad de Mxico
04 45532 007153
Silvia B. Arana Garca
Mexico, D.F.
+52 (55) 5135-5457
Cathy Caldern de la Barca
also Davis Workshop Presenter
Mxico D.F.
+52 (55) 5540-7205
Mara Silvia Flores Salinas
also DDA Director
Garza Garca Monterrey NL
+52 (81) 8378 61 75
by Abigail Marshall
helping the students get better results using

different strategies. Lately students are being
diagnosed with Nonverbal Learning Disorder
(NLD). What is the difference between dyslexia
and NLD?
A: Dyslexia is generally classified as a language-
based processing issue. In traditional terms, that

means that the dyslexic person has difficulty
mentally processing the sounds of language, which
in turn makes it difficult to apply and use phonetic
strategies to develop reading skills. Or as we
would put it most dyslexic individuals think
in pictures rather than words, which makes it
difficult to gain meaning from text.
NLD, nonverbal learning disorder (see: http://
www.nldontheweb.org/), stems from a difficulty
Q: How is the Focus tool in the Young Learners
outside the domain of language. In theory you
Program different from the Alignment used in the
would expect an opposite pattern from dyslexia;
Davis Dyslexia Correction Program for orientation? the NLD student should be strong where the
I noticed on your videos that the children use their
dyslexic student is weak, and weak in areas of
real hands to re-establish focus.
dyslexic strengths.
In practice, individual learning profiles are
far more complicated, and the label attached
A: Davis Focus is the same as Alignment but
to the child may depend somewhat on who is
uses slightly different language for instructions
doing the testing and what problems seem most
and reminders. The language for the Focus
procedure was developed for the needs of teachers prominent. So it is quite possible that the child
working in a group context with younger children, could display overlapping symptoms and a mix
of characteristics.
so the instructions are simplified and designed to
That is one reason we feel it is important
use words that would be understandable to
to look at a child's learning strengths as well
a 5-year-old, and also language that teachers
as weaknesses. If we look at areas of strength,
will be comfortable using.
instead of a label tied to a weakness, we can tailor
You probably have seen a video from one
school that shows children crossing their hands on teaching to those strengths.
With the Davis approach, we focus on helping
their chests or shoulders when doing Focus. That
find solutions to the specific learning problems
hand gesture is not a Davis-taught procedure but
of the student, whatever the label. Many of the
rather one that the teachers chose to use for that
symptoms you will find listed for NLD are also
particular school, so you would not necessarily
common traits of dyslexia. I think this is because
see the same gestures used in other schools. It
the categories of language-based learning difficulty
is generally useful for teachers to be able to use
vs. NLD are overly broad and simplistic: they fail
hand signals or gestures, so that they can look at
to account for the complexity of the human brain
the children in the classroom and quickly see if
there is a child who is not participating. The hand and thought processes.
As an educational counselor, I hope you will
gesture is as much as tool for the teacher as for
the children. The teacher cannot see what is going keep an open mind and focus on the individual
student and not the label. Again, look for
on inside each child's head, but she can easily see
strengths. All children will do better if they can
where each child has placed their hands.
feel successful for at least part of their school day.
In the context of working individually with a
You can help by suggesting strategies that allow
child, there would be no need for employing any
them to utilize their areas of individual strength.
sort of outward gesture, and use of such gestures
would be inappropriate because it could prevent
the person from using their tools. When working
individually with clients, Davis Facilitators always
As an educational
remind the child that their tools are their own,
counselor, I hope you will
and that no one else can see or know whether
keep an open mind and
they are oriented or aligned. The Davis Learning
Strategies program is geared to younger children
focus on the individual
aged 5 through 7. For an older child, the sense
student and not the label
of personal control and privacy becomes more
important.
Focus and Alignment
THE DYSLEXIC READER
Hands-On
11
v Mexico (continued)
Q: I teach third to fifth grade Special Education.
Most of my students have some type of learning

disability. I have read and love the book The Gift
of Dyslexia. While many of my students do not
have dyslexia, almost all of them respond well to
multisensory instruction. Im trying to find science
books or programs that provide multisensory
instruction. If you know of any resources for
this I would love to learn more about them.
A: Its wonderful that you are looking for ways to
integrate a multisensory approach into your science

instruction. We dont have a particular book or
program to recommend, but that is only because
there are so many possibilities for teaching science
that we wouldnt know where to begin to choose
a favorite. I would suggest that you simply look
for books or web sites with hands-on science
activities. You will find many to choose from.
If you can build your teaching around handon activities, you not only will be making your
teaching more engaging and multisensory, but
you can also lay a good foundation to prepare
your students for lab sciences in middle school
and high school. You can help them become
familiar with experimental design and the
scientific method and learn to use drawings
and notes to carefully document their
observations. One of my favorite resources
is the Exploratorium web site you will find many teaching
resources here:
exploratorium.edu/
education/designingteaching-learning-tools.
If you can build your teaching

around hand-on activities, you
not only will be making your
teaching more engaging and
multisensory, but you can also lay
a good foundation to prepare your
students for lab sciences in middle
school and high school.
Elaine Lions Ramirez

Veracruz
+52 (229) 152 1763
Maria Cristina Lopez-Araiza
Gonzalez Mxico, D.F.
+52 (55) 5536 5889
Ana Menndez Porrero
Puebla
+52 (222) 750 76 42
Lucero Palafox de Martin
Veracruz
+52 (229) 935 1302
IQ?
Q: Should an individuals IQ improve once he or
she has been through the entire Davis Dyslexia

Correction Program in a public school setting?
I believe that an authentic IQ cannot be obtained
if an individual is disoriented. I have presented all
of the DVD's and literature from Davis Dyslexia
International to my assistant superintendent.
Is there any documentation that shows the effects
of a Davis Program on IQ?
A: I agree with you that an IQ score would be
compromised if the student were disoriented

during testing. Additionally, we would expect
significant changes in results from a written
IQ test after the Davis Program, simply by
virtue of improvements in reading speed and
comprehension levels. Even on a test administered
orally, the improvements from a Davis Program
might also be expected to lead to improvements
on tests of vocabulary or verbal ability.
Unfortunately we do not have specific data
about IQ, simply because we do not typically
administer IQ testing. Rather, when post-program
testing has been done, the focus has usually been
on reading achievement levels.
Quotable Quotes
How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804 1881)
politician, novelist and British Prime Minister
The best reason to give a child a good school... is so that child will have a
happy childhood, and not so that it will help IBM in competing with Sony...
There is something ethically embarrassing about resting a national agenda on
the basis of sheer greed. Jonathan Kozol, American writer, educator, and
activist, best known for his books on public education in the United States.
Why not go out on a limb?
Isn't that where the fruit is?"
Frank Scully, (1892 1964)
American journalist,
humorist and columnist
Hilda Fabiola Herrera Cantu

Culiacan, Sinaloa
+52 81 6677 15 01 19
Always try to be a little

kinder than is necessary."
J. M. Barrie (1860 1937)
Scottish writer and dramatist,
best remembered as the
creator of Peter Pan.
M. Sylvia Salinas Gonzalez

Garza Garcia, NL
Lydia Gloria Vargas
Garza Garca Monterrey NL
+52 (81) 8242 0666
Mauro Salvador Villagomez Santana
Celaya Guanajuato
+52 (461) 614 9892
v Netherlands
Lloyd Christopher Blake
Rotterdam
+31 (10) 262 1664
Manja Bloemendal
Den Haag
+31 (70) 345 5252
Lot Blom
Utrecht
+31 (030) 271 0005
Trudy Borst
Best (Near Eindhoven)
+31 (0499) 471 198
Gerda Bosma-Kooistra
Ens +31 (6) 1334 6196
Jeannette Bruinsma
Amersfoort
+31 (63) 914 8188
Lieneke Charpentier
Nieuwegein
+31 (030) 60 41 539
Hester Cnossen
Veghel
+31 (495) 641 920
Aline de Bruijn
Sliedrecht
+31 (18) 441 5341
Judith de Haan
Heiloo (Near Alkmaar)
+31 (63) 078 6483
Mine de Ranitz
Driebergen
+31 (0343) 521 348
Nicole Dirksen-van de Bunt
Hertogenbosch
+31 62 133 8868
Marijke Eelkman Rooda-Bos
Gouda
+31 (0182) 517-316
Jolien Fokkens
Beilen +31 (0593) 540 141
Petra Franssen-Avramidis
Venray
+31 (0478) 511 837
Ina Gaus
Santpoort-Zuid
+31 (023) 538-3927
Jola Geldermans
Beverwijk
+31 (0251) 210 607
Perola Goncalves
Mara Hoop
+31 (06) 33 79 63 44
Jan Gubbels
Maastricht
+31 (043) 36 39 999
Judith Holzapfel
Deventer
+31 (0570) 619 553
THE DYSLEXIC READER
12
v Netherlands (continued)
Trudy Joling
Laren
+31 (035) 531 00 66
Marie Koopman
Bilthoven
+31 (030) 228 4014
Geertruida Kornman
Beverwk
+31 (62) 000 6857
Carry Kuling
Heemstede
+31 (0235) 287 782
Edith Kweekel-Gldi
Soest
+31 (035) 601 0611
Imelda Lamaker
Hilversum
+31 (035) 621 7309
Irma Lammers
also DLS Mentor, Autism
Facilitator Coach
Boxtel +31 (411) 68 56 83
Manon Meijer
Delft +31 (06) 1223 1062
Sjan Melsen
Arnhem +31 (026) 442 69 98
Els Neele
Utrecht +31 6 253 5060
Marianne Oosterbaan
Zeist +31 (030) 691 7309
Fleur van de Polder-Paton
Schiedam +31 (010) 471 58 67
Tjalliena Ponje
Arnemuiden
+31 06 12 888 365
Petra Pouw-Legne
also DLS Mentor-Trainer
also Mentor-Presenter
Beek +31 (046) 437 4907
Karin Rietberg
Holten +31 (548) 364 286
Lydia Rogowski Wijnberg
Helmond +31 (0492) 513 169
Hanneke Schoemaker
Wageningen
+31 (0317) 412 437
Silvia Jolanda Sikkema
also DLS Mentor
Drachten
+31 (0512) 538 815
Suzan Sintemaartensdijk
Akersloot
+31 (25) 131-26 62
Marja Steijger
also Davis Supervisor-Specialist
Amstel
+31 (020) 496 52 53
Robin Temple
also Specialist Trainer
also DDA Director
Maria Hoop
+31 (0475) 302 203
Kirsten Theeuwen
Eibergen
+31 (545) 286 828
Romina Toroz
Utrecht +31 (61) 280-1821
Jeannet Uiterwijk-Booij
Almere +31 (61) 148 0885
Mieke van Delden
Leek +31 (059) 4514985
Agnes van den Homberg-Jacobs
America Limburg
+31 (077) 464 23 22
Annette van der Baan
Amsterdam
+31 (020) 420-5501
Annemarie van Hof
Utrecht +31 (030) 65 86 700
Hilde van Westrhenen
Delft +31 (610) 681 605
Recent
Recommendations
from The
Lazy Reader
Book Club
By Danny Brassell and Laura Zink de Diaz
Every month at Danny Brassells website,
The Lazy Readers Book Club, youll find
a list of books he recommends for reluctant
readers or for those who just dont have time
for much reading. (He knows were not lazy,
just busy or in need of encouragement!)
Dannys recommendations are always
organized into categories: AD, for adults;
YA, for young adults; CH, for childrens
books. He always lists a page count and
some brief comments, as below. Danny
usually posts about 10 recommendations
per month, three or four per category.
Heres a sampling of Dannys most recent
recommendations in all three categories.
You can read more recommendations at
the website, www.lazyreaders.com. There
youll not only find Dannys current picks,
but the archives of past selections by month,
reading level, and page count enough
recommendations for a lifetime of reading!
You can also sign up for monthly book
alerts, while youre browsing.
If you purchase books at Amazon.com
through links at the Lazy Readers website,
Bookends (www. bookends.org) will receive
a donation. (Bookends is a nonprofit
organization devoted to increasing childrens
access to books, as well as community
service awareness.)
Washington
Schlepped Here
by Christopher Buckley
Adult
160 pages
Publisher: Crown, 2003
ISBN-10: 1400046874
ISBN-13: 978-1400046874
Buckley is exactly the author to turn to if

you are in a bad mood and want a hearty
laugh. I wish he had written this book before
I attended college in Washington, D.C., as I
completely relate to the hidden treasures
and humor lining the streets of our nations
capitol. A fun and informative read.
Dont Sweat the

Small Stuff And Its
All Small Stuff
by Richard Carlson
Adult
272 pages
Publisher: Hyperion, 1996
ISBN-10: 0786881852
ISBN-13: 978-0733800849
This book is a little over my (250) page

limit. But the pages are small and the font
is big, so give me a break! We can all use
a great reminder early in the year to stop
taking ourselves and everything around us
so seriously. As Bobby McFerrin said: dont
worry, be happy!
Davis Dyslexia Association Bookstore

Books & Tools for Doing it on Your Own
The Gift of Dyslexia:

Why Some of the Smartest
People Cant Read and How
They Can Learn
Davis Young Learner

Kit for Home-Use
Provides parents with the

instructions and materials needed
to provide 5-7 year olds with
effective and fun learning
strategies for improving prereading and language arts skills.
Young Learner Kit for
Home-Use $129.95
(Revised and Updated 2010 edition)
Features a new Foreword by Dr. Linda

Silverman and two new chapters on
Davis methods for
correcting Dyslexia.
$15.95 Softcover
DVD/AUDIO CD SOFTWARE
I Can Do It The Confidence to Learn
Dyslexia The Gift
I Can Do It The Confidence to Learn

Teachers, parents, school administrators, and
students speak about the many benefits of
using Davis Learning Strategies at Vale
Elementary School in Oregon.
DVD $9.00 (running time: 12 minutes)
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.

DVD $39.95
Gift of Dyslexia Audio CD Set

This 4 CD set contains full narration
of The Gift of Dyslexia,
read by author Ron Davis.
4-CD Set $29.95
Unlocking the Power of Dyslexia

A 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 think
and perceive, what causes dyslexia, and what occurs during and after a Davis Program. DVD: $8.00 (Run time: 18 minutes)
Davis Dyslexia Correction Orientation Procedures
This detailed instructional DVD provides demonstrations of each of the Davis procedures for assessment and orientation
described in The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning. These methods help focus attention, eliminate perceptual
confusion, improve physical coordination, and control energy levels. DVD: $85.00
Davis Symbol Mastery and Reading Exercises
Features 27 examples of Facilitators and clients using the Davis Symbol Mastery Kit and practicing the Davis Reading
Exercises. Included are mastering the alphabet, punctuation marks, pronunciation, and words; and reading exercises
to build visual tracking and whole word recognition skills, and to improve reading fluency and comprehension.
(This DVD is included with Davis Symbol Mastery Kit) DVD: $85.00
NEW!
Davis Orientation and Symbol
Mastery Home Kit
Already have a copy of the

The Gift of Dyslexia? If you already
have the 2010 edition of the book
(blue cover), you can choose to
substitute another book!
Each kit comes with a sturdy nylon shoulder bag

and includes:
Davis Dyslexia Correction is a comprehensive Ron Davis' book, The Gift of Dyslexia
Davis Dyslexia Correction Orientation Procedures DVD
approach to dyslexia, which simultaneously
Davis Symbol Mastery Manual and Checklist
provides tools for attention focus, resolving
Davis Symbol Mastery & Reading Exercises DVD
perceptual confusion, and building reading
Reusable Modeling Clay (2 lbs.)
skills. That Davis Orientation tools give
Children's Dictionary - (Hardcover)
students the ability to sustain attention in
Checking Your Grammar (Softcover Book)
a relaxed and natural way. Davis Symbol
Laminated Alphabet Strip
Mastery is a visual-spatial learning process
Stop Signs for Reading Chart
that improves anyone's basic literacy skills.
Punctuation Marks and Styles Booklet
The Davis approach is fun and engaging,
Letter Recognition Cards
even for young children.
Pronunciation Key Cards
Set of 2 Koosh Balls
Deluxe Kit $249.95 NEW!
THE DYSLEXIC READER
BOOKS FOR CREATIVE LEARNING
The Gift of Learning

by Ronald D. Davis,
Eldon M. Braun
Expands the Davis Methods

with theories and correction
procedures that address
the three basic areas of
learning disability other than
reading, which children and
adults experience.
Softcover
$13.95
El Don de la Dislexia
The Gift of Dyslexia
in Spanish.
Newly revised with
additional chapters,
illustrations and
photographs.
Published in Spain
by Editex
Softcover $28.95
Picture It!
by Betty Maxwell
and Crystal Punch
This 250-page illustrated book is
full of practical tips and advice
for working with students who
learn best through visual or
hands-on activities.
Softcover $19.95
REFERENCE BOOKS
Gabby's Wordspeller
by Diane Frank
How do you find a word in the dictionary
if you have no idea how to spell it? With
this book! Lets you look up words by their
phonetic spelling to find its correct
spelling.
$25.95 Softcover
The Everything Parent's

Guide to Children with
Dyslexia: Learn the Key
Signs of Dyslexia and
Find the Best Treatment
Options for Your Child
by Abigail Marshall
A must read for every parent
who knows or suspects their
child has dyslexia.
Second Edition
Softcover $15.95
MATH BOOKS
Barrons 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
Math Dictionary
by Carol Vorderman
Ages 7 to 12. More than 300
entries on words, phrases,
and concepts used by gradeschool students in math class
and in their lives.
$14.95
AU T I S M B O O K S
Understanding
Controversial Therapies
For Children with
Autism, ADD and Other
Learning Disabilities
by Lisa Kurtz
A comprehensive guide to
just about every outsidethe-box therapy you might
run across, and then some.
An absolutely essential
reference for anyone
who wants to know and
explore available options.
Softcover: $17.95 $19.95
THE DYSLEXIC READER
The Everything Parents

Guide to Children with
Autism: Know What to
Expect, Find the Help
You Need, and Get
Through the Day
by Adelle Jameson Tilton
From finding support groups
to planning for their child's
future, this book provides
parents with all the
information they need to
ensure that their childs and
their families needs are met.
Softcover: $13.45 $14.95
Ten Things Every Child With

Autism 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 $19.95
A Parents Guide to
Asperger Syndrome
& High Functioning
Autism
by Sally Ozonoff,
Geraldine Dawson and
James McPartland
An indispensable guide
packed with real-life
success stories, practical
problem-solving ideas,
and matter-of-fact advice.
Softcover:
$13.25 $14.95
Born on a Blue Day
by Daniel Tammet
First-person account
of living with synesthesia
and savantism, a rare
form of Aspergers
syndrome.
Softcover $9.80 $14.00
AUTISM AND THE SEEDS OF CHANGE

Achieving Full Participation
in Life with the Davis
Autism Approach
by Abigail Marshall, with Ronald D. Davis
An in-depth look at a revolutionary
approach to empower individuals with
autism, and provide the understanding
and tools needed to achieve their full
potential. The Davis Autism Approach
is uniquely geared to the autistic
perspective, and enables each person
to make sense of their world and the
motivations and behaviors of others
around them.
This book explores the history of
development of the Davis method,
explores its connections to emerging
scientific research, and takes the
reader on a guided journey through
the three phases of the program:
Individuation, Identity Development,
and Social Integration.
Softcover $17.95
KIDS CORNER
Charlie's Challenge
by Ann Root & Linda Gladden

This richly illustrated story offers
a positive view and encouraging
news for youngsters struggling in
school. Geared to ages 5-9.
Softcover $13.45 $14.95
How To Order
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Burlingame, CA 94010
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Phone
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ORDER FORM
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TOTAL
DAVIS DYSLEXIA MATERIALS

Unlocking the Power of Dyslexia DVD............................$8.00
Davis Dyslexia Correction Program DVD.........................$8.00
Davis Orientation Procedures DVD.............................. $85.00
Symbol Mastery & Reading Exercises DVD.................. $85.00
I Can Do ItThe Confidence to Learn DVD....................$9.00
The Gift of Dyslexia 2010 Edition................................. $15.95
The Gift of Learning..................................................... $13.95
Dyslexia-the Gift DVD.................................................. $39.95
Gift of Dyslexia Audio CD Set...................................... $29.95
Gift of Dyslexia - Spanish Edition................................. $28.95
Davis Orientation and Symbol Mastery Home Kit....... $249.95
NEW!
OTHER BOOKS FOR REFERENCE & LEARNING
NEW!
Autism and the Seeds of Change................................. $17.95
Barrons Math Dictionary............................................. $14.99
Born on a Blue Day.......................................... $9.80 $14.00
Charlies Challenge ....................................... $13.45 $14.95
Checking Your Grammar.................................................$8.99
Childrens Dictionary.................................................... $19.95
Everything Parents Guide To Autism.............. $13.45 $14.95
NEW!
Everything Parents Guide To Dyslexia......................... $15.95
Gabby's Wordspeller.................................................... $25.95
Math Dictionary............................................................$14.95
Parents Guide to Asperger Autism................. $13.25 $18.95
Picture It!......................................................................$19.95
Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes................. $19.95
Understanding Controversial Therapies......... $17.95 $19.95
OTHER ITEMS
Young Learner Kit for Home Use ............................... $129.95
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THE DYSLEXIC READER
13
v Netherlands (continued)
Mieke Verhallen
Mierlo +31 (492) 43 05 04
Lia Vermeulen
Huizen +31 (062) 3671530
Christien Vos
Tolbert +31 (0594) 511 607
Gerda Witte-Kuijs
Heerhugowaard
+31 (072) 571 3163
Elisabeth Weterings-Gaaikema
Al Harkstede
+ 31 (623) 045 369
v New Zealand
A Wreath for
Emmett Till
by Marilyn Nelson
Young Adult
48 pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers,
2009
ISBN-10: 0547076363
ISBN-13: 978-0547076362
We need more poetry in our classrooms. As a
former history teacher, I especially appreciate
poems that educate people about important
moments in history. Nelson has collected
15 magnificent poems for students to read,
memorize, recite and discuss.
Two of Everything
by Lily Toy Hong

Children
32 pages
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company,
1993
ISBN-10: 0807581577
ISBN-13: 978-0807581575
A terrific Chinese tale to read aloud to your
little ones, as it follows the adventures of a
poor farmer who finds a magical pot in his
field. He soon discovers that magic can cause
problems! I GUARANTEE your kids will
enjoy this book.
Rochelle Booth
Wanganui
+64 (027) 306-6743
Kirsteen Britten
Christchurch
+64 (3) 348 1665
Vivienne Carson
Auckland
+64 (09) 520-3270
Catherine Churton
Auckland
+64 (09) 360 7377
Maria Copson
Dunedin
+64 (03) 479 0510
Ann Cook
Warkworth/Auckland
+64 (0) 9 422 0042
Melanie Curry
Christchurch
+64 (03) 322-1726
Angi Edwards
Whakatane
+64 (07) 308 6882
Martine Falconer
Christchurch
+64 (03) 383-1988
Wendy Haddon
Mosgiel
+64 (03) 489-8572
Sandra Hartnett
Wellington
+64 (4) 499 5658
Margot Hewitt
Kaiapoi
+64 (27) 455-7724
Alma Holden
Alexandra
+64 (027) 485-6798
The Wish List
by Eoin Colfer
Young Adult
232 pages
Publisher: Disney Hyperion, 2010
ISBN-10: 0786818638
ISBN-13: 978-0786818631
In this dark comedy by the author of the
popular Artemis Fowl series, a troubled
teen must help an elderly man accomplish
everything on his wish list. Touching funny
poignant.
That New Animal
by Emily Jenkins
Children
32 pages
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005
ISBN-10: 0374374430
ISBN-13: 978-0374374433
This one will have your kids rolling with
laughter before they go to bed, as it follows
two dogs who are none too happy about
that new animal in the house (a baby).
Charming story with lots of laughs and
wonderful illustrations by Pierre Pratt.
Glenys Knopp
Darfield
+64 (03) 317-9072
Leila Martin
Hawera Taranaki
+64 (027) 721-3273
Raewyn Matheson
Westown New Plymouth
+64 (06) 753 3957
Christine McCarthy
Waikanae Beach Kapiti Coast
+64 (2) 173 4795
Tania McGrath
Christchurch
+64 (03) 322 41 73
Shelley McMeeken
also DDA Director
Dunedin +64 0274 399 020
Linda McNaughten
Dannevirke
+64 (6) 374 1575
Colleen Morton
Gore +64 (03) 208 6308
THE DYSLEXIC READER
14
v New Zealand (continued)
Jocasta Oliver
Paraparaumu Beach
+64 (4) 904 4162
Wendy Person
Hastings
+64 (06) 870 4243
Janet Pirie
Raumati Beach Wellington
+ 64 (04) 298 1626
Alison Syme
Darfield
+64 (03) 318-8480
Lorna Timms
also Davis Workshop Presenter
also Autism Facilitator/Coach,
Training Supervisor &
Workshop Presenter
Christchurch
+64 (03) 363 9358
Cherone Wilson
Howick Auckland
+64 (21) 184 5047
Margot Young
Johnsonville
+64 (04) 478-2208
v Norway
Maria Olaisen
Lovund
+47 (9) 027 6251
Ragnhild Slettevold
Skjaerhalden
+47 413 12 509
Heida Karen Vidarsdottir
Lovund
+47 450 82 557
v Poland
Agnieszka ubkowska
Warsaw
+48 (46) 855 77 02
v Portugal
Sofia Vassalo Santos
Lisboa
+35 (191) 911-2565
v Republic of Singapore
Phaik Sue Chin
Singapore
+65 6773 4070
Constance Chua
Singapore
+65 6873 3873
v Russia
Mira Ashush
Moscow
+972 (3) 635 0973
Nina Gekhman
Moscow
+7 (495) 788 8386
Luba Niazov
Moscow
+972 54 476 6203 (Israel)
Nadezhda Popova
Moscow
+7 (495) 683 3182
Kalina Potyak
Moscow
+ 972 (52) 257 2783
Oxana Stein
Moscow
+972 (52) 223 5015
Maria Stulova
Moscow
+7 (916) 223 2727
The Utterly
Unsurprising Reasons
Kids Cheat In School
There is a corollary to Dr. Langs solution:

that for students to resist cheating, they must
believe in their ability to succeed. Rather than
the impersonal relationship between teacher and
students implied in many of the recommendations
of the Common Core, he encourages teachers to
In an article by Suzi Parker at Takepart.com
demonstrate to each child, especially to those who
(Jan. 8, 2014) titled, The Surprising Reasons Kids
struggle, that they believe in them. And through
Cheat In School, Ms. Parker reports on a recent
those relationships, teachers can help students
story in The Atlantic about cheating at the college
understand that honesty is the best policy, in
level. That story (Cheating Lessons: Learning From school and in their careers.
Academic Dishonesty) by Dr. James M. Lang of
Assumption College, claims that nearly threeYou can read the entire article at: news.yahoo.com/
quarters of college students cheat during their
surprise-reasons-kids-cheat-004041873.html
undergraduate careers.

Reform efforts have

promoted teaching
to the test, which
involves repetition,
memorization, and
stationary activity,
all of which can make
students bored and
restless.
v Philippines
Maria Catherine (Maricar)
Rivera Dizon
Pasig City
+63 (2) 475 6284
Although Dr. Lang recognizes that cheating is

usually attributed to the laziness of today's
students, their lack of a moral compass, or the
demands of a hypercompetitive society, his study
of cheating suggests that high stakes testing is the
more usual culprit: When certain tests can make
or break a student's future, cheating becomes a
rational response.
Dr. Lang suggests a solution based on the
growth mindset concept developed by Dr.
Carole Dweck. She encourages parents and
teachers to reward effort and persistence more
than achievement. Changing focus in this way
can develop in students the understanding that
intelligence and talent are developed through effort
and hard work, which in turn promotes a love of
learning and persistence in the face of failure.
Dr. Mark Naison, of Fordham University
agrees. He is the founder of the Badass Teacher
Association. Today the BATS, as they call
themselves, number about 37,000, and their focus
is on resisting the excessive testing promoted
by NCLB, Race to the Top and the Common
Core State Standards. Dr. Naison says that these
reform efforts have promoted teaching to the test,
which involves repetition, memorization, and
stationary activity, all of which can make students
bored and restless. Spontaneity, movement,
imagination, invention, are what most promote
student engagement Students who are bored feel
less connection to the teacher and therefore less
loyalty. So they are more likely to cheat.
Well, Duh
Its a given that kids who do well on

standardized tests tend to have high cognitive
ability. Next question: do standardized tests foment
high cognitive ability in all students? If they did,
we might be able to justify our obsession with
such tests on the basis that they might improve
our students abilities.
Not so. A recent study by Amy Finn, John
Gabrieli and their colleagues at MIT, Brown and
Harvard examined the standardized test scores of
about 1,400 8th graders in Boston. Here are some
of the results, as revealed in an article by Scott
Barry Kaufmans blog (December, 2013)
at scientificamerican.com:
Kids who already have high cognitive ability

tend to do well on standardized tests, because they
already have high levels of working memory,
processing speed, and abstract reasoning skills.
Cognitive ability predicts academic achievement
from 4th to 8th grade, but academic achievement
does not predict cognitive ability.
The school a student attends and the quality
of education, dont play a significant role in the
students cognitive ability, but do play a role in the
childs standardized achievement test scores.
Students who won placement in a charter
school based on an admissions lottery had higher
standardized test scores than those who didnt,
however there was no difference in cognitive ability
between those two groups.
THE DYSLEXIC READER
15
v Russia (continued)
Lora Zakon-Oran
Moscow +7 495-7888386
Just as measuring
your childs height
constantly wont
cause him to grow
faster, constantly
administering
standardized tests
wont make him
smarter.
Basically, this tells us what we already knew:

just as measuring your childs height constantly
wont cause him to grow faster, constantly
administering standardized tests wont make him
smarter. It also tells us that closing schools and
redistributing their students to other buildings,
including charter schools, may improve their test
scores, but its not a solution that will make them
any smarter. As with all things in education, the
question is: what is your objective? Higher test
scores? Kids with higher cognitive ability? Kids
who are happy, well adjusted, sensible and skilled
enough to be able to function well in society?
asking a teenager to perform well in a classroom

during the early morning is like asking him or her
to fly across the country and instantly adjust to
the new time zone and then do the same thing
every night, for four years.
Although parents almost always protest (and
sometimes the kids do too), a few school districts
have experimented with changing the start of
classes at the high school level to 8:30 AM or
even a bit later. The results are striking.
In Edina, Minnesota, at a mostly white, wealthy
suburban high school the number of on-campus
fights fell, fewer students reported feeling depressed
to their counselors, and the dropout rate slowed.
Coaches pushed back practice times until later in
the afternoon, and participation didnt suffer
The average SAT score for the top 10% of Edina
students rose from 1288 to 1500 out of 1600.

v Serbia
Jelena Radosavljevic
Kraljevo +381 (063) 76 28 792
v Spain
Silvia Bou Yss
Sabadell Barcelona
+34 (63) 770 9813
v South Africa
Axel Gudmundsson
also Fundamentals Workshop
Presenter
Western Cape
+27 (021) 783 2722
v Switzerland/CH
Tinka Altwegg-Scheffmacher
St. Gallen
+41 (071) 222 07 79
Monika Amrein
Zurich
+41 (01) 341 8264
Regula Bacchetta-Bischofberger
Horw/Luzern
+41 (041) 340 2136
Priska Baumgartner
Wettingen
+41 (056) 426 28 88
Renata Blum
Niedergosgen
+41 (079) 501 52 71
Susi Fassler
St. Gallen
+41 (071) 244 5754
Ursula Fischbacher
Orpund
+41 (032) 355 23 26
After seeing those results, a school in

Minneapolis, where the majority of students
come from minority families with income low
enough to qualify them for government-subsidized
school lunches instituted an 8:40 start time
for highschoolers. Their results were similar:
Minneapolis students grades improved, their
drop-out rates fell, and they attended first-period
classes more regularly.
In parts of the country other positive changes
OK, I know I seem to write often about sleep.
resulted. In Lexington, Kentucky, there was a 16
As a person with sleep apnea (ie., Im not a great
percent reduction in the number of teenage car
sleeper), its a fascinating subject for me. But it
accidents during a year in which teenage accident
should be for you too, because every year more
rates rose 9 percent for the state as a whole. In
information is revealed about how much we
Rhode Island, pushing starting times back a half hour
Americans abuse ourselves by not getting enough
resulted in a forty-five-minute increase in the average
good sleep. And if you have a teenager at home,
you should know about recent findings about sleep amount of time that the average student spent
sleeping. Our mornings are a whole lot nicer now,
for that age group.
the lead researcher of the study, whose daughter was
David K. Randall explains, in his book
a high school student, said at the time.
Dreemland: Adventures in the Strange Science of
Additional sleep may even reduce bullying at the
Sleep: As a teenage body goes through puberty,
elementary level. A 2011 University of Michigan
its circadian rhythm essentially shifts three hours
study tracked nearly 350 elementary school
backward. Suddenly, going to bed at nine or ten
children. About a third of the students regularly
oclock at night isnt just a drag, but close to a
biological impossibility. Studies of teenagers around bullied their classmates. Researchers found that the
children with behavioral issues were twice as likely
the globe have found that adolescent brains do
to have excessive daytime sleepiness or to snore,
not start releasing melatonin until around eleven
oclock at night and keep pumping out the hormone two symptoms of a persistent sleep disorder.
well past sunrise With all that melatonin surging Never underestimate the importance of a good
nights sleep!
through their bloodstream, teenagers who are
forced to be awake before eight in the morning are
You can read more about this at: http://www.
often barely alert and want nothing more than to
give in to their bodys demands and fall back asleep. brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/07/17/sleepand-the-teenage-brain/
Because of the shift in their circadian rhythm,
You can read the entire blog at: http://
blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautifulminds/2013/12/20/standardized-achievement-testswhat-are-they-good-for-hint-not-cognitive-ability/
Sleep, Again
(continued on the next page)
Antoinette Fluckiger
Mohlin
+ 41 (61) 854 4760
Heidi Gander-Belz
Fehraltorf/Zurich
+41 (44) 948 14 10
Katharina Grenacher
Liebefeld (near Bern)
+41(31) 382 00 29
Doris Rubli Huber
St. Gallen
+41 (071) 245 5690
Christa Jaeger
Riehen
+41 (061) 643 2326
Consuelo Lang
Lumino
+41 (091) 829 05 36
Claudia Lendi
St. Gallen
+41 (071) 288 41 85
Beatrice Leutert
Stein am Rhein
+41 (052) 232 03 83
Erika Meier-Schmid
Bonstetten
+41 (043) 536 1038
Yvonne Meili
Reinach
+41 (77) 415 69 46
Christine Noiset
Av. Floral, 11
1006 Lausanne
+41 (79) 332 27 75
Vronique Pfeiffer
Zrich
+41 (01) 342 22 61
Regine Roth-Gloor
Mohlin/Basel
+41 (061) 851 2685
Benita Ruckli
Ruswil
+41 (041) 495 04 09
or (079) 719 31 18
THE DYSLEXIC READER
16
v Switzerland/CH (continued)
Lotti Salivisberg
Basel
+41 (061) 263 33 44
Sonja Sartor
Winterthur
+41 (052) 242 41 70
Beatrix Vetterli
Frauenfeld
+41 (52) 720 1017
Andreas Villain
Zrich
+41 (71) 977 26 12
Margrit Zahnd
Gerolfingen
+41 (079) 256 86 65 or
(032) 396 19 20
Judith Zapata Prange
Basel
+41 (061) 721 7501
Claudia Ziegler-Fessler
Hamikon (Near Zurich)
+41 (041) 917 1315
v United Arab Emirates
Linda Rademan
Dubai
+9714 348 1687
v United Kingdom
Joy Allan-Baker
London
+44 (0757) 821 8959
Nicky Bennett-Baggs
Little Gaddesden, Herts
+44 (01442) 252 517
Amanda Bergstrom
Manchester
+44 (161) 256 3209
Lisa Cartwright
London
+44 (0773) 890-6500
Sarah Dixon
Ranmore Common, Surrey
+44 (01483) 283 088
Susan Duguid
London
+44 (0154) 853 1264
Dyslexia Correction Centre
Georgina Dunlop
Jane E.M. Heywood
Training Supervisor
also DLS Mentor & Presenter
Ascot, Berkshire
+44 (01344) 622 115
Nichola Farnum MA
London
+44 (020) 8977 6699
Maureen Florido
Harleston, Norfolk
+44 (01379) 853 810
Carol Forster
Gloucester
+44 (1452) 331 573
Ines Graefin Grote
Great Yarmouth Norfolk
+ 44 (1493) 393 208
Achsa Griffiths
Sandwich, Kent
+44 (01304) 611 650
Tessa Halliwell
Tugby Leicestershire
+44 (0116) 259 8068
Phyllida Howlett
Haverfordwest,
Pembrokeshire
+44 (01437) 766 806
Angela James
Reading, Berkshire
+44 (0118) 947 6545
In The News - continued from page 15
What Can't Be Measured - continued from page 9
of testing. In other states, parents cant opt them

out. Instead children themselves must refuse
to participate, if they dont want to be tested. In
every case, families are subjected to pressure to
conform, and allow their children to be tested.
Why? Because states have been coerced into
administering these tests in exchange for funding
their schools desperately need. If insufficient
numbers of children participate, the states lose
money. But every month more and more families
are deciding to keep their children home during
standardized testing, or request alternate in-school
activities. And a number of states have withdrawn
from their deal with the federal government,
Self-regulation forms an integral part of the Davis
realizing that ultimately, participation will cost
Programs. Release allows our clients to control
stress and anxiety. The Dial allows them to regulate them more than the funding they receive.
their energy level and emotional state. Both of these A couple have even rejected participation
tools help them in academic situations, but also in in some of the tests.
social situations by allowing them to calibrate their
state to correspond to the states of others.
At schools in the Surrey School District in
British Columbia, Canada, teachers are helping
kids learn to self-regulate in similar ways, using
different tools. Teachers have begun watching for
the stressors students are experiencing so they can
help them recognize what they need in order to be
calm enough to learn and work in class.
Stuart Shanker, distinguished research professor
of philosophy and psychology at York University,
believes Canadian children no longer know what it
means to be calm; they are over-stimulated and are
dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress,
defined as anything that makes the brain burn
excess energy. Studies in neuroscience have shown
that when a childs brain is overloaded, the thinking
part shuts off, a more ancient part of the brain
Im pleased to see resistance growing among
lights up and the child enters the more instinctual
mode, fight or flight. In that state, children literally families, schools, districts, and states. As resistance
spreads, teachers, who have been blamed for every
cannot hear you when you try to reason with
ill of society imaginable, gain the strength to fight
them. So Shanker has been training teachers to
back as well. A few months ago, in Seattle, an
teach their students strategies for self-regulation.
entire high school staff refused to administer a
For students who have become overly sensitive
useless test to their students. The school district
to sound, there are sound-blocking protectors on
fought them for a while, but eventually gave in.
the walls of the classroom and headphones so
students, when they realize that excessive sound is We need this kind of resistance in schools all
overwhelming them, can withdraw for a while into over the nation! With the help of parents and
the public, we may see it grow.
silence. Because physical activity is important for
There are many things that need to change in
self-regulation, some teachers take their students
Americas public schools. But there is no aspect of
on a run every morning.
the current reform effort that will help our children
The result of these and other strategies has
been an outbreak of self-discipline. The kids are develop the characteristics, virtues and values that
learning to be more aware of their physical, mental they and our society need most. No REAL change
will happen as long as we accept the notion that
and emotional states, and have begun to take
the best way to improve education is to make it
charge. Meanwhile, more and more schools and
punitive towards students and their teachers. What
teachers are interested in adopting self-regulation
we really need to see, are reforms that embody the
techniques. Its all moved so fast, says Shanker,
above list of values and qualities: you know, the
we havent had time to do the science. We will
do that now look at emotion, behaviour as well ones standardized tests cant assess! v
as academic outcomes.
Self-Regulation
You can read more about this at: http://news.

ca.msn.com/top-stories/self-regulation-techniquehelps-students-focus-in-class#scpshrjwfbs v
THE DYSLEXIC READER
17
v United Kingdom (continued)
Rescuing Childhood - continued from page 8
Liz Jolly
Fareham, Hants
+44 (01329) 235 420
Sara Kramer
London
+44 (0208) 251 7920
Marilyn Lane
Reigate Surrey
+44 078990 25401
Stuart Parsons
Lowton/Warrington, Cheshire
+44 (07754) 534 740
dictated that morning. For outside-time today, the

children and teachers trundle over to the farm to
pick out some new chickens for the tiny coop on
their playground The teachers scoop up hens
and slide them into willing childrens arms to test
the chickens amenability to being handled. These
children have hands-on contact with animals on
a daily basis.
Sobel assumes well wonder how kids who
start their schooling in environments like these,
can possibly do well once their parents enroll
them in conventional schools for first grade.
He quotes Lens on Outdoor Learning, by Wendy
Banning and Ginny Sullivan, who believe that
The many skills children develop through
play, particularly the self-control practiced and
refined in imaginary play, are related to longterm academic achievement.
Banning and Sullivan are undoubtedly right.
Hillary Burdette and Robert Whitaker wrote in the
Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine,
Like Sobel and many other parents, we might

wonder whether daily cold weather, wet feet, and
muddy clothes, might expose our precious kidlets
to illness. He ends his article with what seems to
me to be a very sensible comment:
This immersion in the natural world, this
feeling-at-one-ness, these eyes sparkling with fire.
Were learning that grit and stick-to-it-ive-ness
are some of the core character traits that
determine success in school and in life. Teachers
and parents of children in nature preschools and
forest kindergartens are finding that mastering
puddles is just as important as learning letters in
preparing children to find their way through the
smartboard jungle.
Not only that, but as I came rolling into the

kitchen after an hour or three in the snow and
slush at six or seven years old, all red cheeked
and soaked to the bone, Id probably have
replied to any questions about how I could
stand the cold and wet with
a shrug and a big toothy
The problem-solving that
smile! Thats exactly what
occurs in play may promote
Children cannot
Id like to see on the faces
executive functioning
bounce off the
of my grandsons, when they
a higher-level skill that
walls if we take
arrive home from school.
integrates attention and
Mr. Sobels article was
other cognitive functions
away the walls.
adapted from a forthcoming
such as planning, organizing,
book to be published by
sequencing, and decisionRedleaf Press. Since Id like to
making. Executive functioning
is required not only for later academic success but know much more about nature-based education
for very young children, Ill be watching for the
for success in those tasks of daily living that all
announcement of its publication.
children must master to gain full independence,
such as managing their belongings and traveling
Do read the rest of the article at: http://truth-out.
to unfamiliar places.
org/opinion/item/22808-you-cant-bounce-off-thewalls-if-there-are-no-walls-outdoor-schools-make And it turns out that outdoor play can also
kids-happier-and-smarter
mitigate symptoms of attention deficit disorder,
as well as behavior problems. As Erin Kenny
If you find the idea of nature-based education
of Cedarson Nature School in Vashon Island,
interesting, you may also be interested in
Washington wrote in her book on nature
Education: Class Dismissed, an article in
kindergartens, Children cannot bounce off the
Psychology Today by Hara Estroff Marano.
walls if we take away the walls.
Its about Sudbury Valley School in Framingham
Sobel also discusses a 1998 article in the
Massachusetts. It's every modern parent's worst
International Journal of Environmental Research
nightmare a school where kids can play all day.
and Public Health about a study that tracked
But no one takes the easy way out, and graduates
children from preschool to adulthood. The results
seem to have a head start on the information
suggest that theres a correlation between limited
age. This article can be found at: http://www.
free play time in childhood and misconduct and
psychologytoday.com/articles/200604/educationarrests in early adulthood.
class-dismissed v
Fionna Pilgrim
Keighley, West Yorkshire
+44 (1535) 661 801
Maxine Piper
Carterton, Oxon
+44 (01993) 840 291
Elenica Nina Pitoska
London
+44 (020) 8451 4025
Ian Richardson
Longhope Gloucestershire
+44 (01452) 830 056
Janice Scholes
Liversedge, West Yorkshire
+44 (0) 8000 272657
Caroline Smith
Moggerhanger Bedfordshire
+44 (01767) 640 430
Judith Shaw
St. Leonards on Sea/Hastings,
East Sussex
+44 (01424) 447 077
Elizabeth Shepherd
Crowborough, East Sussex
+44 (1892) 661743
Drs. Rene van der Vloodt
Reigate, Surrey
+44 (01737) 240 116
Evelyn White
Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
+44 (01932) 243 083
The Blueberry Center
Margarita Viktorovna Whitehead
also DDA Director
Richard Whitehead, MA MPhil
(Oxon), Dip.RSA(SpLD), PGCE
also DDA Director
also Supervisor/Specialist
also Advanced Workshop Presenter
also DLS Mentor & Presenter
+44 (0)1684 574072
Great Malvern, Worcestershire
+44 (8000) 27 26 57 (Toll Free)
v United States
Arizona
Dr. Edith Fritz
Phoenix
+1 (602) 274-7738
Nancy Kress
Gold Canyon
+1 (480) 544-5031
John Mertz
Tucson
+1 (520) 797-0201
California
Cyndi Cantillon-Coleman
Ladera Ranch/Irvine
+1 (949) 364-5606
Reading Research Council
Dyslexia Correction Center
Ray Davis
also Autism Facilitator/Coach,
Ronald D. Davis, Founder
Burlingame/San Francisco
+1 (800) 729-8990 (Toll-Free)
+1 (650) 692-8990
Anette Fuller
Walnut Creek
+1 (925) 639-7846
THE DYSLEXIC READER
18
v California (continued)
Angela Gonzales
Norco +1 (951) 582-0262
Richard A. Harmel
Marina Del Rey/Los Angeles
+1 (310) 823-8900
David Hirst
also Autism Facilitator Coach
Riverside
+1 (909) 241-6079
Suzanne Kisly-Coburn
Manhattan Beach
+1 (310) 947-2662
Dorothy (Dottie) Pearson
Vacaville
+ 1 (707) 334-7662
Cheryl Rodrigues
San Jose
+1 (408) 966-7813
David Carlos Rosen
San Rafael
+1 (415) 479-1700
Mika Seabrook
Santa Monica
+1 (310) 920-9517
Dee Weldon White
Lexie White Strain
Sunnyvale +1 (650) 388-6808
Colorado
Kelly Caramano
Fort Collins +1 (307) 221-3081
Janet Confer
Castle Rock +1 (720) 425-7585
Annie Garcia
Wheat Ridge/Denver
+1 (303) 423-3397
Crystal Punch
also DLSMentor
Centennial/Denver
+1 (303) 850-0581
Karen Johnson Wehrman
Denver +1 (303) 243-3658
Kristi Thompson
Walsh +1 (719) 529-5276
Florida
Random (Randee) Garretson
Lutz/Tampa/St. Petersburg
+1 (813) 956-0502
Tina Kirby
Navarre
+1 (850) 218-5956
Rita Von Bon
Navarre
+1 (850) 934-1389
Georgia
Dr. Yolanda Davis-Allen
Ft. Gordon
+ 1 (706) 772-5567
Lesa Hall
Pooler/Savannah
+1 (912) 330-8577
Martha Payne
Suwanee
+1 (404) 886-2720
Scott Timm
Woodstock/Atlanta
+1 (866) 255-9028 (Toll-Free)
Hawaii
Vickie Kozuki-Ah You
Ewa Beach/Honolulu
+1 (808) 685-1122
Idaho
Kelley Phipps
Fruitland
+ 1 (208) 949-7569
Carma Sutherland
Rexburg
+1 (208) 356-3944
An Elegant Reply
dyslexia are tied to creative mental strengths, but
he is not the only one. In addition to our web site,
I was approached recently by a very sweet,
Dyslexia the Gift, (www.dyslexia.com) you can
but woefully uninformed graduate student
also explore more about dyslexic gifts and talents
who asked me to share the names and contact
at http://dyslexicadvantage.com/
information of some of my clients. Shes part of
Lack of literacy is truly a disability in our
a team researching dyslexia. When I asked her
society, but the difficulties that dyslexic children
about the focus of the study, she used the terms
experience are largely a result of an educational
disability or disorder in her description of the
system that forces them to try to learn to read
research. After a long and friendly conversation
too early, using methods that are not suited to
I gave her a copy of The Gift of Dyslexia, and
their cognitive abilities and developmental path.
informed her that under no circumstances would
Educators who insist on using intensive instruction
I even ask my clients if they were willing to speak
based on teaching phonics and phonetic decoding
with a group of academics who currently only
to the exclusion of other methods tend to see
understand dyslexia as a disability. My clients
dyslexia as a disability, because their methods
have all heard more than
dont work. The use of the
enough of that point of
term disability is one way
view at school
to avoid having to admit
Dyslexia seems to
Meanwhile, a psychologist
that the problem is with their
result from an innate
exploring the dyslexia.com
methods, not the children
difference in brain
website submitted a comment
they are failing to teach.
development, but that
regarding the use of the
Another reason that we
difference goes hand
terms dyslexic children
dont see dyslexia as a disability
in hand with many
or dyslexic people in
is that we understand the keys
the readings there. This
to learning, and we are able
strengths and talents.
person reprimanded us,
to provide our clients with
saying that our language
effective tools for learning.
was ethically incorrect
We know that dyslexics can
and that we should instead say that such people
become capable, confident and enthusiastic readers,
have a condition, or disorder or a disability
and we can provide children and adults with the
named dyslexia.
needed tools to overcome their barriers over the
I wish that at the time I met with the graduate
course of a few days. Often the children who have
student, Id had with me a copy of the truly
been labeled as having the most severe dyslexia
excellent reply that DDAI Webmaster and
are the ones who show the most rapid progress
Information Services Director, Abigail Marshall,
with our approach.
sent to our critic. I hope he read it and took it to
Please consider the impact that your own choice
heart. And I hope you enjoy reading it, as Abigail
of language has on others. You seem to have
has kindly allowed us to reproduce it here.
adopted a politically correct way of framing
your language, but it is not right to say that it is
Dear S.,
ethically correct. I do not consider it ethical
to tell an intelligent and capable child that he has
We are very proud to be dyslexic we know
a disorder or a disability when I know that
that dyslexia is the result of a talent, not a defect or the problems the child experiences in school are
disability. No one would object to the term gifted solvable. Id much rather give that individual the
child or talented adult, so why object to the use tools to solve the problem.
of the adjective dyslexic?
You state that dyslexic is a disorder or a
Abigail adds: The psychologist replied very
disability. That is not our experience. Dyslexia
courteously to my email, but remained insistent of
seems to result from an innate difference in brain
his position. But a few days later I had the pleasure
development, but that difference goes hand in hand of attending a day-long scientific symposium cowith many strengths and talents. Ron Davis lists
sponsored by Dyslexic Advantage and the UCSF
eight basic talents that all dyslexics share, and says Department of Psychiatry, where about a dozen
that the true gift of dyslexia is the gift of mastery.
different researchers spoke about their explorations
See: http://www.dyslexia.com//library/gift-chapter- of the mental strengths and talents associated
one.htm.
with dyslexia. I noticed again and again that the
Ron Davis was one of the first to recognize that researchers were comfortable using the word
the reading difficulties typically associated with
dyslexic as a noun or adjective, and that the
by Abigail Marshall and Laura Zink de Daz
THE DYSLEXIC READER
19
Illinois
The use of the term
term dyslexics was also used

modifying prepositional phrase
"disability" is one
as a noun in the titles of their
(with), but my publisher
way to avoid having
published research. One of the
had a different view. They
to admit that the
speakers an astrophysicist
provided me with a very clear
named Matthew Schneps,
manual of style, and I was
problem is with their
(the Laboratory for Visual
happy to comply with their
methods, not the
Learning at the Harvardwishes. I did slip up a few
children they are
Smithsonian Center for
times in my writing, but the
failing to teach.
Astrophysics) explained
copy editors caught those
that he is himself dyslexic.
instances and corrected
He seemed quite proud to
them. I am very grateful for
describe himself that way!
the opportunity that my
Readers of my books about dyslexia (The
publisher provided to write those books, and
Everything Parents Guide to Children with
for the able assistance of my editors.
Dyslexia and When Your Child has . Dyslexia)
Interested in learning more about that
may notice that I use the with dyslexia phrasing symposium I attended? The sponsors plan to
throughout, and wonder why. The answer
post videos of all the presentations at youtube.com/
is simple: I personally am more comfortable
DyslexicAdvantage where videos from
using an adjective like dyslexic child than a
past conferences are already available. v
DAVIS TRAINING PROGRAMS

The Davis Facilitator Training Program
consists of eleven training steps, and requires
450 hours of workshop attendance, practice
meetings, and supervised field work.
The Davis Specialist Training Program
requires extensive 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.
The Davis Autism Approach Facilitator/Coach

Training Program is available to experienced
and licensed Davis Facilitators. It requires an
additional 200-250 hours of specialized training
and field work to become licensed to work with
autistic individuals and their families.
Davis Learning Strategies Mentors and
Workshop Presenters are experienced teachers
and trainers with 2-3 years of specialized training
and experience mentoring classroom teachers of
children 5-9 years of age.
For more information about training and a full directory of Davis providers,
visit: www.dyslexia.com/licensing.htm or www.dyslexia.com/providers.htm
or call +1 (650) 692-7141 or +1 (888) 805-7216 toll-free in the USA.
Kim Ainis
Chicago
+1 (312) 360-0805
Susan Smarjesse
Springfield
+1 (217) 789-7323
Indiana
Myrna Burkholder
Goshen/South Bend
+1 (574) 533-7455
Tina Kramer
Greensburg
+1 (812) 614-7614
Iowa
Mary Kay Frasier
Des Moines
+1 (515) 270-0280
Massachusetts
Karen LoGiudice
also Fundamentals Workshop
Presenter
Amesbury
+1 (978) 337-7753
Carolyn Tyler
Fairhaven
+1 (508) 997-4642
Michigan
Sandra McPhall
Grandville/Grand Rapids
+1 (616) 534-1385
Cinda Osterman, M. Ed.
Grand Ledge/Lansing
+1 (517) 652-5156
Molly Scoby
Greenville
+1 (231) 250-7260
Caralyn Tignanelli
Rochester
+1 (248) 701-1485
Minnesota
Cyndi Deneson
Edina/Minneapolis
+1 (888) 890-5380 (Toll-Free)
+1 (952) 820-4673
Tracy Johnson
Big Lake +1 (763) 250-0485
Missouri
Cathy Cook
Columbia
+1 (573) 819-6010 or 886-8917
Montana
Elsie Johnson
Manhatten
+1 (406) 282-7416
Nebraska
Elaine Thoendel
Chambers
+1 (402) 482-5709
Nevada
Robin Mangum
Caliente
+1 (775) 962-1104
New Hampshire
Glenna Giveans
Lebanon
+ 1 (603) 863-7877
Michele Siegmann
Mason/Manchester/Boston
+1 (603) 801-1247
New Jersey
Lynn Chigounis
Montclair +1 (973) 746-5037
Judith Buttram
Sewell +1 (609) 560-0289
THE DYSLEXIC READER
20
New Mexico
Melanie Schaub
Bosque Farms
+1 (505) 321-4486
New York
Lisa Anderson
Seneca Falls +1 (315) 576-3812
Wendy Niedermeier Russell
Byron +1 (585) 233-4364
North Carolina
Gerri W. Cox
also DLS Presenter-Mentor
Shallotte/Wilmington
+1 (910) 754-9559
Ruth Mills
Pineville/Charlotte
+1 (704) 541-1733
Jean Moser
Winston-Salem
+1 (336) 830-2390
North Dakota
Angie Bricker-Jones
Williston +1 (701) 660-8860
Ohio
Lorraine Charbonneau
Mason/Cincinnati/Dayton
+1 (513) 850-1895
Oklahoma
Ashley Grice
Tulsa
+1 (918) 779-7351
Rhonda Lacy
Clinton
+1 (580) 323-7323
Oregon
Nicki Cates
Portland
+1 (586) 801-0772
Rhonda Erstrom
Vale
+1 (541) 881-7817
Janell Warkentin
Keno
+1 (541) 647-0841
Pennsylvania
Marcia Maust
Berlin/Pittsburgh
+1 (814) 267-5765
South Carolina
Angela Keifer
Greenville
+1 (864) 420-1627
South Dakota
Kim Carson
Brookings/Sioux Falls
+1 (605) 692-1785
Texas
Kellie Antrim-Brown
Ft. Worth +1 (817) 989-0783
Success Learning Center
Rhonda Brown
Colleen Millslagle
Tyler/Dallas
+1 (866) 531-2446 (Toll Free)
+1 (903) 531-2446
Shari Chu
Helotes/San Antonio
+1 (210) 414-0116
Jodie Harber
Cedar Park +1 (512) 918-9247
Karen Hautz
Houston +1 (281) 501-9871
Lori Johnson
Boerne/San Antonio
+1 (210) 843-8161
Welcome Newly Licensed Davis Facilitators!

Judith Buttram Unique thinkers have
always intrigued me. I have met many unique
students during my career who were apparently
dyslexic and misunderstood by others. As a
licensed Davis Facilitator at Dyslexia In Hand
South Jersey, I will be able to help such persons
unlock their gifts. 21 Heart Lane, Sewell, New Jersey 08080,
USA +1 (856) 468 0803 judi@dyslexiasj.com
Meriel Chehab I am very interested in
languages, music and in how we learn. I worked

for two years in a French-run bilingual school in
Senegal and am currently teaching English in a
kindergarten school in Brest. I have four children,
one of whom is very dyslexic. After seeing him benefit from the
Davis Program, I hope that I will be able to help many other
people just like him. Dys et Dou, 86 Rue De Guilers, Brest
29200, France +33 (06) 1255 7188 famille.chehab@free.fr
Goedele Decuypere Huis Van Achilles,

Gruuthof 3, 8020, Oostkamp, Belgium
+32 (475) 817 192 welkom@huisvanachilles.be
Nancy Dosseh Lecturer French-English

in Education. 10 Bis, Route des 4 Pompes,
Brest F-29200, France +06 1770 7284
vivresadys@dosseh.com
Karen Gondet 13 Rue Victor Hugo, Bordeaux F-33200,
France +33 6 52 60 39 10 Karen.gondet@free.fr
Chantal Guyot Before starting Davis
training, I was an artistic director in media for

30 years. I decided to change direction, as I
myself suffered with dyslexia. I am happy to
share this method, which really changed my
understanding of dyslexia. I am thrilled to
show others this new way towards self-esteem and success.
Solution Dyslexie. 135 Rue de laqueduc, Bruxelles 1050,
Belgium +32 (04) 77 55 97 66 guyot.chant@gmail.be
Marie-Louise Habran Rue Du Limbourg 63, Liege

4000, Belgium +32 499 294 372 marilouhabran@skynet.be
Chelan Hermanson Box 2973, Wainwright, AB T9W
1S8, Canada +1 (780) 209 2525 chelanhermanson@gmail.com
Tracy Johnson I have been a licensed
elementary school teacher for fifteen years.

I discovered the Davis Dyslexia Correction
Program while searching for a solution for my
own son's struggles. After he completed the
program with positive impacts on his learning
and self-esteem, I felt moved to help others discover the
benefits of the Program. Im also motivated by the memory of
my own childhood struggles learning, and by the struggles of
many students I taught. Minnesota Learning Solutions. 19407
180th Ave. NW, Big Lake, MN 55309, USA +1 (763) 250 0485
mnlearningsolutions@gmail.com
Juana Lopez Le Jeune I am a

speech and language therapist, working In
English and Spanish in Belgium since 2006. I also
was a speech and language therapist in the UK
from 1990 to 2006 and a language therapist in
Colombia from 1986 to 1990. 6B Dreve des Tumuli, Bruxelles
1170, Belgium +32 498 720 250 lejeunejuana@gmail.com
Kathy Mahoney Ron Davis' book

The Gift of Dyslexia, showed that learning
disabled students are not broken, and can be
effective learners. I look forward to a rewarding
career as a Davis Facilitator offering clientcentred, drug-free solutions to learning challenges.
Finally, I know how I can help. 140 Broadway
Ave., Ottawa, Ontario K1S 2V8, Canada
+1 (613) 794 1756 kamahoney662@gmail.com
Laura Mazzocchitti Im a Child Psychologist,
specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of learning disabilities.

I work as a special education teacher and am involved in projects
for the prevention of learning disabilities in primary schools.
Stradone Di Roverzzano 30, Firenze 50136, Italy
+39 (338) 1511 295 lauramazzocchitti@alice.it
Manon Meijer There are two reasons
why I will love to work as a Davis Facilitator. First,

that I want all children to become aware of their
talents and how to use them. The second reason
is that my greatest hobby is reading, and I want
to give all children the same experience I have
when I read. Van Kinschotenstraat 5, 2614 XJ Delf,
Netherlands +31 (61) 223 1062 info@dyslexiedelft.nl
Cordelia Migliorini Via Del Saletto N. 2/5 Firenze

50142, Italy 347 900 5972 cordeliamigliorini@alice.it
Marie Pasquier I have a degree in
Musicology and taught at the primary level for

9 years. After taking parental leave for ten years
to raise my four children, I spent four years
teaching a dyslexic child. 13 Ale des Lotus,
Marseille 13013, France +33 (06) 0986 2403
ml.pasquierxlaprte.net
Rachel Pihrag When I was introduced to the Davis
Program, I had been working with children with developmental

delays for many years. After attending the first workshop I
knew I wanted to become a Licensed Davis Facilitator. I love
the program because it makes so much sense, and it allows
brilliantly gifted children and adults to shine. 295 Midpark Way
SE, Calgary, Alberta T2X2A8, Canada +1 (866) 685 0067
info@rockypointacademy.com
Melanie Schaub When my 9-year-old son struggled

with reading, spelling, and writing, I was desperate for
answers. A series of psycho-educational tests and research
revealed that he was dyslexic and and dysgraphic. A friend
recommended The Gift of Dyslexia by Ronald Davis. It was
as if Mr. Davis had written the book with my son in mind.
I quickly sought help from a licensed Davis Facilitator and
watched my sons reading improve and self-esteem soar!
PO BOX 1095, Peralta, New Mexico 87042, USA
+1 (505) 321-4486 riograndelearningsolution@gmail.com
Jan Stead My interest in Davis began with a desire
to help my bright son whose trouble learning the basics, created

frustration and low self-esteem. Ronald Davis book, The Gift
of Dyslexia, changed my life and my sons. I have an extensive
background in education working at all levels. My passion
is helping dyslexics recognize their gift and learn to use it to
realize their potential.. Dyslexia Unlocked, 16279 Horrocks
Highway, Gladstone, S.A. 5473, Australia +61 (4) 0488 398 788
janstead@mac.com
THE DYSLEXIC READER

Virginie Texier I discovered the Davis
Method after looking for a solution for my

childrens learning difficulties. I soon realized I
wanted to help others overcome their challenges
and improve their self-esteem. As a Davis
Facilitator I will help people become autonomous
and feel good about themselves, realizing that their so-called
faults are really gifts. 3 Rue de la Chapelle, Irodouer F-36850,
France +33 (06) 63 03 46 63 virginie.texier@dyslacile.com
21
Isabelle Thomas 171 Chemin
Texas (continued)
des Roches, Solaize 69360, France

+33 (06) 5106 6994 isa.bonnet.thomas@free.fr
Casey Linwick-Rouzer
Sugar Land/Houston
+1 (832) 724-0492
Carol Valet 21 Rue Franklin,
Frances Adaleen Makin

Greenville/DFW
+1 (903) 268-1394
Saint Germain-En-Laye 78100, France

+33 673 546 334 Rebondys@free.fr
!!!!!!!
Special congratulations to Marcia Maust of Pennsylvania.

She's now a licensed Davis Supervisor-Specialist! Well done!
Young Learner Kit

for Home-Use
Based on the Davis Dyslexia
Correction methods, this Kit
enables parents of children,
ages 5-7, to home-teach and
help young learners to:
focus attention
control energy levels
improve eye-hand coordination
learn the alphabet
learn basic punctuation
develop and strengthen pre-reading
and basic reading skills
prevent the potential of a
learning problem
improve sight word recognition
and comprehension
establish life-long how-to-learn
skills.
The Davis Methods

for Young Learners
Davis Focusing Strategies provide

children with the self-directed ability
to be physically and mentally focused
on the learning task at hand.
Davis Symbol Mastery enables
children to master the alphabet
letters, punctuation marks and
basic sight words with a simple,
easy and fun alternative to pencilpaper activities and drill.
Davis Reading Exercises improve
accuracy with word recognition
and comprehension.
The Kit is priced at $129.95

(Shipping and Handling will be added)
To purchase a kit, use our secure
on-line ordering at:
www.dyslexia.com/bookstore
or call our toll-free number:
1 (888) 999-3324
Note: for older children (ages 8 and up) we recommend
the Davis Orientation and Symbol Mastery Kit.
The Kit includes:

Instruction Manual
Sturdy nylon briefcase
Reusable modeling clay (2 pounds)
Clay cutter
Childrens Dictionary (hardcover)
Punctuation Marks & Styles Booklet
Two Koosh Balls
Letter Recognition Cards
Laminated Alphabet Strip
Stop Signs for Reading Chart
Paula Marshburn
Tyler +1 (903) 570-3427
Dorothy Owen
Supervisor/Specialist
Irving
+1 (817) 919-6200
Beverly Parrish
League City
+1 (281) 638-0297
Laura Warren
Lubbock +1 (806) 790-7292
Utah
Theresa Craig
St. George
+1 (435) 668-6937
Cynthia Gardner
American Fork
+1 (208) 409-9102
Virginia
Donna Kouri
Rockville
+1 (804) 240-0470
Angela Odom
Midlothian/Richmond
+1 (804) 833-8858
Jamie Worley
Blackburg
+1 (540) 552-0603
Washington
Elizabeth (Liz) Bertran
Lake Stevens
+1 (425) 231-9705
Aleta Clark
Seattle/Tacoma
+1 (253) 854-9377
Renie Royce Smith
Spokane
+1 (800) 371-6028 (Toll-Free)
+1 (509) 443-1737
West Virginia
Allison Boggess
Culloden
+1 (888) 517-7830
Gale Long
Elkview/Charleston
+1 (888) 517-7830 (Toll Free)
+1 (304) 965-7400
Wisconsin
Anne Mataczynski
Wausau
+1 (715) 551-7144
Marla Verdone
Janesville
+1 (800) 753-8147 (Toll Free)
v Uruguay
Marcela Piffaretti
Montevideo
+598 (2) 600-6326
This Directory is current

as of April 30th, 2014.
It is subject to change.
Between newsletter issues,
new Facilitators are added,
and occasionally, some
become inactive. However,
the Davis Providers list at
www.dyslexia.com
is always up to date.
THE DYSLEXIC READER
22
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:
Basic Workshop for

Primary Teachers
In the forefront of what I liked most was how easily the
Davis strategies fit into many areas of Kindergarten curriculum.
It relieved me of a paper-pencil approach and gave me a
hands-on, kinesthetic approach. It helped develop the little
finger muscles to move on to coordinate paper-pencil activities.
Creating the alphabet over time also accomplished the
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.
development of ownership, responsibility, and a sense
Materials include:
Elementary School, Fremont, California
a pride in all the children. I believe all Kindergarten children

would benefit from Davis Learning Strategies.
L
B, Kindergarten Teacher, Mission San Jose
Detailed Manual with suggested year-long guides,

black-line masters, and numerous tips for each
implementing each
Strategy in various curriculum activities.
Teacher Kit: alphabet strip, letter recognition cards,
clay, cutter, dictionary and two Koosh balls.
(Classroom materials sold separately)
2014 DATES & LOCATIONS

Date
June 17 - 18
Workshop hours: 9am-4pm with one hour lunch break

Cost: $595 per person
Early registration discount available (US only)
Academic Units or CEUs (US and Canada only)
Two Quarter Units are available through California State

University. Cost is $89 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.
Location Telephone
Denver, CO
+1 (719) 529-5276
June 18 - 19
Richmond, VA
+1 (804) 833-8858
June 19 - 20
Shallotte, NC
+1 (910) 754-9559
June 30 - July 1 San Francisco, CA
+1 (888) 805-7216
July 22 - 23
Brookings, SD
+1 (605) 692-1785
July 29 - 30
Brookings, SD
+1 (605) 692-1785
Oct 2 - 3
Tyler, TX
+1 (903) 531-2446
For more details and additional workshop dates please visit

www.davislearn.com
THE DYSLEXIC READER
23
The Gift of Dyslexia

Workshop
Materials included with workshop
Read the book?

Take the next step in helping others
correct dyslexia. Attend this workshop!
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
DAY ONE
DAY THREE
Background and Development of the Davis Dyslexia

Correction Procedures
Research and discovery. The gifts of dyslexia. Anatomy
and developmental stages of a learning disability. Overview
of the steps for dyslexia correction.
Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment (a screening for
dyslexic learning styles)
Demonstration and Practice Session
Symptoms Profile Interview (used to assess symptoms,
strengths and weaknesses; set goals; establish motivation)
Demonstration and Practice Session
Orientation Review Procedure

(a method for checking orientation skills)
Demonstration & Practice Session
Davis Symbol Mastery (the key to correcting dyslexia)
What is Symbol Mastery? Why clay?
Mastering Basic Language Symbols
Demonstrations and Group Exercises
Reading Improvement Exercises
Spell-Reading. Sweep-Sweep-Spell. Picture-at-Punctuation
DAY TWO
DAY FOUR
Davis Orientation Counseling Procedures (methods to control,

monitor and turn off perceptual distortions)
What is Orientation? Demonstration & Practice Session
Release Procedure (method to alleviate stress, headaches)
Alignment (an alternative to Orientation Counseling)
What is Alignment? How is it used? Group Demonstration
Dial-Setting Procedure (a method for controlling energy levels)
Fine-Tuning Procedure (checking and adjusting orientation

using balance)
Symbol Mastery Exercises for Words
Demonstrations
Group Exercises
Practice Sessions
Implementing the Davis Procedures
To register for US workshops call toll free 1 (888) 805-7216, or visit www.dyslexia.com/event.htm
2014 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Canada
Mexico
France
New Zealand
September 22 25, 2014

Calgary, Alberta
Presenter: Larry Smith, Jr.
Language: English
Telephone: +1 (888) 805-7216
Email: training@dyslexia.com
October 16 19, 2014
Paris
Presenter: Ioannis Tzivanakis
Language: French, English
Telephone: +33 (0) 1 82 88 32 35
Email: email@davisfrance.eu
Germany
November 1 4, 2014
Berlin
Presenter: Ioannis Tzivanakis
Language: German
Telephone: +49 (0) 40 25 17 86 22
Email: info@dyslexia.de
June 9 12, 2014

Mexico, D.F.
Presenter: Cathy Calderon
Language: Spanish
Telephone: +52 (81) 83 35 94 35
Email: davis@davislatam.com
July 10 14, 2014
Auckland
Presenter: Lorna Timms
Language: English
Telephone: +64 274 399 020
Email: shelly@dyslexia.net.nz
July 16 19, 2014
Wanganui
Presenter: Lorna Timms
Language: English
Telephone: +64 274 399 020
Email: shelly@dyslexia.net.nz
United States
June 24 27, 2014

Burlingame, CA
Telephone: +1 (888) 805-7216
July 29 Aug 2, 2014
Burlingame, CA
Telephone: +1 (888) 805-7216
August 6 9, 2014
Amesbury, MA
Presenter: Karen LoGiudice
Telephone: +1 (888) 805-7216
October 8 11, 2014
Dallas/Irving, TX
Presenter: Karen LoGiudice
Telephone: +1 (888) 805-7216
For updated workshop schedules visit: www.dyslexia.com/train.htm

24Dys lex ic
the
Read er
PRESORTED
THE DYSLEXIC READER
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
1601 Old Bayshore Highway, Suite 260

PAID
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
BURLINGAME, CA
PERMIT NO.14
USA Workshop Information

Questions?
Toll Free: 1 (888) 805-7216
1 (650) 692-7141
email: answers@davistraining.org
The Gift of Dyslexia Workshop

2014 INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE
Come learn and experience the Davis Dyslexia

Correction procedures first hand!
This 4-day workshop is an introduction to the basic theories, principles

and application of all the procedures described in The Gift of Dyslexia.
Training is done with a combination of lectures, demonstrations, group
practice, and question and answer sessions. Attendance is limited to
ensure the highest quality of training.
June 9 12
Mexico, D.F.
Mexico
June 24 27
Burlingame, CA
USA
July 10 14
Auckland
New Zealand
Who should attend:
July 16 19
Wanganui
New Zealand
July 29 Aug 1
Burlingame, CA
USA
August 6 9
Amesbury, MA
USA
September 22 25
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
October 8 11
Dallas, TX
USA
October 16 19
Paris
France
November 1 4
Berlin
Germany
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 improving
reading, spelling, and motor coordination into a teaching,
home school, tutoring, or therapeutic setting.
USA Workshop Fees

$1175 per person Academic units and CEUs available
See page 23 for more workshop details and discounts.
CALL 1 (888) 805-7216 for special

discounts and early bird rates!
For a detailed brochure on enrollment, prices, group rates, discounts, location, and further information, contact the DDA in your country.
DDAI-Intl, Canada & USA
1601 Bayshore Highway, Ste 260
Tel: 1 (888) 805-7216
Fax: 1 (650) 692-7075
E-mail: ddai@dyslexia.com
DDA-DACH
Deutschland-Austria-Switzerland
Wandsbecker Chausee 132
D-22089 Hamburg
GERMANY
Tel: 49 (040) 25 17 86 22
Fax: 49 (040) 25 17 86 24
E-mail: germany@dyslexia.com
SWITZERLAND
Tel: 41 (061) 273 81 85
E-mail: ch@dyslexia.com
DDA-Latin America
Calzada del Valle #400 Local 8
Colonia del Valle
Garza Garca, Monterrey
Nuevo Len
Mxico, CP 66220
Tel: 52 (81) 8335-9435
Email: spanish@dyslexia.com
DDA-Nederland
Jacques Schreursstraat 25
6074 CR Melick
NEDERLAND
Tel: 31 (475) 520 433
E-mail: info@davisdyslexie.nl
DDA-UK
Davis Learning Foundation
47-49 Church Street
Great Malvern
Worcestershire WR14 2AA
Tel: +44 (0) 330 011 0680
E-mail: uk@dyslexia.com
DDA-Pacific
295 Rattray Street
Dunedin, New Zealand 9016
Tel: 64 (0274) 399 020
Fax: 0064 3 456 2028
Email: pacific@dyslexia.com
Enrollment limited v Classes fill Early v Call 1 (888) 805-7216 or 1 (650) 692-7141
For updated workshop schedules visit http://www.dyslexia.com/train.htm
For a full description of the Davis Facilitator Certification Program, ask for our booklet.

The Dyslexic Reader 2014 Issue 66

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The Dyslexic Reader 2014 Issue 66

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THE DYSLEXIC READER

DAVIS DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

ISSUE 1I 2014 VOL 66

not letting the wrestling that you are doing

Study supports Davis Symbol Mastery

A recently published case studywho

successfully used a modified form of

After the Davis-based

With each new word, Dylynn

NEWS & FEATURE ARTICLES

Two lovely testimonials........................................6