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Product Description

FOR EVERYONE WHO STRUGGLES TO READ!
Clear, practical, science-based information and advice for successful results

One in five American children has trouble reading. But they are not stupid or lazy. In Overcoming Dyslexia, Dr. Sally Shaywitz, codirector of the Yale Center for the Study of Learning and Attention and a leader in the new research into how the brain works, offers the latest information about reading problems and proven, practical techniques that, along with hard work and the right help, can enable anyone to overcome them. Here are the tools that parents and teachers need to help the dyslexic child, age by age, grade by grade, step by step.

--What dyslexia is and why some intelligent, gifted people read slowly and painfully
--How to identify dyslexia in preschoolers, schoolchildren, young adults, and adults
--How to find the best school and how to work productively with your child’s teacher
--Exercises to help children use the parts of the brain that control reading
--A 20-minute nightly home program to enhance reading
--The 150 most common problem words–a list that can give your child a head start
--Ways to raise and preserve a child’s self-esteem aqnd reveal his strengths
--Stories of successful men and women who are dyslexic

Customer Reviews:

• A Must Have Book For Parents, Teachers, and People With Reading Problems
  This book has helped me help my son. His reading therapist strongly recommended it and I agree. It provides solid science based information and useful suggestions. ...more info
• Overcoming Dyslexia
  This should be read or listened to by ALL Educators, Parents, Humans. It just might help us to understand that we ALL process information differently....more info
• Review from a Dyslexic
  As an adult and scientist with dyslexia, I always wanted to understand the physical mechanism behind the disability. I could never understand why I scored average to low in multiple-choice tests but scored high in reading comprehension. Why I excelled in physical science and math yet was constantly taking remedial writing and English? Dr. Shaywitz's book is excellent in answering these questions. The first step in treatment is understanding the mechanism. A miswiring of the phonologic module explains so much and suggests likely remedies. Her book is written in layman's terms and is easy to read and understand. I wish I could give a copy of this book to all my friends and family it explains so much. Dr. Shaywitz knows her audience and writes with compassion and personal touch. The best part was learning that dyslexia can now be seen to have a physical manifestation by fMRI. Dyslexia is no longer a mysterious disability but has actual biological roots. Most disturbing to read was that in her estimates, 1 in 5 children have some form of dyslexia. As a child that almost slipped through the cracks, I failed kindergarten because I didn't know my ABC's, this is distressing to learn. How many intelligent and potentially successful adults were allowed to fail due to dyslexia? It was only through the diligence of my mother that I ever learned to read. Thirty years ago little was understood about "word blindness" but my mother did the primary research and tried every goofy theory on teaching including writing letters on my back with her finger and asking me to name the letter. Now Dr. Shaywitz gives good advice as well as current research and resources so parents have it all in one book. If you had only one book on dyslexia this would be it. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I give it many more stars then I'm allowed....more info
• "Must-have" read
  The other 5-star reviewers echo my sentiments. This book is a "must-have" for all educators, tutors, and anyone touched by reading issues. Shaywitz outlines scientific, proven-effective strategies for helping all struggling readers. She also clearly defines what it means to have dyslexia, helping scores of people understand and identify dyslexia in themselves, their children, or their students. Parents of struggling readers (whether considered dyslexic or not) will benefit greatly from reading this book (or listening to the CD). ...more info
• validation
  my method of tesching reading has been validated. it is unfortunate that this book was not possible when i went to college. explicit phonics is needed but not known by most teachers. thanks for helping me understand why my students succeeded even though i supposedly did not know what teaching really was. i was told that by my principal before i was forced out of education....more info
• Good, but misleading.
  Based on the title, I thought I would open the book to find a new (and complete) science-based program for reading. What I did find was a lot of information about dyslexia, its historic roots, information on the dyslexic brain, diagnosing dyslexia, different reading programs that are currently available and advice on how to find a good school. I found the book to be very informative, although a bit wordy and a bit misleading. So, if you're looking for a step-by-step reading program (that's sure to work), this isn't it. I do like the fact that the book validated dyslexia, explained it and offered hope, giving examples of successful dyslexics and their stories.
  
  My one disappointment was how Dr. Shaywitz said (a number of times) that the parent should take a supportive role and let the professionals do their job. Depending on where you live, finding a professional that knows how to teach a dyslexic can be impossible. If you are fortunate enough to find one, it will be very expensive. I know this first hand. In many cases, a parent must become the teacher for their child and this can be done successfully.
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• Truthfully, just another set of excuses for poor instructional techniques!
  Using MRI and neuroscience to try to answer questions about dyslexia as Sally Md Shaywitz has tried to do is dangerously short sighted and terribly misguided. Especially when you consider that her conclusions about remediation reflect what is so deeply wrong with education today. Trying to cram human brain function and the human spirit into the confines of modern education is akin to stuffing an elephant into a thimble. Imagine if one were so dimwitted as to blame the elephant for the obvious lack of success. This is precisely what is happening today in public education. If one were able to step back from the tree and catch a glimpse of the forest, one might see that ego drives professionals to draw conclusions about student performance that reflect the stupidity of arrogance. More and more students are being labeled learning disabled and dyslexic, more medication is being doled out and more and more remediations are being invented to control and force students into a useless development that does much more to impede brain function than to enhance it. In fact, students are being driven into intellectual comas and instead of rethinking methods and curriculum, teachers blame students and their families for their own professional shortcomings. Uniforms, drill and kill, direct instruction amongst other inhumane and unintelligent strategies are exactly what has gotten us to this desperate point. In one more generation, Sally Md Shaywitz will be able to prove that 2 in 5 students have dyslexia and her confidence in modern science will soar to new heights. Teachers everywhere will be able to rejoice that their own drastic failings are not their fault at all, but that of the flawed human condition.
  
  Read Thomas Khun's Scientific Revolutions to understand the mechanics behind what I am about to describe. The present paradigm of public education is precisely the reason why we have today's educational dilemma. (crisis). Modern public education is metaphorically lost in Minos' maze. We have lost our way and we also lost Ariadne's golden cord. Almost all educational research and conclusions drawn from research are hopelessly lost in the labyrinth. All of our attempts to extricate ourselves, including taking advice from Sally Md Shaywitz, forces us deeper into the maze and closer to our inevitable demise at the horns of the minotaur. We are in a quagmire of a dismally intellectually bankrupt system of labels and useless judgments that serve little more than to take us all to our lowest common denominator.
  
  There is a new paradigm, when it is presented, war will be officially declared. The entire teaching profession will be turned on its head and will rally all its base resources to wage war on the new paradigm. It will be revolted by the new paradigm because it calls for many new definitions. What is education? What does it mean to learn? What is the nature of a professional teacher? What is the role of public education? It will call for the new teacher to be a humble public servant rather than an arrogant dispenser of knowledge. Although the new paradigm may be new to the public, it began as long as 3000 years ago and its adoption is inevitable. The only question will be when and after how much suffering?
  
  If I am correct, then Sally Md Shaywitz and people like her have done much to damage the development of our populace. We will continue to help them in their madness because we too are ignorant of the reality of the situation. We are in the infancy of our intellectual development. To assume otherwise is the epitome of stupidity. I am disgusted by the vacuous conclusions that we allow ourselves to believe about data especially about direct explicit instruction, Albert Einstein said "what can be measured doesn't always count and what counts can not always be measured." The profession of teaching lacks development and insight on a monumental scale.
  I would appreciate any intelligent refutation of my above statement. I would love to hear something intelligent about Sally Md Shaywitz's work and her conclusions that open my eyes to any possible benefit to heeding her advice. I myself have no credentials compared to her Yale position, but as Mark Twain said, "It is better to deserve an honor and not get it than to get it and not deserve it.
  Please feel free to correct my thinking at [...]Sincerely Ty
  ...more info
• Transformational
  I first read this book a couple of years ago when my son started struggling in school. It provided a reference to see why he was struggling, and has been a guide in bringing him up to grade level reading. I consider this to be one of the most important books in my son's ability to grow mentally. Shaywitz covers every aspect of dyslexia from the hurt and confusion a dyslexic faces to the causes of dyslexia to how to teach a dyslexic. She states that 20% of americans are dyslexic, so it seems that this book should be standard reference to parents and educators. Shaywitz takes a subject that is surrounded by confusion and makes it understandable and treatable....more info
• very informative
  I was very impressed with the book. It was easy to understand and very informative. I would recommend it to anyone with concerns or questions about dylexia...more info
• Overcoming Dyslexia
  This book is full of information, starting with explaining how one learns to read using phonemes. Then it takes you through the third grade and what is expected of older children in regards to reading.
  
  It clearly shows you the difference between a person with dyslexia and one who doesn't. Great Book!...more info
• Book arrived in excellent condition!
  The book arrived exactly as described! Great price and fast shipping!...more info
• A Must Read!
  This is a must read for not only spec. ed teachers but regular ed. teachers as well. Dr. Shaywitz is a dedicated individual that has really hit the nail on the head with reading instruction....no guess work here, scientifically based reading instruction for true success!...more info
• I have dyslexia
  I am a teacher and teaching computer science course and I believe I am have dyslexia. Why I said that it is because my early education was Chinese. When the language is all images and pictures my dyslexia symptom become my gifts. I haven't read the book yet but I read all the reviews. I almost can tell Dr. Sall Shaywitz also have dyslexia. Recently I help my son's homework and he has the same problem as me cannot remember how to spell the words. I found out the web site used Dr. Shaywitz's method. It was the first time I heard about dyslexia.
  When my son was two years old. I spend several months to teach him the letters but he could not remember. One day all the suddent, I remembered my mom taught me 'H' looks like a ladder and 'P' was the big head guy (She difinitely also has dyslexia). I used this method to teach my son. Within one month he remembered all the letters. I felt sorry to read one of the review mom need to with draw her son one year because he could not remember the letters.
  After I knew this dyslexia term, I immediately forced my son, he is in 5 grade, relearn all the cursive letters and start all over again the phonic. I know myself how can I remember the letter is by the picture if my son's handwriting is not a nice picture, he will never remember it. If the phonic is not strong enough like me, he will have the problem to spell the the words correctly in his whole life. I did not know what was phonic until 38 years old when my son came home from kinderganter with a phonic homework. Even though, I learn English since I was in Kindergander. I was surprised by some reviewers who refused to believe the importantance of the phonic and it also is the only way. Instead they are looking for some dramatic method. Good method does metter it is old or new.
  I always wonder why the two major language systems. One delevoped by pictures and image like Chinese words never change to use the symbols like English. Now I understand that the difference of the human being's brian let us have two different ways.
  In the same time I started to learn all the phonic books that I have and also brought a idex see through bag hanging on the wall. I wrote every words on the index card and put it in the bag. It is helping me for the coming GRE test.It also helping my son social study explorer test. Once again I haven't read the book yet. I don't know what Dr. Shaywitz suggestion. I just use my instinct.
  One lucky thing is no one know that I have dyslexia when I was young and put me in medicine otherwise I probably could not get my master degree in Computer Science and become a teacher now.
  I suggest the teachers if they think the phonic does not work. Please revise your method. I remembered the first time my brother brought me to a steak house and the light was very dark. No metter how hard he used the knift to cut the steak, it still did not work. I look at his knift. He used the wrong side of knift to cut the steak.
  I encourage the moms if no one can help your son or daughter, ask some one has this symptom, they will give you some idea. Ask your family members.
  Now I am going to buy this book....more info
• Well meaning, but flawed and scary presentation of dyslexia
  Some of the book was very interesting, especially the chapter on the functional MRI findings. I appreciate her writing the book to share her experiences, and think she truly wants to help. However, I admit I have grave doubts about her premise, because it is inherently contradictory. She repeats throughout the book that anyone who is dyslexic will always remain so, and yet is simultaneously convinced that the kind of intervention she recommends is uniformly effective. In addition, the graph on which she bases her claim about the absolute persistence of dyslexia does not justify her conclusions. The book names various intervention programs, but doesn't compare and contrast them. It is hard to tease out specific recommendations about what to do. She mentions that people vary in their reading stumbling blocks, but prescribes the same programs for all. She states that anyone using programs like Open Court should succeed, but thousands of California children still have trouble reading. Though she means the book to be empowering, I think it scares parents instead....more info
• A must for anyone who teaches reading!
  I picked up this book to get some ideas about what to do with my students who are struggling readers. I've been highlighting and making notes in the margin. I took this book to my principal and suggested he read it and perhaps purchase it for all staff members who teach reading. Sally Shaywitz really helps to explain the deficits that struggling readers have and what we can do about it. This is also a great book for parents who are worried about their children's reading scores....more info