The Gift of Dyslexia: Why Some of the Smartest People Can't Read and How They Can Learn

Rating:
Summary: Works for adults!!
Review: My 24 year old son just went through the program described in this book. He went from a 7th grade reading level with close to 0 comprehension to an 11th grade reading level with full comprehension in 5 days. I wasn't sure it would help him as it seemed his vision was so compromised, and his eyes jumped around so much - I was afraid his problem was largely vision, but now his eyes are rested, and nothing blurs. I am amazed and grateful. He now longer believes he's stupid. So much time was lost, in special ed and then dropping out of school altogether after 8th grade - but now at least he can pursue whatever he wants as an adult.

Rating:
Summary: Dyslexia is an ability not a disability!
Review: My vision blurred with tears as I listened to "The Gift" on tape. Ron Davis described my son! After years of struggling, hearing teachers and other professionals label him lazy, unmotivated, oppositonal and of average intelligence, I was now listening to someone who viewed him as I did: gifted. He saw the world in ways I never dreamed of, yet he struggled with reading but knew so much. This book gave us realistic hope; we no longer had to believe that "junior college is all you can hope for". After reading the book and completing the tapes we went to the Davis Dyslexia Center/Reading Research Council this past summer. My son is now confident and a reader. Spelling and math have improved tremendously. He will no longer be in special education as of January-6 months after he completed the program. His teachers have all read the book and the special education teacher has implemented many of the techniques in her strategies class. When she first read the description from the book to the student

Rating:
Summary: May help a few- but I advise against it
Review: This book is based on one person's experience. That is not a very large sample. It seems to help some people, but certainly not for the reasons the authors state. People with dyslexia have problems with language and they can be taught to read and write well if their teacher has the ability to use a systematic, structured approach. I advise against this book because it could really lead you down the wrong path. Try Shaywitz's book on dyslexia instead. It is based on science and works for ALL.

Rating:
Summary: This book can change a life
Review: My son is dyslexic. For years, reading was a source of frustration and inevitable tears. He struggled, I struggled, his teachers struggled. Little improvement was made for years.

Then, for 4th grade, I homeschooled him. My father bought me this book. I devoured it. I learned from it and I put it to use. THe changes were dramatic and faster than I could have ever expected.

The book explains so much about the nature of dyslexia, and it gives realistic excercises to do. And they are fun to do, so even my reluctant 9 year old was enjoying himself!

Now he is in 5th grade back at his old school. And he loves to read! Loves it! He's read Tolkien. He's on book 14 of the Redwall series. He reads everyday, and every night, in the car, in bed, everywhere. I am so grateful, so very grateful for this book.

As well as helping us bring the love of reading into my son's life, it also explains some of the benefits of dyslexia. Yes, benefits! Now, my son doesn't feel stigmatized. He is learning to put the strengths he has to use, and this book will help you do the same!

A life-changing book, I recommend it for anyone with even a touch of dyslexia. You will find it empowering!

Rating:
Summary: On a personal note, a few compliments
Review: This is a personal note to Sarah: Your review made my heart sing with joy, so thanks for sharing. And congratulations to your son for summoning the motivation to do what he did after having carried a heavy burden of discouragement for a long time.

I can't legitimately review this book myself (since I helped write it). I wouldn't give it a rating if Amazon still had a "comments from the author" option. However, as the co-author, I also want to give maximum credit to the person who put your son through the Davis program. I don't know who that was, since there are now 355 of them around the world, cranking out approximately 10,000 literate kids and adults per year in 22 languages--including Icelandic, Serbian and Indonesian. That's not counting the teachers and homeschool parents who simply read the book and follow the "recipes."

I am one of the least dyslexic people I know, but I will take a bit of credit: I made sure the book was set in large type (14 point) and contained only a few hyphenations of compound words like "know-how." I also insisted on emphasizing the gifted aspect of cognitive disabilities.

If anyone doubts that we as a society are wasting tremendous intellectual resources by teaching mainly to the left brain, I recommend a more scholarly book by a dyslexic author: 'In the Mind's Eye' by Thomas G. West. Maybe your son will want to read it, now that he can.

Rating:
Summary: Works for adults!!
Review: My 24 year old son just went through the program described in this book. He went from a 7th grade reading level with close to 0 comprehension to an 11th grade reading level with full comprehension in 5 days. I wasn't sure it would help him as it seemed his vision was so compromised, and his eyes jumped around so much - I was afraid his problem was largely vision, but now his eyes are rested, and nothing blurs. I am amazed and grateful. He now longer believes he's stupid. So much time was lost, in special ed and then dropping out of school altogether after 8th grade - but now at least he can pursue whatever he wants as an adult.