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

I read The Gift of Dyslexia cover to cover in one afternoon. The next day I did the "perceptual ability assessment" with my daughter, literally reading the script as we went along. She understood right away. The next day we did the "orientation counseling." At the end of the session, she was so excited to discover which words were "making her brain jump." After that we did the clay letters and clay representations of her "jump" words. She was retested at school and she now reads above grade level. She also loves to read and is enjoying the Animorphs series.

I also use the "orientation point" when she works on math, specifically math facts. She can now whiz through her multiplication table, and when she gets frustrated, knows that it is the "brain jump" that occured.

I would highly recommend this book, even if your child has not been diagnosed as "dyslexic." It has changed the lives of everyone in our household.


It works!   May 27, 2000
58 out of 60 found this review helpful

This is the most positive and helpful material I have found for working with dyslexic children. I tried the techniques Ron Davis outlines this year with an 8 year-old girl diagnosed with dyslexia. She progressed from a Reading Recovery testing level of 6 (PP2) in October to a level of 24 (3.2) in May. We will continue the words/definitions in clay this summer. I was amazed that she understood what I was asking her to do. I'm not sure I understand it because my mind doesn't work that way. I tried just using Reading Recovery techniques but it wasn't enough. She seemed to need to discovery and control her mind's eye. Her body is so much more relaxed and she doesn't rub her feet on the carpet when she can contol her mind's eye. This book offers a way to help children rather than label them.


This book offers real hope for the dyslexic   October 26, 1999
46 out of 47 found this review helpful

In January of '99 my first grader was completely unable to read. After formal testing at a university, special education intervention, and endless hours of struggle, I sat down and studied this book. By April of '99 (3 short months) my daughter was reading at a second grade level! I have since then gone on to complete the program described in the book for other students with good success. One 9 year old girl went from a pre-primer reading level to a 2nd grade reading level in just 5 days! Furthermore, the book offers hope. While dyslexia clearly causes problems it also offers special talents. Knowing what those are enables me to encourage interests where she is naturally gifted. Albert Einstein, Alexander Grahm Bell, Thomas Edison... my daughter is in good company. Read this book!