American Dyslexia Association

Author: American Dyslexia Association

  • Movie: The Big Picture – Rethinking Dyslexia

    Movie: The Big Picture – Rethinking Dyslexia

    THE BIG PICTURE: RETHINKING DYSLEXIA provides personal and uplifting accounts of the dyslexic experience from children, experts, and iconic leaders, such as Sir Richard Branson and financier Charles Schwab. Directed by James Redford, the film not only clears up the misconceptions about the condition, but also paints a picture of hope for all who struggle with it. Proving that dyslexia is a neurological issue and not a character flaw, THE BIG PICTURE beautifully illustrates that while the condition is an obstacle, it also carries some unique advantages, and ultimately can be overcome.

    The fascinating documentary The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia examines the disorder by looking at unique advantages, personal experiences and accounts from today’s leaders while offering hope for those suffering.

    Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheBigPictureRethinkingDyslexia

  • Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action!

    Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action!

    Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action! A Camp Leader’s Guide ~ Adventures in Writing & Performing promises to be a time-saving teacher’s treasure brimming with both stimulating and calming fun-learning activities. Whether summer, autumn, or mid-winter camps during some of the lengthier school holidays, after school programs, or during the regular school year, educators may love the convenience this book of supplemental materials can offer.

    Camp RSA! serves busy teachers with abundant strategies and exercises to encourage young learners to act as if…, to practice teacher-student role reversal, and to role play in a positive fashion to foster higher self-esteem, greater self-confidence, and a better self- image for happier, more successful lives.

    Helping youngsters of differing levels of ability in various areas to understand each other better by helping them to see from a different viewpoint to gain perspective and to encourage tolerance, acceptance, and kindness is a quiet underlying objective.

    All the activities, exercises, and games are presented with the utmost desire to give young learners, whether dyslexic or not, the opportunity to learn in the spirit of joy and to believe in themselves to make their own dreams come true. ~ Linda Davis-Kyle, Editor and Contributor

    The Creators of Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action! A Camp Leader’s Guide ~ Adventures in Writing & Performing

    David Carlson, dyslexic originator and publisher of Ready, Set, Action! An Entertainment Fun Book for Parents of Dyslexic Pre-Teens~Adventures in Writing & Performing and its extension Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action! A Camp Leader’s Guide and its companion Camp RSA! Ready, Set, Action! Journal ~ Adventures in Writing & Performing for pre-teens, has held a lifelong dream to publish books to help dyslexic and non-dyslexic students alike.

    Linda Davis-Kyle, MA, in English, ACCET certified to instruct English as a Foreign Language, and an internationally published professional writer, has worked some magic to make Carlson’s publishing dreams come true. Through editing, teaching, and writing, Davis-Kyle encourages writers around the world. In August 2013, she collaborated with five international dyslexia authorities — Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller, Jasmina Ionkova, Elisabeth Nuhl, Mag. Livia R. Pailer-Duller, and Angelika Troller- Janesch — to compose “Fun-Inspired Learning Games from Teachers’ Treasures”www.dyslexia.me.

  • Fun-Inspired Learning Games from Teachers’ Treasures

    Fun-Inspired Learning Games from Teachers’ Treasures

    Tyron Edwards said, “To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully.”
    Educators around the world have found that incorporating fun learning games into their lesson plans not only wakes interest when a class of new students meets for the first time, but also for a group already familiar with each other. Both time-tested games, such as dominoes, new ones that are created somewhere each day, and spur-of-the-moment games that pop into the minds of seasoned teachers—just when they need them—have a way of grabbing and holding attention, strengthening concentration, and stirring emotion among the players. Plato said, “All learning has an emotional base.” If the games are intriguing enough to invite and rivet attention, boost concentration, and create a healthy passion for participation, the likelihood of retaining the information presented is high.

    It is no secret that young learners who can relax can pay attention and maintain concentration on any task at hand with greater ease than those who may feel nervous or anxious. In addition, whatever is learned in a more relaxed state enhances retention of the information. In turn, remembering what has been learned fosters self-esteem, which furthers motivation. So, at the heart and soul of many learning philosophies, instructing strategies, and teaching systems, relaxation is held in high regard.

    Combining a Passion for Participation with Relaxation
    It seems that one wonderful combination to help children learn is by teaming a passion for participation with relaxation. The handful of multi-sensory games shared here are favorites from Austria, Bulgaria, and the United States that invite participation and foster relaxation. Even further, the activities are organized incrementally to support confident learning.

     

     

  • You think English is easy??

    You think English is easy??


    We got this emailed, and we think it is pretty amazing.
    Read all the way to the end.
    This took a lot of work to put together!

    You think English is easy??

    1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

    2) The farm was used to produce produce.

    3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

    4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

    5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

    6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

    7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

    8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

    9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

    10) I did not object to the object.

    11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

    12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

    13) They were too close to the door to close it.

    14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

    15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

    16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

    17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

    18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

    19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

    20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

    21) She was driving in the driving rain after driving him crazy on the driving range.

    Let’s face it – English is a crazy language! There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren’t invented in England or French Fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

    And why is it that writers write but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn’t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

    If teachers taught, why didn’t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

    How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out, and in which an alarm goes off by going on.

    English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

    PS. – Why doesn’t ‘Buick’ rhyme with ‘quick’ ?

    You lovers of the English language might enjoy this…

    There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is ‘UP’.

    It’s easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ?

    We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house, and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

    And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning, but we close it UP at night.

    We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP! When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. When it doesn’t rain for a while, things dry UP.

    One could go on and on, but I’ll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so……..it is time to shut UP!

     

  • Stoke Books: New Book Releases for Dyslexic Teenagers

    Stoke Books: New Book Releases for Dyslexic Teenagers

    Stoke Books is delighted to announce the release of six dazzling books for Spring 2013. These novels offer struggling teenage readers the scope and feel of mainstream fiction from award-winning and best-selling writers, with gripping and edgy plots to keep them interested. If you are interested in learning more, please have a look at the press release in the link below, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages!

    Stoke Books titles are designed to develop young people’s perception of themselves as readers and increase their enjoyment of fiction, even where a lack of experience or processing difficulties (including dyslexia) may act as a barrier to accessing the written word. We believe that the key to opening up a love of reading is the chance to experience great writing, and we are committed to pairing the least confident readers with the best authors in the world.

    We distribute Stoke Books in the United States and I wanted to give you a little more insight on Stoke’s titles. They’re targeted to middle school and high school readers with Dyslexia but are written at third and fourth grade reading levels—many by bestselling authors—making them very accessible. The books are commissioned, edited and designed to break down the barriers that can stop teens from wanting to read due to lack of confidence and reluctance through visual stress and dyslexia. The font, spacing, editing, paper and short, punchy chapter structure all help readers focus on the most important thing – the compelling story.

    The paper in each book is lightly tinted to reduce glare, tackle visual stress, and stop words appearing to ‘dance’ on the page. The font is designed to make each letter as distinctive as possible, to help with word and character recognition, promote good eye-tracking, and lead the eye onwards. The layout is carefully calculated to ensure words and letters don’t encroach on each other and confuse the eye, and give enough text per line to allow readers to ‘chunk’ for meaning.

    Thank you for taking the time to learn a little bit about Stoke Books. We hope you’ll find this information useful.

    Friend us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Stokebooks

    www.stokebooks.co.uk

  • Apple iBook: Dyslexia – Dyscalculia !?

    Apple iBook: Dyslexia – Dyscalculia !?

    An interactive iBook for the iPad shows solutions for persons with dyslexia and dyscalculia. It is on sale for only $1.99 .

    In this inspiring publication Dr. Astrid Kopp-Duller and Livia R. Pailer-Duller show again that they are experts on the subject of dyslexia and dyscalculia. With incredible insight they show the necessity of helping people with dyslexia and dyscalculia on an educational-didactic level. This is of preeminent importance for success when helping people who have difficulties with reading, writing, or calculating.

    dyslexia dyscalculia

    More information: http://www.dyslexia-dyscalculia.com

    The iBook is available in the iTunes Store USA.

     

     

  • How Diet May Affect A Child With Dyslexia

    How Diet May Affect A Child With Dyslexia

    Parents of children with dyslexia are often looking for ways to improve the child’s concentration and help him or her do better in school. Dyslexia affects the way a child performs in reading and other studies, and even the smartest child may be affected by it. The learning disability also affects memory, and many children have difficulty learning even simple tasks. Although dyslexia is a learning disability, researchers are finding out that diet may play a key role in managing this disorder.

    If your child has been diagnosed with dyslexia, chances are he or she is also affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. Nearly half of all children who have dyslexia also suffer from ADHD. Researchers have found similar connections between the two disorders and have noted that certain foods may trigger symptoms of both. Consuming some of these foods may worsen the effects of both ADHD and dyslexia.

    When a child exhibits signs of dyslexia, the pediatrician or nutritionist may recommend changing the child’s diet. It may be a good idea to eliminate or reduce the amount of refined sugar in a dyslexic child’s diet. In addition, the dyslexic child should refrain from the consumption of all caffeinated beverages, including cola and iced tea. Eliminating chocolate and chocolate drinks may also be beneficial to the child affected by dyslexia. All of these have stimulating effects on the brain, which may make thought processing more difficult for children with dyslexia.

    Although it is uncertain why, some children with dyslexia or attention deficit disorders may have a negative reaction to orange juice. Switching to other fruit juices such as apple or grapefruit, may be a better alternative. When eliminating orange juice from the dyslexic child’s diet, be sure to supplement with other sources of vitamin C.

    In addition to removing foods and beverages that may produce negative effects, the dyslexic child may also be helped by supplementing his diet. This may be done by the use of nutritional supplements, such as omega-3 fish oil. Cod liver oil supplements may also be given to improve concentration in dyslexic children.

    As a recommendation, children affected by dyslexia should incorporate at least two to three servings of fish or seafood into their diet every week. Salmon and sardines are excellent choices for a dyslexia diet. Tuna fish is another good choice for the dyslexic child, although you might limit it to one serving per week. In addition, choose foods that have moderate amounts of iron, as iron deficiency may worsen the effects of dyslexia. Foods rich in iron include calf liver, egg yolks, and spinach.

    Foods rich in zinc may improve the concentration of children with dyslexia. Try incorporating foods such as roast beef, pumpkin seeds, lamb, and crab into the child’s diet for noticeable results. Actually, any type of meat or seafood should supply adequate amounts of zinc, thereby helping to improve concentration.

    It is important to note that a child’s diet should not be modified or changed drastically without consulting with his or her pediatrician. Your child’s doctor may recommend a change in diet, although he may also emphasize other lifestyle changes. When considering new supplements, always consult with your child’s physician, especially if he or she is taking other medications.

    About the author:
    Noami Esterly divides her time between managing a house of three boys (her husband and two kids) and a newborn baby girl, volunteering in her community center, and writing.

  • “The Janitor’s Secret” – Preview Video

    “The Janitor’s Secret” – Preview Video

    The Janitor’s Secret by Cornell Amerson is the compelling and heart-wrenching story of a laid-off autoworker who learns profound wisdom from a janitor challenged with a learning disability; a story that changes the course of his life forever… Supported by factual documentation supplied by the author, The Janitor’s Secret reveals the truth regarding learning disabilities, uncovering the ways they irrevocably shape people’s lives. The dramatic story contained within this novel could spare you — or your child — a lifetime of mental anguish and heartache: because though The Janitor’s Secret is fictional, it reveals sad, terrible truths about the enormous costs of an education denied. Are you truly concerned about your child’s formal education — especially if your child is challenged by a learning disability? Then The Janitor’s Secret may very well represent a crucial investment in their future!

  • Progression – A Video by Nick Damato

    Progression – A Video by Nick Damato

    My name is Nick Damato, and I would like to share my story about my struggles growing up with dyslexia. I hope to help shine some light on our society and evaluative school system, as well as give hope to other learning-disabled students. I hope to speak to parents and students in the future, promoting that we can make it together with the help and support of one another. This video below is my 2-minute digital short story told through my eyes: