Book Review: Overcoming DyslexiaBook Review: Overcoming Dyslexia Title Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level About the Author “Yale neuroscientist Shaywitz demystifies the roots of dyslexia (a neurologically based reading difficulty affecting one in five children)and offers parents and educators hope that children with reading problems can be helped. Shaywitz delves deeply into how dyslexia occurs, explaining that magnetic resonance imaging has helped scientists trace the disability to a weakness in the language system at the phonological level. According to Shaywitz, science now has clear evidence that the brain of the dyslexic reader is activated in a different area than that of the nonimpaired reader. Interestingly, the dyslexic reader may be strong in reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking, but invariably lacks phonemic awareness-the ability to break words apart into distinct sounds-which is critical in order to crack the reading code. The good news, Shaywitz claims, is that with the use of effective training programs, the brain can be rewired and dyslexic children can learn to read. She walks parents through ways to help children develop phonemic awareness, become fluent readers, and exercise the area of the brain essential for reading success. Early diagnosis and effective treatment, the author claims, are of utmost importance, although even older readers can learn to read skillfully with proper intervention. Shaywitz’s groundbreaking work builds an important bridge from the laboratory to the home and classroom.” Length 432 pages, paperback (or 13 hours and 56 minutes for the audio book CD) Price $10.33 new from Amazon (or used starting at $5.22) or $10.33 new from Barnes & Noble (or used starting at $5.75) or if you’d prefer to listen to it, the Book on CD is available from Buy.com for $15.52 Review This book is a must-read if you have a child, relative, co-worker, or friend who struggles with reading. It is a brilliantly written book by Sally Shaywitz, MD, from Yale University. This book will open your eyes to the inner workings of the brain and what really goes on when anyone looks at a written word. Have you ever wondered why you never struggled to read? Do you remember classmates who were scared to read out loud? Are you now a parent to a child (or children) who are slow, choppy readers? Who has ever learned a word and forget it the next day? “Overcoming Dyslexia” has clear and concise information –and very interesting stories – about reading problems and the children and family it affects. Dr. Shaywitz offers tools and ideas for parents and teachers to understand the underlying causes of reading problems by age and grade. We highly recommend reading this book. It breaks down the history of dyslexia and the brain in an interesting story. We love it because it clearly explains the same philosophy that LearningRx takes on reading. Get to the root issues of the problem, stop being confused by your bright child’s difficulties reading, and the detailed mechanics of what the brain actually needs to accomplish to translate the written word into thoughts and back to smoothly reading out loud. Chapter headings tell it all The Power of Knowing. The Historical Roots of Dyslexia. The Big Picture: Who is Affected and What Happens over Time. Why Some Smart People Can’t Read. Everyone speaks, but Not Everyone Reads. The list goes on. Trust us, you will not be disappointed in this book. Information you can glean from this book is: What dyslexia really is Why intelligent, gifted people have problems reading The 150 most common words with which children have problems How to increase and retain your child’s self-esteem Stories of dyslexic men and women – who found success Exercises to help children utilize the parts of the brain that control reading Brain Buzz-worthy snippets: Dyslexic children are generally in the third grade or above when they are first identified by their schools…Early identification is important because the brain is much more plastic in younger children and potentially more malleable for the rerouting of neural circuits. – Page 30 Poor readers never catch up with their classmates who are good readers. If a child is dyslexic early on in school, that child will continue to experience reading problems unless he is provided with a scientifically based, proven intervention. – Page 34 A young child must develop phonemic awareness if he is to become a reader… And, of course, it is these very same phonemes to which letters of the alphabet must attach if the written word is to be brought into the language system. All readers–dyslexic readers included–must take the same steps. – Page 51 In the condition of developmental dyslexia, where reading fails to develop normally, something has gone awry right from the beginning. – Page 67 Children can memorize hundreds of words, but by the time they reach fifth grade, they will come across as many as ten thousand new words during the school year. Relying on memorization simply won’t do. – Page 102 Do you want to find out more about our reading and cognitive enhancement programs to help overcome dyslexia? Want to find out more about LearningRx’s reading programs? Discover how we help with reading skills for preschoolers, elementary students, middle and high school kids, college students, and adults. If you are interested in finding out how LearningRx can help your student, you may contact one of our centers around the country. We are located in 27 states, and you can search for a center near you on our interactive Center Locator map.