The Dyslexia Project
a 501 (c)(3)
Federal ID #83-1968155

Author: Cheri Rae

  • Our Re-Definition of Dyslexia

    We are not impressed with the commonly accepted “definition” of dyslexia that emphasizes challenges and omits strengths. We came up with our own, strength-based “definition,” modeled on the negative one, that provides some much-needed reminders of how to support our dyslexic learners. Try this on for a change:

    “Dyslexia is a specific learning ability, neurobiological in origin. It is typically characterized by strengths that may include creative expression, athletic performance and scientific discovery. The individual with dyslexia often exhibits strengths in big-picture concepts, thinking outside the box, making unexpected connections and demonstrates and intuitive sense of understanding of people and navigating the natural world. Secondary strengths include a unique learning style that may be visual, auditory, or kinesthetic, the ability to demonstrate knowledge other than with the written word, and a canny sense of entrepreneurialism that may lead to great innovations and financial success.”

    ~ Cheri Rae, DyslexiaLand: A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia

  • Cheri Rae Santa Barbara Local Hero

    “Cheri Rae: Education Advocate” received a “Local Hero Award” from the weekly newspaper, the Santa Barbara Independent in 2012. Here is an account from the newspaper.

    There’s no ignoring community activist Cheri Rae, try as many government bureaucrats may. Best known as a neighborhood preservationist, Rae has recently focused her energies on “special education,” that vast black hole of dysfunction for many students and their families.

    For years, Rae struggled to help her son get the better of reading problems that had gotten the better of him. A smart and talented kid, he was reading at a 2nd-grade level in the 7th grade. That’s when Rae first learned he might have dyslexia. Tough, acerbic, and tenacious, Rae pushed, prodded, and poked school district officials to provide her son the assistance to which he and all special education students are legally entitled. After 180 hours of intensive — and expensive — training from Lindamood-Bell educational instructors, Rae’s son managed to catch up with his classmates.

    “But I realized you can’t rescue people one kid at a time,” Rae said. “One in five kids has some form of dyslexia.”

    Cheri Rae named a "Local Hero"by the Santa Barbara Independent in 2011, for her community work in dyslexia.
    Cheri Rae named a “Local Hero”by the Santa Barbara Independent in 2011, for her community work in dyslexia.
    A freelance writer, Rae wrote about her son’s struggles in various publications, including The Santa Barbara Independent. She also lobbied the school board. With the appointment of Dr. David Cash as the school district’s new chief executive, Rae found an open set of ears. Cash and the school board approved spending $75,000 to give 35 teachers and administrators the Lindamood-Bell training that helped Rae’s son.

    Local Hero recognition of Cheri Rae for her dyslexia work in 2011, helping with teacher training in LIndamood-Bell.
    Local Hero recognition of Cheri Rae for her dyslexia work in 2011, helping with teacher training in LIndamood-Bell.
    But the intensive four-day training would take place in San Luis Obispo, meaning the cash-strapped school district would have to shell out $40,000 for food and lodging. District efforts to get the company to dispatch its trainers to Santa Barbara instead went nowhere. Then Rae got on the phone to contacts she’d developed at Lindamood-Bell. That did the trick. The training would take place in Santa Barbara, after all.

    At a recent school-board meeting, Rae was thanked by name. “That doesn’t happen too often,” she said. “It’s a nice shift.”

  • Successful with Dyslexia

    At the beginning, many students and their parents can’t imagine being successful with dyslexia.

    Reading was such a pleasure when my son was just a little boy, back in the days when I read aloud, and he delighted in the stories and the brightly colored pictures of Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, and Owl Babies.

    We laughed and played with words in our collection of Dr. Seuss books—he especially loved Fox in Socks, Hop on Pop, and Go Dog Go. And he was mesmerized hearing the tales of  Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

    But when it came time for him to read, it wasn’t much fun anymore.

    I would read one paragraph, he would stumble over another. He guessed, over-corrected and hesitated. Reading books together changed from a relaxing, bonding experience—in which he always asked for more, and I finally had to end—into a stressful ordeal that made us both uncomfortable and anxious—and could scarcely bear.

    I thought he was just slow to catch on, that reading would come if we just relaxed, trusted that he would make progress, and kept working hard to encourage him.

    After a battery of school testing and my own independent research, I finally realized that the confusing term Specific Learning Disability (SLD) —with the visual, memory and auditory processing issues—was consistent with dyslexia. But no one in the school system ever encouraged us;  they argued over the use of the word, and never suggested that a student with dsylexia could be very successful in life–in and out of school.

    Dyslexia means trouble with words—sounding them out, spelling them and writing them. It also means that the brain is wired a bit differently, making the typical demands of today’s classroom very challenging.

    Where does the mother end and the advocate begin? The lines get blurred all the time for the mother of a child who struggles to read. But getting informed is the best way to get some help.

    Here are some of the most important things parents should know about dyslexia:

    It’s very common. One in five individuals, according to the International Dyslexia Association. Students with Specific Learning Disability typically comprise more than 60 percent of all students receiving Special Education services.

    * It has nothing to do with intelligence.
    * It’s widely misunderstood.
    * It can be the cause of unnecessary difficulty in school.

    Some of the smartest, most innovative people who ever lived have/had dyslexia: from Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and President John F. Kennedy.

    Some of the most creative people who ever lived have/had dyslexia: from Pablo Picasso, Ansel Adams and John Lennon to Stephen Spielberg, Walt Disney and Sir Richard Branson. They were successful with dyslexia–to say the least!

    Yes, it’s a long way from a little third-grader who can’t seem to sound out the words on the page to an international superstar. But here’s the wonderful little secret for parents of a struggling reader, especially one with “Specific Learning Disability” aka Dyslexia to hold onto: it’s about the strengths, not just the weaknesses.

    Characteristic strengths shared by individuals with dyslexia include big-picture, out-of-the box thinking; creativity, strengths in 3-D spatial reasoning; a holistic approach to problem-solving, and plenty of people skills—all of which may lead to great success in life, but not necessarily in the typical school setting.

    And here’s another secret: there’s never been a better time to have dyslexia than right now for a few major reasons:

    Assistive Technology: including the intuitive and tactile the iPad and iPhone; speech-to-text and text-to-speech computer programs; pens that can tape-record a lecture; and computer software that organizes thoughts in visual mind-maps—provide access to information in ways never imagined years ago.

    Research and Resources: the internet makes everything accessible everywhere, from scientific papers to You Tube videos—and there are literally thousands of them dealing with dyslexia.

    Grassroots Movement: Parents are taking it upon themselves to learn all they can about their child’s learning style, and sharing information to help others.  Decoding Dyslexia, which began in New Jersey,  spread across the country to every single state, and inspired the creation of many additional local organizations and nonprofits dedicated to dyslexia.

    For a child with to be successful with dyslexia, What’s a parent to do?

    In school-speak, dyslexia is considered a “learning disability.” But don’t get hung up on labels. If your child is struggling to read, write or spell; if your child experiences significant difficulties with rote memorization or in test taking; if your child can tell a story rich with details, but can only write a few lines; if your child is overwhelmed with too much homework, frustrated by too many math problems and hopeless at trying to take notes in class, it might be time to take action.

    You may request (in writing) your child be tested for all suspected disabilities, which may qualify him or her for Special Education services. In the case of students with SLD/dyslexia, such services would legally entitle the child to accommodations that may include extra time on tests, notes provided, modified homework assignments, preferential seating assignments in class and alternative assessments.

    You may communicate with your child’s teachers and school administrators so that they understand that your child’s learning style and develop a teamwork approach.

    Most importantly, to help your student be successful with dyslexia you must educate yourself about the considerable research and resources that pave the way to the dyslexia success. And encourage your child by providing positive role models with dyslexia, information about how to “own” the learning difference and to pursue talents and special interests—often in the arts, sports or math and science. Be aware that academic struggles in school can lead to emotional difficulties, behavioral issues and a poor self-image.

    Remember, everyone has strengths and weaknesses; and a child can be successful with dyslexia.

    Dyslexia often doesn’t show—but is particularly apparent in the classroom where standardization is becoming the norm. Heed the message of Albert Einstein who noted: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

    That, from one of the smartest people who ever lived—who also happened to have dyslexia; it didn’t seem to get in his way. In fact, it was the secret to his success.

  • Dyslexia Project Testimonials

    Dyslexia Project Testimonials and praise has come in many forms and in several media. But really, the most meaningful testaments to our effectiveness come from the thank-yous from students with dyslexia (and their parents). It’s been a pleasure to serve you.

    “Yeah!! You are getting it done! I bought copies of ‘DyslexiaLand’ to share with my niece and with friends who have children with dyslexia. Thanks for all your great work!”

    —Lynn Rodriguez, former School Board member, SBUSD

    “Amazing how far we’ve (you’ve) come since those incredibly painful IEPs of 5 years ago and farther back. I’m proud to have been around to witness the changes that have occurred. Literally from tears to cheers. Thank you for fighting for our children.”

    —David Archer, teacher

    “Thanks for the way you’ve helped paved the way in Santa Barbara for kids like Lana. You’re doing essential, heroic work.”

    —Jen Lilienstein, Parent

    “The Parent Resource Center is the best center of its kind I’ve ever seen and I commend you on your leadership. Cheri, you’re our North Star of Dyslexia.”

    —John Rodrigues, dyslexia advocate, author, High School Dropout to Harvard

    “Thank you again for everything, Cheri. You have no idea all that you have inspired in me. You’ve taught me to more effectively advocate for my children.”

    —Tracy Gillette, Parent & Ph.D. Candidate, Pacifica

    “I really enjoyed having Daniel in class this year, a great kid. Also, I appreciated learning a lot about children with dyslexia and it’s helped me help other students with Dyslexia as well. Thank you for opening my eyes up to this world.”

    —Jenn Fastman, teacher

    “Thank you for all that you are doing giving a voice to unique people with special learning abilities.”

    —Paul Zink, Architect

  • Cheri Rae: Director of The Dyslexia Project

    For more than a decade, Cheri Rae has focused on dyslexia, personally and professionally. As so many dyslexia advocates, she has a smart son with dyslexia who was identified with the confusing label of “Specific Learning Disability.” After years of frustration, confusion and lack of progress, she finally understood that his difficulties in school–and success outside of it–were due to dyslexia.

    An award-winning newspaper columnist and magazine editor, Cheri Rae began intensive research about dyslexia, and worked with others to understand their stories, and the challenges faced by those with dyslexia. After an article she wrote about dyslexia for the Santa Barbara Independent, “When Reading Hurts,” was shared widely in the community and far beyond, parents began contacting her and requesting her help. Cheri took action and founded The Dyslexia Project to advocate for individuals with dyslexia. Her work includes presentations about dyslexia to schoolchildren, meeting one-on-one with parents, speaking to parent groups and utilizing her gift as a journalist to write articles and editorials to spread the word about the need to improve educational opportunities for students with dyslexia.

    She works with the philanthropic community to raise awareness, and help move into action. Her work was initially funded by The Kirby Jones Foundation, with the Santa Barbara Education Foundation serving as a fiscal sponsor. During that time, Cheri served as a dyslexia consultant for the Santa Barbara Unified School District, and managed to serve as a liaison between the district and parents who needed guidance.

    Cheri has helped organize monthly “Dyslexia Dialogues” outreach for the community in the district office as well as community libraries; provided teacher trainings, and spearheaded the development and creation of the district’s Parent Resource Center, where parents could receive information to help them understand dyslexia and be inspired to advocate for their children. She also organized and promoted the annual “Distinguished Dyslexics” series, bringing noted individuals with dyslexia to make presentations to the Santa Barbara community.

    Cheri is the author of DyslexiaLand: A Field Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia, a comprehensive resource for navigating the unknown territory parents encounter when advocating for their dyslexic children.   She frequently meets with other parents to provide resources and support as they network and support each other. She supported successful efforts to pass AB 1369, California’s dyslexia bill, which was co-sponsored by local Assembly Member Das Williams, and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October, 2015.

    Cheri Rae has been honored for her work on behalf of those with dyslexia, as a “Local Hero” by the Santa Barbara Independent and as a recipient of a resolution from the State Assembly. She also creates visually impactful assemblage art about dyslexia as a way to communicate its characteristics in a colorful and memorable way.

    Now that The Dyslexia Project is a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization, she serves as the director and continues to work on behalf of students and community members with dyslexia and their families.

  • Dyslexia Early Indicators

    Dyslexia Early indicators include the following:

    • Speaking later than other kids his age.
    • Your child adds new words very slowly to her vocabulary.
    • Rhyming may be difficult for your child.
    • Difficulty identifying and recognizing printed letters and words.
    • Mispronouncing words
    • Your child’s reading ability is below the standard level expected for the age group.
    • Difficulty understanding instructions
    • Your child may have difficulty processing and understanding auditory remarks and may find it hard to follow more than one set of commands at a time.
    • He or she may not recognize differences and similarities between letters, words, and numbers.

    Some children also display these Dyslexia Early Indicators:

    • clumsiness or awkwardness in large muscle activities (running, hopping, skipping, playing games, sports)
    • difficulty with or avoidance of holding a pencil, coloring, learning to write, working puzzles, or with any small muscle coordination activity
    • uncertainty of preferred handedness
    • avoidance of or difficulty with recognizing or recalling own name, letters of the alphabet, or words that are taught
    • lack of desire or outright avoidance of learning to read or write or to listen to stories read to them

    School-age children also display some or all of the following Dys:

    • difficulty learning to read, despite being verbal and interested listeners
    • confusion with sequencing letters in words or in spelling
    • unreliable sense of direction: left/right, up/down, before/after; confusion sequencing days of week, months of year, etc.
    • mispronunciation or transposition of syllables for reading or spelling
    • guessing at words when reading aloud, or skipping over them with
    • inability to sound words out
    • difficulties with comprehension

    Written expression

    • inability to express complexity of thought in writing
    • illegible writing or misformed letters
    • difficulty spelling
    • below grade level in language skills: reading, spelling, writing, and verbalizing; succeeding in reading but still misspelling
    • miscall words: thing for night, procession for processing, achieve for archives, etc.
    • avoidance of reading for pleasure
    • continued performance below grade level
    • failure to measure up to academic progress commensurate with intelligence or possibly to attain no more than grade level achievement

    Math

    • difficulty with mathematics, reversal of digits, transposition of numbers: 41 for 14, 325 for 523, etc.
    • inability to recall sequential steps in mental arithmetic or follow written directions

    Other associated issues

    • development of negative emotional, behavioral and/or attitudinal problems due to inadequate academic performance
    • loss of self-esteem and self-confidence due to various problems associated with difficulties in acquiring language skills
    • family history (parents, siblings, other family members) of difficulty reading, writing, and/or math
  • Dyslexia 101 as easy as ABC Dyslexia

    It’s time for some lessons in Dyslexia 101 as easy as ABC Dyslexia. Every school year seems to pass more quickly that the last one. By mid-January, it is more than half over; the irst semester report cards are issued with grades that  entered into the “permanent record.”

    Some of those grades reflect the amount of understanding of the material and the amount of effort students put into their classes. Some—including many, if not most of the with dyslexia, who number 1 in 5, will receive grades that in no way reflect their understanding, effort, or most importantly, their intelligence.

    Those who have dyslexia—both those who are identified and those who are not—will typically continue to struggle in school, where reading, writing and spelling are their greatest difficulties. The unexpected academic difficulties these smart students experience confounds the adults in their lives. Parents, teachers and administrators will frequently explain away their difficulties: “He just doesn’t work hard enough.” “She has to get more focused.” “He’s all boy, and will grow out of it.” “She spends too much time daydreaming.” “He knows the material, he just doesn’t test well.”

    Those adults, who have the responsibility to educate children, get an F in Dyslexia 101. Here are some basics about the most common learning difference, as simple as A B C D:

    A—Awareness of the most basic aspects of dyslexia, which means “trouble with words.” Dyslexia is nothing new; it has been studied since the 1880s. Dyslexia is a hereditary neurological difference in the brain that makes it difficult to match and process sound to symbols of letters and blends—so “sounding it out” when reading simply doesn’t work for those with dyslexia.

    The development of the Functional MRI allows researchers to actually see how the brain of someone with dyslexia fires differently and in different places than someone who doesn’t have it.

    Contrary to popular belief, dyslexia is not about reversing letters or seeing things backwards. And dyslexia is also associated with an array of strengths that include creativity, “outside the box” thinking, entrepreneurialism and excellence in sports and the arts among them.

    B—Books are not the best way for people with dyslexia to access information. Reading words is not nearly as efficient as hearing them; audiobooks are a boon to those with dyslexia, and programs like Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic) help students with dyslexia access much more material reading with their ears, than they could by reading with their eyes.

    C—Curriculum to teach reading to students with dyslexia in the way they learn does exist, but it is not widely available in our schools. Research proves that the approach their differently-wired brains require is multisensory, phonics-based, structured, sequential, systematic, and cumulative. If students with dyslexia are not taught reading in this way, they will typically plateau in their reading skills at about the third-grade level, and struggle mightily thereafter.

    D—Decoding dyslexia is not rocket science, but it often seems like it. For that reason, parents across the country  created a grassroots movement known as Decoding Dyslexia. The organization has taken hold in every state and several countries outside the U.S. to educate, advocate and legislate about dyslexia. In California, the efforts of Decoding Dyslexia were successful with the passage of AB 1369 (co-sponsored by then-Assembly Member Das Williams), the first dyslexia legislation in more than a decade. The guidelines contained in the legislation provide information about how schools can better  provide appropriate services for students with dyslexia.

     

  • The Dyslexia Project

     The Dyslexia Project provides awareness, resources and support for the 1 in 5 with dyslexia in Santa Barbara and beyond. Founded in 2011, The Dyslexia Project has accomplished much in its short history with its outreach efforts, which include:

    Establishing the Parent Resource Center for Santa Barbara

    • Acquired books and videos, organized lending library
    • Develop reference materials, college resources
    • Promote PRC as a community hub of information and services
    • Supervise staff to conduct community and social media outreach
    • Hold open houses at PRC for parents and community members
    • Meetings with parents to discuss needed services for their children

    Promoting Dyslexia Awareness with Community Events

    • Arrange screenings (and filmmaker public appearances) for major dyslexia-themed movies including “The Big Picture” and “Dislecksia: The Movie”
    • Arrange speaking engagements and related public appearances for dyslexia notables, including John Rodrigues, author of High School Dropout to Harvard
    • Conduct monthly “Dyslexia Dialogues,” featuring discussions with parents and educators, multimedia presentations, panel discussions with influential community members with dyslexia

    Dyslexia Project Director Cheri Rae Talks and Seminars

    • Presentations at “Disability Awareness Day” events in elementary and secondary schools, SBUSD Teacher Training days, and to school board members and administrators
    • Presentations at Back-to-School Nights, PTAs, Family Health Fairs
    • Talks to Educational Therapists Association, service clubs, philanthropic organizations

    Media

    • In Print: Feature articles and op-eds about dyslexia for Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara News-Press, Santa Barbara Seasons magazine. Distribute free copies of book, DyslexiaLand: A Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia.
    • On the Air: Discussions of dyslexia on numerous radio stations including K-LITE, KCLU and KZSB, as well as on KEYT-TV news.
    • Online: Stories and  interviews for Santa Barbara View, Noozhawk, Independent.com. Active on dyslexia-oriented social media.
    • Video: Titles include “Father With Dyslexic Child Speak Out,” “One in Five: The Faces of Dyslexia,” “Little Free Libraries Project” (in production) “LIFE: Literacy is for Everyone (in production)