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

Category: Blog

Director of The Dyslexia Project, Cheri Rae, shares information and insights about programs and parenting, research and legislation, advocacy and networking opportunities to create dyslexia success.

  • The Incredible Loneliness of the Dyslexia Mom…But You Are Not Alone

    By Cheri Rae

    This afternoon, I placed my lunch order for a Cobb salad at my favorite sandwich shop.

    While I waited for it, Florence and the Machine’s “Dog Days are Over” blasted over the sound system. Hearing the catchy, upbeat tune, the first thing that popped into my mind was, “Oh, yes, Florence Welsh is dyslexic.” The next thing that popped into my mind, as I kept time and watched the staff bop along to the song was, “I bet I am the only one in here who knows that.”

    And then I thought about all the other stuff I know about dyslexia that sticks in my head and comes out in the most unexpected times and ways. When my dad and I watched “Patton” I told him that the famed general was dyslexic. When my friend posted her admiration of Antonio Gaudi, I mentioned that the brilliant artist/architect was dyslexic. When I spoke with the executive director of an education nonprofit, I confirmed that a local philanthropist is dyslexic.

    This arcane knowledge just sticks in my head and pops up when least expected. But this kind of depth about dyslexia, after so many years as a determined advocate, goes far beyond identifying famous dyslexics. It extends to approaches to reading, local and national literacy statistics, frustration over the lack of institutional change over time, the concept of literacy as a civil right and an issue of equity, the articles, charts, research, videos and books that best explain various aspects of what can be done to improve the lives of dyslexics.

    Like so many parent-advocates, I’ve endured the eye-rolls from educators who make comments like “I’ve never had a student with dyslexia, so you’ll have to give me some information.” I’ve had a superintendent tell me, “Students with dyslexia just have to learn how to suck it up.” And I’ve even had friends who have questioned accommodations, asking, “Don’t you think it’s unfair that your son gets more time, and my son doesn’t?” 

    I’ve learned all about special education and IEPs, and worked hard to get exactly the right wording, the right goals in place, only to have the document ignored by classroom teachers. And my son rebel against having anything to do with special education.

    I’ve attended school board meetings where parents weep as they beg for help for their dyslexic children but after their three minutes are simply dismissed by stone-faced trustees who don’t bother to comment or follow-up. Or learn what they could do to stop the educational struggles of kids in their care. I’ve read the campaign literature that touts the transparency and communication skills of those same trustees running for re-election. So they can continue their same ways for another term and never make any meaningful progress.

    It makes me want to scream out the truth, but no one wants to listen to that.

    We have to be careful, civil, mask our anger with reasonableness, forgo our humiliations, and go along and get along or they won’t listen. But when we are patient and collaborative, they don’t listen to that, either.

    My inbox, phone records and daily journals reflect that I am not alone. Every week, I hear from parents who are stymied by the educational system, feeling so very alone in their journey to understand the numerous complex issues associated with dyslexia, and frankly, in fear for the futures of their children. I share my experiences, provide insights when I can, offer support and a sympathetic ear. I even wrote a book to help other parents.

    We moms of children with dyslexia seek out support anywhere we can. Since the school districts know there is strength in numbers, they work hard to keep us apart, citing confidentiality concerns. But the kids all know who is struggling and who isn’t.

    On social media, we connect with literal strangers far, far away who often understand our concerns better than our real-life friends and members of our own families. We don’t want to talk about dyslexia all the time, but quite honestly, it’s often the most important issue going on in our lives, and we need to unburden our hearts, express our concerns, vent our frustrations at the hands of the education establishment. But even social media has been taken over by groups with agendas not apparent to most who participate. And while social media may connect like-minded people in the virtual world, it’s not likely to have much effect on making much institutional change in our local schools.

    Individually, we seek solace in learning everything we possibly can about supporting dyslexic strengths; all those inspirational success stories about dyslexics who have “made it,” and buy into the notion of dyslexic superpowers. In doing so, we worry if we’re putting too much pressure on our kids, who maybe don’t want to claim superpowers, they just want to be considered typical kids who can just enjoy their childhoods, their classroom experiences and their day-to-day lives.

    My parenting mantra has always been “roots and wings.” Providing that supportive platform for all our kids, including those with dyslexia, so they can fly on their own. I admit to getting a bit research-obsessed about dyslexia, but now that my dyslexic son is an adult, and flying strong and secure on his own ~ after the trials and tribulations of public school ~ I want to offer a little support to those parents on the journey: Go ahead and learn all you can and do all you can about dyslexia, protect your child’s well-being from bureaucratic excesses and know that they will be okay because you are there, a loving, supportive and knowledgeable parent. 

    Yes, it is lonely along the way. But reach out in your community where you find it ~ or create your own. And dance to the music when you hear it. Because, even when you least expect it, it’s there.

  • The Dyslexic Dozen

    This series of graphics was originally inspired by those inspired by the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Instead of a holiday theme, we re-created it to have year-round value and a reminder to celebrate the strengths that are often—but not always—a part of dyslexia, too often unrecognized.

  • Literacy Is For Everyone

    The Dyslexia Project’s: Little Free Library Initiative

    The founder of the Little Free Library program, Todd H. Bol, was dyslexic, and he built the first one as a tribute to his mother who loved to read. His hope was that making books available in these libraries would help children and adults learn to read.

    We have had one of these on our property for many years, and been impressed with the community-building effect they have, with parents, children, students, all members of the neighborhood who enjoy the treasures they find within.

    We were inspired to purchase several of these Little Free Libraries and had one donated to us by an educator who no longer lived in an area where it could be used. We are well-aware that books alone are not enough; struggling readers must be taught to read in the way their brains learn.

    Brightly colored with our logo colors and featuring an inspirational figure (including Kofi Annan, Cesar Chavez, Maya Angelou, Frederick Douglass, Henry David Thoreau, and Morgan Freeman) on each side—with a quote about literacy in English on one side, Spanish on the other—they contain information about where to learn more about dyslexia and literacy, they were placed with enthusiastic stewards in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, and even in one in Northern California.  

    As funding and requests continue, we intend to expand this program of outreach to the community and gain visibility for our dyslexia advocacy work, and creating ever-more awareness about supporting strengths and addressing challenges among struggling readers.

    STORIES:

    Penny

    Penny owned The Earthling Bookshop for nearly 25 years. It was a landmark spot in Santa Barbara, a very special community gathering place and the Little Free Library is a natural way for her to share her love of reading and knowledge about dyslexia with the community. She carefully curates a selection of books for residents of her retirement community—and their grandchildren who come to visit.

    Two in One

    One of our stewards installed this Little Free Library many years ago and asked to have it painted with The Dyslexia Project’s colors to join in the initiative. She then decided to add an additional one, just for children in the neighborhood. Both of them are well-stocked and well-loved.

    Talulah's library

    In Memory

    We were pleased to accept the donation of a hand-built Little Free Library created in memory of the father of a county educator who moved to a remote location and could no longer use it. We knew it was a special one and some months later, learned of the very sad passing of a little 12-year-old who loved to read. Her name was Talulah, and we managed to get the library to her father who placed it on the campus where she had attended school. A fitting tribute to a child gone too soon who continues to inspire others to learn to read.

    Turquoise by Talulah
    Miss Talulah's Library
    Literacy is for everyone
  • When Reading Hurts

    A Mother Learns to Decode Dyslexia with the Help of Her Son and Other Experts

    By Cheri Rae

    My earliest school memory is from Starr King Elementary in Long Beach, California, when the classroom teacher and school librarian selected me to join the accelerated reading club. Our little group met weekly in an airy, sunny room full of books. We must have been smug little show-offs, elevated and admired just because reading came so easily, so naturally. We got to read aloud to the other kids in class, the ones who just couldn’t read as well, who just weren’t as smart.

    Or so we thought.

    Most people believe reading skill reflects intelligence — in essence, you read well if you’re smart, and if you struggle to read, your intelligence just doesn’t quite measure up.

    The corollary is that the obviously smart person who struggles to read just isn’t trying hard enough.

    Both beliefs are wrong.

    When Two Vowels Go Walking

    For my son, reading has been a nightmare — with letters on a page assembled in apparently random patterns with no particular relationship to sound or meaning.

    I never appreciated the gift of easy reading — or the pain, humiliation, embarrassment, and damage to self-esteem associated with reading difficulties — until I woke up to the fact my smart little boy just wasn’t catching on, no matter how hard he worked.

    I had read to him as an infant, a toddler, and throughout his childhood. While he loved hearing stories, he just couldn’t read them on his own when it seemed time for him to master the skill. Listening to him struggle to read aloud was cringe-worthy, difficult, and completely baffling. There was no rhythm, cadence, or apparent understanding of how to sound out a word, no matter how much prompting, review, encouragement, or instruction.

    His relationship to the written word was frightful, what educator Horace Mann described as “skeleton-shaped, bloodless, ghostly apparitions.” He may as well have been trying to decipher Morse code or the Rosetta Stone.

    Nothing seemed to help enhance his reading: not easy-readers in subjects he liked; not summer school enrichment classes or expensive tutoring sessions during the school year; not hours at home drilling with flash cards; not helpful little phrases such as, “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking.” Not even the promise of a new bike if he finished reading a shelf full of books on his own.

    Finally, in 3rd grade, a battery of tests administered by the school psychologist confirmed that his performance in school did not measure up to his intellectual ability, and he landed in special education classes. He got extra time in class, modified homework, and slowed-down instruction in his school’s Learning Center, but as the clock ticked and years passed, he lagged behind his classmates.

    They were reading to learn, while he was still learning to read.

    They were reading for pleasure, while he was reading in pain.

    Tips for Parents

    1) Push for assessment if you suspect dyslexia or other learning disability; time is of the essence; ask for testing of all suspected disabilities as well as assistive technology.

    2) Learn all you can about the issue, and realize you must advocate for your child.

    3) Bring a knowledgeable advocate (or attorney) to meetings; document everything and keep impeccable records.

    4) Bring to meetings a photo of your child, a statement in your child’s own words, or even a video of your child reading to make your child’s struggle real to decision-makers.

    5) Focus on your child’s strengths: mechanical ability, musical aptitude, sports ability, artistic talent, etc.

    It made no sense to me. The harder he worked at reading, the more frustrated and hopeless he felt — and so did I. He compensated for his lack of reading skills by honing his athletic ones; he became an accomplished baseball player with a natural swing, an accurate arm, and an uncanny ability to track the trajectory of a ball hit to the outfield. The book on him has always been that he is “coachable,” but no amount of coaching in reading ever resulted in any significant gains.

    He had no difficulty learning, just reading the words.

    Sometimes I read stuff twice and it doesn’t make any sense, and I get confused. I have to concentrate so much on the reading in the textbook, I can’t learn what I’m supposed to be learning about. So it takes forever to keep going back and read it again. Then I run out of time and have lots of homework.

    He had no problems comprehending what he heard, just reading out loud.

    When we’re reading out loud in class, I sometimes look at a word and I say what I think it is, then read three more words, and realize it’s wrong. So I go back and say it correctly and then I lose my thought. I don’t really stay on the lines that much. I might get to the end of a sentence, and skip a line and then go back, and I’m all jumbled up and have to stop, and then I feel embarrassed.

    With his keen observational skills, outside-the-box thinking, and easygoing ability to get along with just about everyone, life was pretty easy for him, everywhere but at school. There, success is determined by scores on standardized tests — and his future life chances depend on measuring up.

    By the time he reached 7th grade, with his ability to read lagging far behind, I lay awake nights worried about his past, his present, his future: What had I done wrong? What could I do to help him? What if he never learned to read at all?

    What we needed was a miracle. And after years of searching, hoping, and praying, we finally got one.

    A Mother on a Mission

    On a friend’s recommendation, I phoned the Dyslexia Awareness and Resource Center in Santa Barbara and finally spoke with Joan Esposito, the woman who cofounded the center in 1990.

    After listening patiently to my story about my son’s reading struggles, she interrupted me in her characteristically blunt fashion. “For a smart woman, you have a lot to learn,” she noted. “Your son is dyslexic; that’s all.”

    “No,” I said, “he’s been diagnosed with something called ‘specific learning disability,’ but I don’t know, specifically, what that means. They talk about visual processing and memory issues, but no one has ever suggested he’s dyslexic. Doesn’t that mean he sees letters backwards?”

    Clearly exasperated, she told me that “specific learning disability” is an umbrella term that includes dyslexia — but the word is rarely if ever mentioned in the public schools. Then she ordered me to come to her office as soon as possible, where she planned to set me straight.

    This patron saint of dyslexics maintains a sanctuary in an upstairs office on Carpinteria Street. The walls are lined with framed proclamations signed by distinguished city, county, state, and federal officials commending Esposito for her work — and a dozen inspirational magazine covers, photos of famous dyslexics, and drawings by children expressing their painful reading experiences.

    An article reprinted from Fortune Magazine, “The Dyslexic CEO,” caught my eye; it featured a photo of financial wizard Charles Schwab at age 13 — the same age as my son. It recounted the childhood reading struggles of dozens of other successful entrepreneurs — including Kinko’s Paul Orfalea and Virgin Atlantic Airways’ Richard Branson.

    Their stories were nearly identical to what was going on with my son.

    It was a revelation. I felt like my son and I had arrived at the place we needed to be, and found the person we needed to meet.

    She described how she was always a struggling reader until she was finally diagnosed as dyslexic at the age of 44, as a student at Santa Barbara City College.

    With stunning clarity, she explained dyslexia, a manifestation of a brain neurologically wired to learn differently that may affect up to 20 percent of the population — one in five children and adults. And she noted that approximately 80 percent of the schoolchildren who are diagnosed with learning disabilities may actually be dyslexic.

    She took me by the hand and led me through the unfamiliar territory of learning disabilities, defining a path where before there had been only dead-ends and rocky roads. She pointed me — and my son — in the right direction to get the help he needed.

    She uttered the odd words, “Lindamood-Bell. That’s what he needs, Lindamood-Bell.”

    I had no idea what she was talking about, but listened closely as she explained that Lindamood-Bell is one of several research-based learning programs that rely heavily on one-on-one intensive training that literally rewire the brain’s sensory-cognitive processing ability — and teach dyslexics to read in the exact way their unique brains learn.

    While I didn’t quite understand — or believe her — nothing else had worked. I placed my faith in her convincing words.

    After years of despair, it seemed too much to hope for that such a well thought-out and proven solution outside existed — not in the public-school classroom, but in the stately former home of the St. Vincent’s School and Orphanage on De la Vina Street, home of the Lindamood-Bell Training Center. The director, Janelle Ashby, described the program of instruction — designed to help students develop the mental imagery needed to match sounds to written words. Clearly, my son’s reading struggles were not unique; they just hadn’t been properly addressed.

    Because the school district really has no formalized instruction program geared to the specific needs of a dyslexic student — and a review of assessments over time proved he had made so little progress over so much time — school district officials eventually approved my son’s enrollment in the Lindamood-Bell reading program.

    In the first week, it was obvious that something extraordinary was happening — and it was all good.

    Each subsequent week during the intensive, four-hours-per-day instruction period, we met with one of his specially trained Lindamood-Bell clinicians, a fellow dyslexic named Dana. She proudly showed assessments that indicated his daily progress, growing list of sight words mastered, and reading proficiencies reached.

    After 180 hours of one-on-one instruction, extensive reassessment revealed his word attack skills — a fundamental requirement for reading competence — increased from 2nd-grade level to 8th-grade level. And his oral reading skills increased from 3rd-grade to 7th-grade level.

    Retesting six months later revealed the reading gains had held steady. There are still a few areas of reading weakness that keep his total reading ability a bit below grade level — and need to be addressed — but his reading skills have so significantly improved he can be considered a competent reader for the first time in his life.

    On occasion, he even picks up a book and reads for fun.

    Imagine If You Can

    Early this year, Santa Barbara’s Dyslexia Awareness and Resource Center sponsored its annual conference, featuring a leading expert on learning disabilities, Jonathan Mooney. He movingly revealed his story of undiagnosed dyslexia, depression, and the decision to commit suicide when he was a 6th grader who couldn’t read. He was branded — as so many dyslexics are — as “stupid, crazy, lazy.” With lots of support services, and the development of self-advocacy skills, Mooney overcame all three labels, and graduated with honors from Brown University.

    Mooney, author of two books and founder of project Eye-to-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy nonprofit for students with learning differences, spoke of the need to develop classroom strategies that facilitate, celebrate, and validate different ways of learning. He suggested academic accommodations including the use of audio books, voice-activated software, oral exams, portfolio presentations, and note-takers to assist dyslexics to be successful in their requirement “to play a game not built for you.”

    With all the negativity heard about dyslexia, the great irony is that the pantheon of creative spirits, original thinkers, innovators, and super-achievers is filled with distinguished dyslexics who struggled in school, including some of the smartest people who ever lived: Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison. Add presidents Thomas Jefferson and John F. Kennedy; Steven Spielberg and Steve Jobs; Babe Ruth and Magic Johnson; Goldie Hawn and Whoopi Goldberg; and Santa Barbara’s own Schwab and Orfalea. And just this summer, actor Orlando Bloom announced his dyslexia; and in a touching eulogy delivered by his niece, the dyslexia of the late senator Robert Byrd was also made public.

    You may say I’m a dreamer — John Lennon was dyslexic, too — but I think it’s high time we focus on the positive attributes of dyslexic kids and adults and start regarding them as those who possess the superior minds among us.

    What if progressive educators — and insightful philanthropists — in our community finally realized that it’s time for Santa Barbara to create a model program to teach these kids — far too many of whom are lost these days?

    What if politicians and bureaucrats could finally understand that the cost of not teaching young people to read because they think differently is far greater than the funds required for training teachers and investing in special programs?

    What if we called it the Academy of Auditory Learners or the Center for Dyslexia & Creativity (after Yale’s research center of the same name) and stuffed it full of cutting-edge assistive technology, neuro-educators, and innovative programs geared to the way these brains are wired?

    Now I lay awake at night thinking about a lot of new questions: What would have happened if we had never diagnosed his dyslexia? What if school administrators had not approved the Lindamood-Bell training and he never learned to read in the way he learns? Would he have ended up like so many struggling readers — depressed, angry, and alienated from school? What about all those other kids just like him? I cannot fathom how, in this community that prizes innovation and compassion, we allow one in five children to fall so far behind and suffer so much.

    One in five — that is the estimated number of children in public schools who have some degree of dyslexia. That means that in a typical secondary school classroom of 30 kids, six of them are struggling to keep up — through no fault of their own. Because of the way their brains are wired, the most common teaching practices — taking notes during a lecture, reading off the board, writing essays, reading aloud — are, for kids with dyslexia, pure torture.

    Way back in 1990, there was a Dyslexia Task Force Committee in the Santa Barbara School Districts. It issued a report called the Superintendent’s Study Committee on Dyslexia along with a set of recommendations, including the characteristics of dyslexia, specialized training for teachers, and the development of collaborative partnerships for successful learning for all students. Over time, and a shuffle of administrators, that report has been forgotten.

    It’s time we pull it out again and heed its conclusion: “The emphasis is on providing those who work with dyslexic students resources and expertise for dealing with this debilitating condition which, if untreated, contributes to the growing number of dysfunctional adults.”

    It took a massive effort to get my dyslexic son the reading program that teaches him in the way his brain learns. My hope — no, my expectation — is that we provide every dyslexic student with the same opportunity. Surely we’re smart enough to do that.

    Cheri Rae is a longtime contributor to The Independent and other area publications.

  • 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

  • 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.