This book is full of information, starting with explaining how one learns to read using phonemes. Then it takes you through the third grade and what is expected of older children in regards to reading.

It clearly shows you the difference between a person with dyslexia and one who doesn't. Great Book!

This book is well written, easy to use and has very practical things to do. Good for anyone whose child is struggling to read as it helps you understand how one learns to read.

Dr. Shaywitz explains dyslexia in easy to understand terms. She is able to explain dyslexia in layman terms and describes various reading delays The book lays out treatment plans in a step by step manner that is very helpful for any teacher working with dyslexic children. It is a wonderful guide for parents as well giving them an understanding of the different ways to treat dyslexia.

This book is an excellent resource for both parents and educators. It was recommended to me by a private tutor for students with dyslexia and I found it extremely helpful. The information is provided in a way that is reader friendly and suggestions are given for parents working with their children and teachers working with students. I would definitely recommend this book as a resource!

I wrote a review that I didn't get the book, but I just got it. Great!!!!

Creates a profile of the dyslexic person...and provides instructional interventions that work.....feels like a handbook....I have two copies, one for home and one for school...

I really needed a good explanation of dyslexia after my daughter was diagnosed with it. I was told of this book by the school reading specialist. Every chapter of the book was eye-opening and helped bring my child's plight into better focus. I now feel so much more informed and better prepared to help my little girl.

I feel empowered to help her and have the insight to know why she reads the way she does. Her reading has improved simply because the quality of my home instruction has improved. I had been hindering her with my improper teaching methods!
Thank you Dr Shaywitz for your brilliant insight and your pioneering research.

Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level

This was recommended to me by several local and state experts as the best single source on the subject, and I have not been disappointed. Parts I and II provide a clear, suscinct overview of the condition, Parts III and IV deal with teaching reading to dyslexics. The Epilogue describes the experience of several very well known and very successful dyslexics. It is not a curse, just a somewhat different operating system.

I did not spend much time with Parts III & IV because my personal point of view has been shaped by Susan Barton's Orton-Gillingham derivitive the one that's available here, and while some of the specific techniques vary the overall thrust is right on. In fairness, the author also recommends using one of the preprepared programs rather than inventing your own, because all of them produce satisfactory results. Obviously she has looked at more progrtams than I have.

Very much worthwhile for anyone in education or for anyone with an exceptionally bright family member or friend who has trouble reading and spelling. It will open your eyes. They may be a lot smarter than you are.

REWFM

I ordered this book after attending a seminar on Dyslexia. My child has not been officially diagnosed, but this book is fantastic. It explains what dyslexia is and also gives information about other reading disabilities, differences and difficulties. It gives you many activities you can do with your child to help improve reading skills and is very practical for addressing the problems your child may be having. I highly recommend this book for anyone who may suspect that your child has a reading disability.

This book had been recommended reading for me and now I am recommending it to parents of my students.
After dealing with the products of whole language teaching, parents of dyslexic students are desperate for an approach to teaching reading that is more in line with the needs of students.
This book outlines such an approach - and gives reasons/ supporting evidence for why this approach to programming, works.

Fantastic review of dyslexia, its foundations and how to work with someone to help overcome their dyslexia. I found it extremely helpful. The book also gave me some visuals I could use to help explain dyslexia to my 8 year old so that he could understand that this only effects one part of the brain and that he is actually very intelligent.

This is the best book for anyone that does not know about Dyslexia. Our son has been diagnosed with Dyslexia and we have given copies of this book out to all of his teachers every year. Just last year, his teacher said that after 20 years of teaching she didn't know of any children with Dyslexia in her class but after reading the book she can pick out at least 4.

This book is a wonderful way to learn what dyslexia is scientifically, the symptoms associated with it, and how to handle the disability. It is very straight forward, gives realistic suggestions and links to wonderful websites. Above all, it stresses the positive aspects of dyslexia and all a person with dyslexia CAN accomplish; which is everything! With this book I now consider myself an expert on the subject.

Dr. Shaywitz provides so much information that you won't want to just check this one out from the library--you'll want it for your bookshelf. It will be a well-used resource for many years!

...because, as the author asserts, dyslexia does not remit spontaneously. That is, once you have it, it is yours, more or less, for life.

This assertion holds true only if dyslexic children do not receive a structured reading-phonics program, such as the one offered by Kumon centers across North America. (BTW, Kumon instructors never refer to "learning disability" or "dyslexia," but instead, to "struggling readers.") This program is one of daily practice for about 20 minutes, and has embedded the three components of successful anti-dyslexia programs: practice, sight vocabulary, and phonics/phonemic awareness.

Curiously, Dr. Shaywitz mentions U. of Oregon DIEBELS programs, but is not acquainted with Kumon, which has an equally broad reach across the country.

This was an amazing book. There IS hope if you or someone you know is dyslexic! This is an encouraging book that empowers you to take charge and help your child,student, yourself... become a stronger reader!
Dispells many myths about dyslexia and what it is.
Focuses on strategies and curriculum based on strong research.
Describes how the brain works when it comes to language... and how brain scans have shown "improvement" in areas of the brain (left lobes) that have been activated after effective reading strategies and programs have been implemented.
It is filled with lots and lots of specific, practical ideas, resources and information about how readers learn to read and how we can help children (and adults) who have difficulty reading. Although the title refers to dyslexia, it is a great book if you want to understand how the reading process works and what you can do as a parent/teacher/caregiver to help your child overcome dyslexia,to solidify your child's reading skills if they don't have dyslexia, or to get them off to a great start reading in the early years. There are also specific descriptions of which signs to look for EARLY ON to detect any reading difficulties or dyslexia and address them then.

I used many of the ideas in the text with my own daughter who is learning to read... and also with a few students I've worked with who struggle with reading. I was surprised to find that many of the descriptions in the book, of the kinds of errors that children with reading difficulties or dyslexia make, exactly described some of the things I was seeing with the children I worked with.

This is a book I borrowed from the library first, then knew, without a doubt, I had to buy and have for a reference again and again!

This is a wonderfully written book on dyslexia. I have read several and this is by far my favorite! I would highly recommend this book for those who are looking for some great information on this learning disability.

This book was the most complete book I have ever found on the subject of Dyslexia. It was very enlightening for me as the mom of 3 Dyslexic children to understand the scientific facts as well as be given an abundance of helpful strategies in dealing with the learning difficulties for Dyslexic people. A true MUST HAVE for anyone searching for help in understanding Dyslexia.

This is one book that I would encourage all teachers and parents interested in the learning-to-read process to read. I always like to read one professional book over the summer, and this was the most important professional book I've ever read. It's not just about overcoming dyslexia; it's about how to teach reading with success to all students. It helped me understand brain development in terms of learning to read. It contains research and also explains the components of any really good reading program. It's an interesting, well-written, easy to understand book, one that I would recommend to every teacher and interested parent.

This is what parents need in a time when school wont help and you feel helpless. I am lucky to have found this book. It should be given to every school. I am fighting a losing battle trying to get our school to understand Dyslexia. If you are someone just starting on this road buy this book. It has everything you need to know to help yourself of your child. It is a must have for me. Open my eyes to my daughters world what a blessing that is.

This is what parents need in a time when school wont help and you feel helpless. I am lucky to have found this book. It should be given to every school. I am fighting a losing battle trying to get our school to understand Dyslexia. If you are someone just starting on this road buy this book. It has everything you need to know to help yourself of your child. It is a must have for me. Open my eyes to my daughters world what a blessing that is.

This book was recommended to me by the evaluation team that worked with my son. It is an unparalleled resource for all people dealing with dyslexia. From kindergartners to adults. You will find contact information for agencies, program suggestion, and essential hints on what to ask schools for. It was such a great resource I bought a second copy for my son's "resource team" at school.

I picked up this book to get some ideas about what to do with my students who are struggling readers. I've been highlighting and making notes in the margin. I took this book to my principal and suggested he read it and perhaps purchase it for all staff members who teach reading. Sally Shaywitz really helps to explain the deficits that struggling readers have and what we can do about it. This is also a great book for parents who are worried about their children's reading scores.

Based on the title, I thought I would open the book to find a new (and complete) science-based program for reading. What I did find was a lot of information about dyslexia, its historic roots, information on the dyslexic brain, diagnosing dyslexia, different reading programs that are currently available and advice on how to find a good school. I found the book to be very informative, although a bit wordy and a bit misleading. So, if you're looking for a step-by-step reading program (that's sure to work), this isn't it. I do like the fact that the book validated dyslexia, explained it and offered hope, giving examples of successful dyslexics and their stories.

My one disappointment was how Dr. Shaywitz said (a number of times) that the parent should take a supportive role and let the professionals do their job. Depending on where you live, finding a professional that knows how to teach a dyslexic can be impossible. If you are fortunate enough to find one, it will be very expensive. I know this first hand. In many cases, a parent must become the teacher for their child and this can be done successfully.

Dr. Shaywitz portrays this language based disability clearly and simply. This is a must read for any person involved in educating special needs children. BUY IT!

I first read this book a couple of years ago when my son started struggling in school. It provided a reference to see why he was struggling, and has been a guide in bringing him up to grade level reading. I consider this to be one of the most important books in my son's ability to grow mentally. Shaywitz covers every aspect of dyslexia from the hurt and confusion a dyslexic faces to the causes of dyslexia to how to teach a dyslexic. She states that 20% of americans are dyslexic, so it seems that this book should be standard reference to parents and educators. Shaywitz takes a subject that is surrounded by confusion and makes it understandable and treatable.

I am a teacher and teaching computer science course and I believe I am have dyslexia. Why I said that it is because my early education was Chinese. When the language is all images and pictures my dyslexia symptom become my gifts. I haven't read the book yet but I read all the reviews. I almost can tell Dr. Sall Shaywitz also have dyslexia. Recently I help my son's homework and he has the same problem as me cannot remember how to spell the words. I found out the web site used Dr. Shaywitz's method. It was the first time I heard about dyslexia.
When my son was two years old. I spend several months to teach him the letters but he could not remember. One day all the suddent, I remembered my mom taught me 'H' looks like a ladder and 'P' was the big head guy (She difinitely also has dyslexia). I used this method to teach my son. Within one month he remembered all the letters. I felt sorry to read one of the review mom need to with draw her son one year because he could not remember the letters.
After I knew this dyslexia term, I immediately forced my son, he is in 5 grade, relearn all the cursive letters and start all over again the phonic. I know myself how can I remember the letter is by the picture if my son's handwriting is not a nice picture, he will never remember it. If the phonic is not strong enough like me, he will have the problem to spell the the words correctly in his whole life. I did not know what was phonic until 38 years old when my son came home from kinderganter with a phonic homework. Even though, I learn English since I was in Kindergander. I was surprised by some reviewers who refused to believe the importantance of the phonic and it also is the only way. Instead they are looking for some dramatic method. Good method does metter it is old or new.
I always wonder why the two major language systems. One delevoped by pictures and image like Chinese words never change to use the symbols like English. Now I understand that the difference of the human being's brian let us have two different ways.
In the same time I started to learn all the phonic books that I have and also brought a idex see through bag hanging on the wall. I wrote every words on the index card and put it in the bag. It is helping me for the coming GRE test.It also helping my son social study explorer test. Once again I haven't read the book yet. I don't know what Dr. Shaywitz suggestion. I just use my instinct.
One lucky thing is no one know that I have dyslexia when I was young and put me in medicine otherwise I probably could not get my master degree in Computer Science and become a teacher now.
I suggest the teachers if they think the phonic does not work. Please revise your method. I remembered the first time my brother brought me to a steak house and the light was very dark. No metter how hard he used the knift to cut the steak, it still did not work. I look at his knift. He used the wrong side of knift to cut the steak.
I encourage the moms if no one can help your son or daughter, ask some one has this symptom, they will give you some idea. Ask your family members.
Now I am going to buy this book.

I was very impressed with the book. It was easy to understand and very informative. I would recommend it to anyone with concerns or questions about dylexia

The book arrived exactly as described! Great price and fast shipping!

I received this book as a gift. There are quite a few books on this subject on the market and this one is the best. I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days. It's a huge book, a great resource that is well researched and written.. I have a few friends who've purchased this book and really loved it too. I can highly recommend this book

Author of
The Truth About
Caffeine

Using MRI and neuroscience to try to answer questions about dyslexia as Sally Md Shaywitz has tried to do is dangerously short sighted and terribly misguided. Especially when you consider that her conclusions about remediation reflect what is so deeply wrong with education today. Trying to cram human brain function and the human spirit into the confines of modern education is akin to stuffing an elephant into a thimble. Imagine if one were so dimwitted as to blame the elephant for the obvious lack of success. This is precisely what is happening today in public education. If one were able to step back from the tree and catch a glimpse of the forest, one might see that ego drives professionals to draw conclusions about student performance that reflect the stupidity of arrogance. More and more students are being labeled learning disabled and dyslexic, more medication is being doled out and more and more remediations are being invented to control and force students into a useless development that does much more to impede brain function than to enhance it. In fact, students are being driven into intellectual comas and instead of rethinking methods and curriculum, teachers blame students and their families for their own professional shortcomings. Uniforms, drill and kill, direct instruction amongst other inhumane and unintelligent strategies are exactly what has gotten us to this desperate point. In one more generation, Sally Md Shaywitz will be able to prove that 2 in 5 students have dyslexia and her confidence in modern science will soar to new heights. Teachers everywhere will be able to rejoice that their own drastic failings are not their fault at all, but that of the flawed human condition.

Read Thomas Khun's Scientific Revolutions to understand the mechanics behind what I am about to describe. The present paradigm of public education is precisely the reason why we have today's educational dilemma. (crisis). Modern public education is metaphorically lost in Minos' maze. We have lost our way and we also lost Ariadne's golden cord. Almost all educational research and conclusions drawn from research are hopelessly lost in the labyrinth. All of our attempts to extricate ourselves, including taking advice from Sally Md Shaywitz, forces us deeper into the maze and closer to our inevitable demise at the horns of the minotaur. We are in a quagmire of a dismally intellectually bankrupt system of labels and useless judgments that serve little more than to take us all to our lowest common denominator.

There is a new paradigm, when it is presented, war will be officially declared. The entire teaching profession will be turned on its head and will rally all its base resources to wage war on the new paradigm. It will be revolted by the new paradigm because it calls for many new definitions. What is education? What does it mean to learn? What is the nature of a professional teacher? What is the role of public education? It will call for the new teacher to be a humble public servant rather than an arrogant dispenser of knowledge. Although the new paradigm may be new to the public, it began as long as 3000 years ago and its adoption is inevitable. The only question will be when and after how much suffering?

If I am correct, then Sally Md Shaywitz and people like her have done much to damage the development of our populace. We will continue to help them in their madness because we too are ignorant of the reality of the situation. We are in the infancy of our intellectual development. To assume otherwise is the epitome of stupidity. I am disgusted by the vacuous conclusions that we allow ourselves to believe about data especially about direct explicit instruction, Albert Einstein said "what can be measured doesn't always count and what counts can not always be measured." The profession of teaching lacks development and insight on a monumental scale.
I would appreciate any intelligent refutation of my above statement. I would love to hear something intelligent about Sally Md Shaywitz's work and her conclusions that open my eyes to any possible benefit to heeding her advice. I myself have no credentials compared to her Yale position, but as Mark Twain said, "It is better to deserve an honor and not get it than to get it and not deserve it.
Please feel free to correct my thinking at [...]Sincerely Ty

Using MRI and neuroscience to try to answer questions about dyslexia as Sally Md Shaywitz has tried to do is dangerously short sighted and terribly misguided. Especially when you consider that her conclusions about remediation reflect what is so deeply wrong with education today. Trying to cram human brain function and the human spirit into the confines of modern education is akin to stuffing an elephant into a thimble. Imagine if one were so dimwitted as to blame the elephant for the obvious lack of success. This is precisely what is happening today in public education. If one were able to step back from the tree and catch a glimpse of the forest, one might see that ego drives professionals to draw conclusions about student performance that reflect the stupidity of arrogance. More and more students are being labeled learning disabled and dyslexic, more medication is being doled out and more and more remediations are being invented to control and force students into a useless development that does much more to impede brain function than to enhance it. In fact, students are being driven into intellectual comas and instead of rethinking methods and curriculum, teachers blame students and their families for their own professional shortcomings. Uniforms, drill and kill, direct instruction amongst other inhumane and unintelligent strategies are exactly what has gotten us to this desperate point. In one more generation, Sally Md Shaywitz will be able to prove that 2 in 5 students have dyslexia and her confidence in modern science will soar to new heights. Teachers everywhere will be able to rejoice that their own drastic failings are not their fault at all, but that of the flawed human condition.

Read Thomas Khun's Scientific Revolutions to understand the mechanics behind what I am about to describe. The present paradigm of public education is precisely the reason why we have today's educational dilemma. (crisis). Modern public education is metaphorically lost in Minos' maze. We have lost our way and we also lost Ariadne's golden cord. Almost all educational research and conclusions drawn from research are hopelessly lost in the labyrinth. All of our attempts to extricate ourselves, including taking advice from Sally Md Shaywitz, forces us deeper into the maze and closer to our inevitable demise at the horns of the minotaur. We are in a quagmire of a dismally intellectually bankrupt system of labels and useless judgments that serve little more than to take us all to our lowest common denominator.

There is a new paradigm, it will be presented to the public in a few short years and the war will be officially declared. The entire teaching profession will be turned on its head and will rally all its base resources to wage war on the new paradigm. It will be revolted by the new paradigm because it calls for many new definitions. What is education? What does it mean to learn? What is the nature of a professional teacher? What is the role of public education? It will call for the new teacher to be a humble public servant rather than an arrogant dispenser of knowledge. Although the new paradigm may be new to the public, it began as long as 3000 years ago and its adoption is inevitable. The only question will be when and after how much suffering?

If I am correct, then Sally Md Shaywitz and people like her have done much to damage the development of our populace. We will continue to help them in their madness because we too are ignorant of the reality of the situation. We are in the infancy of our intellectual development. To assume otherwise is the epitome of stupidity. I am disgusted by the vacuous conclusions that we allow ourselves to believe about data especially about direct explicit instruction, Albert Einstein said "what can be measured doesn't always count and what counts can not always be measured." The profession of teaching lacks development and insight on a monumental scale.
I would appreciate any intelligent refutation of my above statement. I would love to hear something intelligent about Sally Md Shaywitz's work and her conclusions that open my eyes to any possible benefit to heeding her advice. I myself have no credentials compared to her Yale position, but as Mark Twain said, "It is better to deserve an honor and not get it than to get it and not deserve it.
Please feel free to correct my thinking at [...]Sincerely Ty

I am a reading tutor and can tell you that this book hits the mark dead center. The author covers it all--the history of dyslexia, the amazing nuclear imaging today that is showing what happens in the brains of dyslexics, and then what to do about it and much, much more. This book is not just for dyslexics, however; it contains a wealth of information for anyone with a child struggling to read or an adult who can't read. Her methods work, because I have used many of them. Finally, if you as a person have always longed to read better (or just read!)or you are a parent who is beaten down, discouraged, having lost hope for your child (because that's exactly the way your child feels as he/she constantly fails to read), this book will give you incredible hope! There is a bright future for the one who struggles with reading...it is definitely fixable! To start fixing it, go invest 10-15 bucks on this book and get started!


Marina Kushner
Author
The Truth About Caffeine: How Companies That Promote It Deceive Us and What We Can Do about It

An unexpected treat; I initially bought this book because I have a niece with reading problems, and was hoping to find some way to help her. I didn't anticipate finding something as comprehensive and personal as this book turned out to be. It took me all the way through, from the science of reading through very practical and detailed advice about what to actually do about reading problems. There is also something very unusual about the tone of this book -- it comes across as very warm, compassionate, and almost initimate. I also liked the discussions with several famous dyslexics including Charles Schwab and John Irving. All in all, a very helpful, very readable book about reading.

I suppose the biggest contributor to my good health is the fact that I (mostly) gave up caffeine a little over a year ago. I still have a cup of green tea decaf every morning and maybe a cup of coffee once a week, but it is nothing like the 4-6 cups of coffee I used to drink every morning. I like that I could go without the tea if I wanted to and wouldn't feel like [...] all day. My doctor gave me this book to read called "The Truth About Caffeine" by Marina Kushner. It was very helpful pointing out the long-term affects regarding caffeine consumption.

I love that I can wake up in the morning feeling fairly bright and shiny. I don't dread getting out of bed. Early morning running is amazing. I like that I am out before most people are - I don't feel conspicuous and I have lots of good quiet time.

Some of the book was very interesting, especially the chapter on the functional MRI findings. I appreciate her writing the book to share her experiences, and think she truly wants to help. However, I admit I have grave doubts about her premise, because it is inherently contradictory. She repeats throughout the book that anyone who is dyslexic will always remain so, and yet is simultaneously convinced that the kind of intervention she recommends is uniformly effective. In addition, the graph on which she bases her claim about the absolute persistence of dyslexia does not justify her conclusions. The book names various intervention programs, but doesn't compare and contrast them. It is hard to tease out specific recommendations about what to do. She mentions that people vary in their reading stumbling blocks, but prescribes the same programs for all. She states that anyone using programs like Open Court should succeed, but thousands of California children still have trouble reading. Though she means the book to be empowering, I think it scares parents instead.

This is a must read for not only spec. ed teachers but regular ed. teachers as well. Dr. Shaywitz is a dedicated individual that has really hit the nail on the head with reading instruction....no guess work here, scientifically based reading instruction for true success!

This is a text for a class and as such it has proven quite useful

This is an excellent resource both for the professional educator and for parents. As a school psychologist I get lots of questions from parents asking: "Do you think my child is dyslexic?". This book clarifies what dyslexia is and isn't, provides a process for assessment, and offers clear guidance for what is needed educationally to help dyslexic students succeed.

The author presents current medical as well as wild medical explainations of where dyslexia may originate (blonde with lefthandedness, for instance). Basics to help your child are here but it is in no way a book you can study intensly and then help your dyslexic child. The author writes as one from a large city and discribes ways you might seek help from that vantage point. Being in a small town few of the resources are available to me. I need practical help for my daughter. I thought this was as the title offered, a "program", it is not. I will work again with the Orton-Gillingham or Davis or Wilson systems that I know.

Dr. Shaywitz offers an insightful, fascinating, and indispensable look into the breathtaking research of the past decade, as it regards the "reading brain!" Those of us who intervene on behalf of children, who struggle to read, now have a neural target, which Shaywitz explains in very understandable terms for teachers and parents alike. She discusses in depth the indicators of reading problems and emphasizes the need to correctly diagnose these and intervene early with proven, science-based strategies. No student "outgrows" reading difficulties. Without appropriate intervention the child who struggles to read will become the adult who struggles to read. Every primary teacher and every parent of children zero to 10 years should consider this book required reading!

Sally Shaywitz is to be commended for her efforts in compiling and writing this book. Furthermore, she or her publisher has wisely seen fit to release this in audio CD format.

The book accomplishes at least three separate goals: summarizing the current state of the research, assisting in the diagnoses of dyslexia, and equipping parents and educators to address the unique needs of dyslexics.

Of all the literature in the field, only this book tackles such a broad field, and it does an admirable job.

Most of my issues are stylistic rather than technical. I wish certain sections had been shorter, longer or organized differently. I'm sure Sally, her reviewers and editors all discussed many ways to approach these things.

On a technical note, there is a tendency to oversell the phonics/phonological side of reading instruction to the near-exclusion of recruiting more memorization skills and rudimentary sight-reading. I don't agree. In practical terms most of us sight-read most of the time. For example, we don't mentally make a "w" sound /w/ a short "u" sound /u/ and a "z" sound /z/ when we look at the word "was." Instead we recognize it like an old friend. This is the premise of the Dolch Sight words--and it's a VERY REASONABLE assumption indeed. In fact, as we learn to decode more-and-more we sight read a far greater percentage.

As a reading instructor I know this and I emphasize "reading along" as a way to develop sight recognition and fluency. Purely phonics-based instruction moves far too slowly toward that objective and results in students who sound-out familiar words long after they could recognize them (because they feel they are supposed to--or only allowed to--sound everything out.)

That said, I want to commend Shaywitz on her work. It may be that I am behind the current research, but years of classroom experience convinces me that reading instruction is less formulaic and must be modestly-to-significantly individualized for every student. The literature should address this and encourage this style of teaching rather than to even subtly intimate more regimentation or standardization in reading pedagogy.

The book should be required reading for everyone who teaches reading in any capacity (home school to specialist). The audio version would be invaluable for any adult who suspects they are dyslexic. Furthermore, everyone with a dyslexic or reading-delayed person within their circle of concern should take the time to read this.

One final group in particular that really needs to read this book are federal and state Dept.s of Ed. personnel, local school boards and EVERY school administrator! Why? Because they consistently focus on all the wrong things when it comes to fostering effective reading programs. Everyone knows that educational philosophy can't replace teachers' technical competenece. Similarly, financial, management or leadership skills are no substitute for subject familiarity among administrators!

I am a school psychologist who is involved in the assessment of students with learning difficulties. In my experience, I have found many parents and teachers have misconceptions about what the term "dyslexia" really means. I found this book to be an excellent resource for parents and teachers in explaining dyslexia, and in recommending researched based strategies to help children with reading difficulties. The book is written in a way that is "parent friendly", yet it is not short on information. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to better understand dyslexia and feel empowered with strategies to help someone who is having a difficult time learning to read.

As a parent of a dyslexic child I spend years struggling to understand how to help my chlid. This book gave me the information I needed not only to understand what his needs are, but to be able to ask the right questions of teachers, administrators and tutors.
I cannot recommend this book hightly enough for anyone who thinks their child (or themself for that matter) might have a problem with reading. There are so many scams or quick fixes offered for parents to latch on to - this book cuts through all of that and provides answers that are clear direct and based on 27 years of documented research.
I particularly appreciate that it is easy to read and understand even with the depth of research and experience the author brings to the topic.

As a special education teacher, I have found this book to be invaluable. It not only helps to identify students who have reading problems, it explains why they have them, and what interventions are effective. It is also a fantastic resource for parents who may have a child with reading difficulties. It gives them the knowledge to be an advocate for their child, and gives them strategies to use at home. One of the great benefits is that the language is very understandable. I would recommend this to any parent or teacher who works with children who have reading problems, whether it by dyslexia or not.

I purchased this book at the suggestion of the person who assessed my son. I found it straightforward and accessible. The suggestions are research based and enable you to make use of recent developments. Highly recommended.
For more info, check out the International Dyslexia Assoc.

I am the parent of a dyslexic child. She was diagnosed in 2000. As part of her treatment I pulled my daughter out of mainstream education and placed her is a school for dyslexic children. My next step was to buy and read every book on dyslexia that Amazon offered. This book is the best. While other books struggled with what dyslexia is or whether it exists, this book explained it scientifically. This book explained the reading remediation required for all problem readers and why it is critical to start remediation as early as possible. I was thrilled that my daughter's specialized school had already implemented the author's suggestions. After 3 years of remediation, I can testify that it does work. Reading problems start slowly and build slowly. They are solved slowly and patiently as well. This is the starting place for any parent concerned about remediating their child in reading. What the author says is the utter truth, not just for dyslexia but for all reading difficulties.

Perhaps the problem with this book is its title. If it were called "Describing Dyslexia," I would not have been so disappointed. This book has nothing new to say about overcoming dyslexia.

In the first half of the book, Dr. Shaywitz painstakingly differentiates between dyslexic and non-dyslexic thinking and learning styles. After slogging through the excruciatingly detailed first part of the book, where the author makes a case for the different neurological pathways involved in dyslexic phonemic awareness, I was expecting a revolutionary approach to reading instruction for dyslexics. Instead, I was shocked to find that Dr. Shaywitz's reading suggestions seemed to be the very ones she asserts have proven so woefully inadequate to generations of dyslexics. I actually flipped to the end of the book, thinking I must have accidentally been reading a description of "traditional" teaching techniques and that there must be a section that would contrast Dr. Shaywitz's new approach. But, sadly, Dr. Shaywitz seems to have no new approach. She does have graphic descriptions of dyslexia and its biological, social and educational manifestations. But dyslexics probably cannot hope to overcome their conditions with her book.

I recommend The Gift of Dyslexia for anyone who wants to read about overcoming this condition.

This would be a wonderful book - worth 5 stars - were it not for the title. This book is not about "Overcoming Dyslexia" so much as it is about "Coping with Dyslexia". There is no "New" Program for Reading Problems but rather a detailed description of a strong phonics and language-based curriculum that has been around for years -- and is geared to the needs of ordinary students, not dyslexics.

This book does give a good overview of the process of learning to read in ordinary children, as well an explanation of some of the differences in the way dyslexic children learn and read, and an excellent overview of good curriculum materials available and in use in many schools today. It also give a wonderful and very readable summary of Dr. Shaywitz's own research into reading and dyslexia -- but Shaywitz's theories are not universally accepted, and the book does not analyze or compare the research done by the dozens of other prominant researchers in the field of dyslexia.

As another review noted, the book also suffers from a sort of split personality -- in the first section it outlines the many aspects of the dyslexic learning style that are different from typical children, and then the section on reading instruction recommends many of the very same techniques that the first part said were inappropriate for dyslexics. For example, in one part the author points out the difficulty of rote learning for dyslexics; in the next part she recommends using flash cards for drill and memorization of common sight words.

Ever since the pioneering work of Samuel Orton, educators have known that dyslexics learn best by "multisensory" methods -- but this book does not include an explanation of the importance of such teaching, or even a list of the most commonly used tutoring methods for dyslexia. Worse - while parents are bombarded with information about one new approach after another --- this book barely mentions the availability of private tutoring or therapy, let alone give parents any means to evaluate the various competing approaches that might be recommended for their children.

Dr. Shaywitz is one of a number of researchers who have contributed immensely to the understanding of dyslexia -- but she is only one, and this book happens to present an extremely useful but somewhat one-sided view of her work. That is certainly an appropriate book for her to write; but it would have been better with an honest title that didn't promise more than it delivered.

The harm that this book can do is that it might mislead parents into being complacent when their children are struggling. At one point the author states that parents of children in California have nothing to worry about: their children will certainly learn to read because California has adopted her recommended curriculum. Needless to say, California test scores (among the lowest in the nation) do not bear out her contention. The reality is that dyslexic children, almost by definition, do NOT learn to read with ordinary instruction in regular classrooms -- no matter how good the curriculum. The dyslexic children are the ones on the tail end of the bell curve - the 20% who don't learn by the methods proven effective for the other 80%. They need specialized and individualized support and methods, geared to their unique learning style. While Dr. Shaywitz does a great job exploring that learning style, she fails to apply that knowledge to the art of teaching reading.

Dr. Shaywitz is a doctor and a scientist, not an educator - so her book is long on theory and conclusions, short on practical advice. For anyone who is understands enough about dyslexia to recognize the limits of this book, it is a valuable and essential read. If you want to understand about brain science and dyslexia, this book is a must-have -- AFTER you read the more comprehensive text "Brain Literacy for Educators and Psychologists" by Drs. Virginia Berninger & Todd Richards.

This would be a wonderful book - worth 5 stars - were it not for the title. This book is not about "Overcoming Dyslexia" so much as it is about "Coping with Dyslexia". There is no "New" Program for Reading Problems but rather a detailed description of a strong phonics and language-based curriculum that has been around for years -- and is geared to the needs of ordinary students, not dyslexics.

This book does give a good overview of the process of learning to read in ordinary children, as well an explanation of some of the differences in the way dyslexic children learn and read, and an excellent overview of good curriculum materials available and in use in many schools today. It also give a wonderful and very readable summary of Dr. Shaywitz's own research into reading and dyslexia -- but Shaywitz's theories are not universally accepted, and the book does not analyze or compare the research done by the dozens of other prominant researchers in the field of dyslexia.

As another review noted, the book also suffers from a sort of split personality -- in the first section it outlines the many aspects of the dyslexic learning style that are different from typical children, and then the section on reading instruction recommends many of the very same techniques that the first part said were inappropriate for dyslexics. For example, in one part the author points out the difficulty of rote learning for dyslexics; in the next part she recommends using flash cards for drill and memorization of common sight words.

Ever since the pioneering work of Samuel Orton, educators have known that dyslexics learn best by "multisensory" methods -- but this book does not include an explanation of the importance of such teaching, or even a list of the most commonly used tutoring methods for dyslexia. Worse - while parents are bombarded with information about one new approach after another (the "sponsored" ads on this page are likely to be hawking a novel visual-training program called "Brighstar" as a "cure" for dyslexia) --- this book barely mentions the availability of private tutoring or therapy, let alone give parents any means to evaluate the various competing approaches that might be recommended for their children.

Dr. Shaywitz is one of a number of researchers who have contributed immensely to the understanding of dyslexia -- but she is only one, and this book happens to present an exremely useful but somewhat one-sided view of her work. That is certainly an appropriate book for her to write; but it would have been better with an honest title that didn't promise more than it delivered.

The harm that this book can do is that it might mislead parents into being complacent when their children are struggling. At one point the author states that parents of children in California have nothing to worry about: their children will certainly learn to read because California has adopted her recommended curriculum. Needless to say, California test scores (among the lowest in the nation) do not bear out her contention. The reality is that dyslexic children, almost by definition, do NOT learn to read with ordinary instruction in regular classrooms -- no matter how good the curriculum. The dyslexic children are the ones on the tail end of the bell curve - the 20% who don't learn by the methods proven effective for the other 80%. They need specialized and individualized support and methods, geared to their unique learning style. While Dr. Shaywitz does a great job exploring that learning style, she fails to apply that knowledge to the art of teaching reading.

Dr. Shaywitz is a doctor and a scientist, not an educator - so her book is long on theory and conclusions, short on practical advice. For anyone who is understands enough about dyslexia to recognize the limits of this book, it is a valuable and essential read. If you want to understand about brain science and dyslexia, this book is a must-have -- AFTER you read the more comprehensive text "Brain Literacy for Educators and Psychologists" by Drs. Virginia Berninger & Todd Richards.