The truth of this “prophecy” doesn't rest on the words of an ancient oracle but on scientific research, clinical observations, and the experiences of the countless talented and successful individuals with dyslexia who've come before you. The information we've presented in this book allows us to say with complete confidence that:
⢠if you persist through hard times when further effort seems pointless;
⢠if you work diligently on proven therapies;
⢠if you use helpful technologies and accommodations;
⢠if you pursue support and guidance from other individuals with dyslexia;
⢠if you set goals for your future, become a skilled self-advocate, and proactively pursue opportunities;
⢠if you try your hardest each day without worrying whether you see obvious progress;
⢠if you never stop believing in the certainty of your positive future; and
⢠if you make full use of the strengths that you possess;
then in the end you'll find that rather than being “cured of dyslexia,” you'll become a perfect example of what an individual with dyslexia was always meant to be.
And when you do, you'll understand the truth, and the true nature, of the Dyslexic Advantage.
APPENDIX A
Accommodations and Resources
I. SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR READING AND WRITING
⢠Students with significant delays in reading development and poor reading fluency and/or comprehension should be allowed and encouraged to use
recorded books
and
text-to-speech software
as soon and as often as possible for all assignments that involve learning from or interacting with text (e.g., filling out worksheets, answering test questions). For such students, reading should be thought of as an activity to be practiced for its own sake, rather than as a means to other kinds of learning.
⢠Students with significant problems with reading fluency will require
extra time
for in-class tests and assignments.
⢠Students with significant problems with reading speed and/or comprehension will typically also require either
oral testing
or a person to act as a
reader
to read the test questions aloud to them.
⢠For some students with reading problems, especially in the early grades, access to
large-print books
can be helpful.
⢠For students who struggle with accurate decoding and/or word retrieval, the use of a
talking dictionary
and
electronic thesaurus
that will pronounce and define words that have been entered into it can be useful for identifying words that can't be easily guessed and for finding alternative words.
⢠Dyslexic students should be allowed the widest possible latitude in
choosing reading materials
when the goal is reading practice. When the goal is building exposure to literate information, dyslexic students should be given flexibility to pursue such information through
listening
rather than through reading.
â¢
Extra time
for handwritten assignments.
â¢
Reduced quantity of written assignments
for students struggling to complete work (worksheets, spelling lists, essays, reports, math, etc.).
â¢
Correction without point deductions
for mistakes in spelling and mechanics.
⢠Permission to use a
keyboard
for all assignments longer than single words (or in some cases sentences).
⢠Permission to
orally dictate
longer assignments if keyboarding fluency is not yet achieved.
⢠A
scribe
for tests requiring extensive writing or filling in bubbles, or an option for oral testing.
⢠Permission to use
readers to help correct papers
before turning them in.
⢠Chances to
rewrite
or correct mistakes on assignments.
⢠Provision of teacher's
notes
, or notes copied from another student for lectures.
⢠Permission to use a
keyboard and/or recording system
in class.
Resources for training in phonological skills and phonics
Computer-based auditory training
Recorded books
⢠RFB&D (Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic) (
www.rfbd.org
)
Digital text repositories
⢠Commercial readers, like Amazon's Kindle, Barnes & Noble's Nook, or the Sony Reader (which also include text-to-speech)
Text-to-speech technologies
III. RESOURCES FOR WRITING
Instructional materials
â¢
Writing Skills 1
and
Writing Skills 2
by Diana Hanbury King
Word processing software with spell-checking, grammar-checking, and read-aloud functions
⢠Write:OutLoud (early elementary) and Co:Writer (middle elementary and above) (both available from
www.donjohnston.com
)
Visual planning, brainstorming, and mind-mapping software
Speech-to-text (oral dictation) software
⢠Dragon Naturally Speaking is a popular speech-to-text, or oral dictation, software program that allows the writer to dictate text into a computer microphone and then translates the speech into printed text on the person's computer (for word processing or e-mail) or the person's cell or smartphone. We've found this program to be an excellent aid for adults and students beyond mid adolescence, while younger students typically have difficulty making it work and do better orally dictating to a parent, tutor, or other scribe. (
www.nuance.com
)
IV. RESOURCES FOR TIME MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
Organizational resources
⢠Traditional materials like message boards, sticky notes, checklists, or Day-Timers
⢠Vendors that send reminders about appointments or “to do” items to a cell phone or computer, like:
⢠Electronic timers to help improve time awareness and focus during tasks:
⢠Good source for other helpful organizational strategies: Lifehacker (
www.lifehacker.com
)
Information on colleges specifically for dyslexic students
Information on services provided by different colleges for students with dyslexia
â¢
The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilitie
s, 10th edition, by M. Kravets (published by the Princeton Review)
Admissions test information
Information on legal issues relating to learning challenges and accommodations
VI. RESOURCES FOR NETWORKING AND SUPPORT
Projects working to encourage the growth of a true dyslexic community
APPENDIX B
Popular Careers for Individuals with Dyslexia
Below we've listed some of the occupations that are often good fits for individuals with dyslexia. We've grouped these occupations by dominant MIND strength, but please remember that this is meant to be only a rough guide. Most individuals with dyslexia will possess more than one MIND strength, and most of these occupations benefit from the contributions of several MIND strengths.
High M-Strength Occupations and Fields
Engineer
Mechanic
Construction (electrician, carpenter, plumber, contractor)
Mathematician
Interior designer, industrial designer
Illustrator, graphic artist, graphic designer, architectural drafting
Architect
Medicine (surgery, radiology, pathology, cardiology)
Painter
Sculptor
Photographer
Filmmaker, director
Landscaper
Sailor
Airplane pilot
Orthodontist, dentist, dental hygienist
High I-Strength Occupations and Fields
Computer or software designer (networks, programming, systems architecture)
Scientist (zoologist, biochemist, geneticist, chemist, environmental scientist, geologist, paleontologist, physicist, astronomer, astrophysicist) Naturalist, environmentalist
Inventor
Museum director
Clothing or fashion designer, tailor, seamstress
Dancer, choreographer
Musician
Actor
Chef
History, political science, sociology, anthropology, philosophy
Comedian
Nurse
Therapist (physical, occupational, sports)
Trainer
High N-Strength Occupations and Fields
Poet, songwriter
Novelist
Literature, journalism
Screenwriter
Counseling, psychology, ministry
Coaching
Teaching
Public speaking
Politician
Game or video game designer
Attorney (especially litigation, tax law, criminal defense or prosecution,
arbitration)
Sales
Marketing
Advertising
Public relations
High D-Strength Occupations and Fields
Entrepreneur
Chief executive
Finance (trader, investor, venture capitalist)
Small business owner
Business consulting
Logistics, planning
Accounting (tax planning, consulting, CFO)
Economics (especially macroeconomics)
Medicine (immunology, rheumatology, endocrinology, oncology)
Farmer, rancher
NOTES
Preface
Chapter 1
1
Current research suggests that as many as 20 percent of U.S. residents may be considered dyslexic. See, e.g., S. E. Shaywitz,
Overcoming Dyslexia
(New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003).
2
Morgan, W. P., A case of congenital word-blindness.
British Medical Journal
2 (1896): 1378.
Chapter 3
1
B. L. Eide and F. Eide,
The Mislabeled Child: Looking Beyond Behavior to Find the True Sourcesâand Solutionsâfor Children's Learning Challenges
(New York: Hyperion, 2006).
2
This tendency for single “upstream” variations to cause a wide variety of “downstream” effects is typical of integrated systems. Think, for example, of the electrical system in your house, which affects things as different as lighting, refrigeration, cooking, and entertainment. One “upstream” change in the electrical circuit board could cause “symptoms” in all these “downstream” functions.