Sally Shaywitz

Shaywitz packs this book with tons of information on dyslexia including the science on how the dyslexic brain learns. She also includes the best ways to teach reading for dyslexia and the importance of keeping the dyslexic student's sense of worth intact. She reminds us that people with dyslexia are bright, creative individuals who simply learn in a different way. I love her positive view of dyslexia and her desire to be an advocate for all who suffer with this disability. This is an show more excellent book and I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand dyslexia. This should be required reading for all elementary teachers who are bound to have students with dyslexia in their classes.

Despite my high praise for Shaywitz's work, I do disagree with a few of her ideas. She seems to think parents aren't capable of teaching their kids to read which is absurd. She thinks it is best left to experts. I agree that we need to do our research to be prepared to help students with dyslexia, but I think parents are in the best situation to give their children the one-on-one attention that they need.

She also seems to think we should push young kids with intensive phonics. I think it's fine to play with phonics at that age, but I disagree with intensive tutoring that young. While she consistently says it's never too late to help with dyslexia, she also repeatedly says kids are at a great disadvantage if they don't learn to read until later. I understand why she believes that and I can even agree with that to some extent. But I do not believe that kids are at a long term disadvantage if they learn to read later especially if they have been raised and educated in an environment where they have not been ridiculed, where they have had rich exposure to language and reading, and where they have parents who are advocates in helping their children be successful.

Shaywitz's book is filled with vital information for all parents and teachers who want to help their struggling students succeed. I truly enjoyed reading her ending where she shared the stories of people who have used their dyslexia to help them enjoy passionate and successful lives. show less

I'm reading this for work, and it really is quite good. It's amazing how many of our widespread ideas about dyslexia and learning disorders are totally, and hurtfully, wrong.

I read another book on dyslexia a couple of years ago. After the initial review, I found even more information on it that pointed to that book’s shortcomings. This one, Overcoming Dyslexia, by Sally Shaywitz, I have to say is much better. Still, this is no five star review.

(Full review at my blog)

pretty comprehensive - Reinforces what we are doing with OG. One of the new books out there, but the brain research is still from the 80's.