Overcoming Dyslexia Written by Sally Shaywitz, M.D.
Shaywitz writes an astonishingly comprehensive, research-based reference book about dyslexia. This book serves as an all-encompassing guide to directly inform, educate, empower, and encourage parents and teachers with dyslexic children and students; most importantly, this book helps to acknowledge, recognize, and inspire the dyslexic community, all while bringing awareness to the complexity, complimentary gifts, and even myths surrounding a dyslexia diagnosis.
Dr. Shaywitz begins the book by laying a foundation for its audience by defining what dyslexia is, in all its complexity. She intricately details the historical roots of dyslexia as far back as 1986, when dyslexia was once called "word blindness." The author describes the importance of awareness with intensity and urgency, stating, "Just like a virus that courses through tissues and organs, dyslexia can infiltrate every aspect of a person's life." Shaywitz has dedicated her life's work to researching and assisting people with dyslexia alongside her husband and son at the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.
As one immerses themselves in the chapters of her book, learning about who is affected and the long-term effects of untreated dyslexia and its impact not only on our society and educational system but the self-perception of the student is, "One of the greatest tragedies in American education in the twenty-first century." Shaywitz sounds the alarm that one in five people have dyslexia, or twenty percent of the population, an astounding statistic for any condition. Never an understatement, it is clearly and boldly repeated throughout the book about the importance of a proper dyslexia diagnosis, early intervention, quality instruction, and maintaining supportive intervention with sufficient duration, as dyslexia is a life-long condition.
One of the most riveting components of the book is the brain scans and research collected through MRI test results of both fluent and nonfluent readers. Research has informed us exactly how the brain learns to read and can pinpoint the difference in the brain's reading process from a person with dyslexia versus a proficient reader brain. Shaywitz often refers to this difference as a "glitch" in the brain's wiring that was laid down at birth. It's not that the brain is defective, somewhat just different from a proficient reader's brain being automatic and a person with a dyslexic brain being manual. Dyslexic people can and will learn to read; however, the road to reading will take longer and be bumpier.
Parents and teachers who read this book will learn extensively about the early signs and symptoms of dyslexia, including a benchmark reference that can monitor a child's progress in specific skills as they advance in age and grade. The book also details the particular sequence of an effective structured literacy curriculum, lending sound recommendations on a starting point and progressive components to lead children down the road to reading.
Parents can refer to this book for advice and information regarding when and where to obtain a dyslexia diagnosis, insight on how to support and accommodate students of all ages in the school setting, how to choose an appropriate college, and even how to acquire support for dyslexia as an adult.
More than anything, Shaywitz highlights how important a knowledgeable teacher and supportive parents are in the success of individuals with dyslexia; in fact, she determines that they can make all the difference. With accounts of her personal experiences and interactions with an abundance of dyslexic individuals, this book will no doubt saturate and satisfy one's most curious questions about dyslexia and how to understand better, spread awareness, and receive it as a special and unique gift that demands to be respected as a way of learning that is simply different, not detrimental to one's potential nor possibility.
As a highly recommended read for all parents, administrators, teachers, and individuals with dyslexia, Overcoming dyslexia serves as a robust collection of knowledge and insight. It is a book backed up by research that will no doubt assist in changing the perception of dyslexia and hopefully help to bring about action and change to our American educational system; to acknowledge, make space, and adequately serve the amazing dyslexic community!
