British Dyslexia Association (BDA)
Great UK resource for information about Dyslexia; regularly do
interesting fundraisers with well-known children's book authors,
including JK Rowling and Eoin Colfer. They have some great
recommendations for books for reluctant readers. If these books aren't available in your local bookstore, I have had good luck ordering from Amazon.Com and Amazon.co.uk.
LD Online - largest US based learning disabilities resource.
Dyslexia Research
Genetics:
Genes & Dyslexia
- 2004 Article by Jeffrey Gilger, PhD for the Northern California
Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. Great bibliography
and good overview of the genetic components of dyslexia. Subsequent
research has shown a stronger genetic link for Dyslexia. (See below)
What Causes Dyslexia? An article by John Brandford, 2003. From Dyslexia Online Magazine and Dyslexia Parent.com
Genetics of dyslexia: the evolving landscape,
Schumacher, Hoffmann, Schmal, Schulte-Korne, & Nothen, Journal of
Medical Genetics, January, 2007. Detailed scientific journal article
talking about the genes thought to be associated with dyslexia and help
scientists get a sense of the biochemistry involved in the disorder.
(Warning- Not "layperson" friendly.)
The Dore Programme-
Dyslexia 'cure' centres shut down-
BBC News article from 5/29/08 reporting the shut down of these
alternative healing centers promising to cure dyslexia and improve
reading and writing. Thirteen UK centres offering controversial
treatment for people with
dyslexia have been shut down due to financial difficulties.
Optometry/Opticians who claim tinted lenses sure dyslexia See this news article and contrast with this abstract from the Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, the Journal of the College of Optometrists, a review of research to date on tinted lenses and overlays to help children with learning disabilities. Also review Liz Ditz's great review article on the subject. Further, a US Professor of Optometry talks about "Dyslexic glasses" here.
We found Dr. Whitehurst to be a person whogenuinely cares for childrenand who is dedicated to fundamentally improving the quality of their learning in life.
David Boulton: We were interviewingLesley Morrow, the Past-President of theInternational Reading Association, and she made a statement which flabbergasted me. She said this was a fact: that there aresome states that determine how many prison cells to build based on reading scores.
Dr. Grover (Russ) Whitehurst: Yes. Again, the predictability of reading for life success is so strong, that if you look at the proportion of middle schoolers who are not at the basic level, who are really behind in reading, it is a very strong predictor of problems with the law and the need for jails down the line.
Literacy for societies, literacy for states, literacy for individuals is a powerful determinate of success. The opposite of success is failure and clearly, being in jail is a sign of failure.
People who don’t read well have trouble earning a living. It becomes attractive to, in some cases the only alternative in terms of gaining funds, to violate the law and steal, to do things that get you in trouble.Few options in some cases other than to pursue that life. Of course reading opens doors.
Coming Soon-
Links to specific shows of the LD Podcast addressing reading and dyslexia including:
Shelley Dannanberg, Dyslexia Testing and Information Services Sally Smith- Founder of The Lab School Nina Straightman- Language Therapist The Academy In Manayunk (shows #26 & 27)
