Overcoming Dyslexia

Dyslexia is everywhere, touching so many children and adults, and while science has made extraordinary progress in understanding and clarifying the condition, this incredible powerful knowledge rarely reaches those who most need to know and would greatly benefit from it. Our goal is to change all this with the Coursera you are about to view, produced by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, the Audrey G. Ratner Professor in Learning Development, both the leading scientist studying dyslexia and the most devoted advocate for helping those who are dyslexic.

The course addresses and answers just about all the questions you have: beginning with what is reading and what is dyslexia and sharing with you the most up-to-date 21st century federal definition of dyslexia. If you are dyslexic, you’ll come to learn you are not alone – dyslexia is very common affecting one out of five, that is, 20% of the population, including both boys and girls all over the world. The course addresses a major question we hear from so many parents and teachers– how do I know if my child may be dyslexic? What signs or symptoms should I be on the lookout for? And here’s another very important question we hear from so many parents and educators who are eager to do the best for their child – when should screening for dyslexia begin? What is the best method? What should I look for or ask about?

A major source of worry for parents is their child’s slow reading- they ask will this prevent a happy future for the child. Yes, dyslexics are slow readers and here, in Coursera, you will come to understand the brain’s role in dyslexia, including slow reading. Great news to share – you will also be so delighted to learn that surrounding a dyslexic’s slow reading is a phenomenal powerful sea of strengths in big picture thinking and reasoning. Dyslexia is a true paradox: dyslexics may be slow readers but at the same time are incredibly fast thinkers! 

You can be assured, if you care about a child or someone who is dyslexic and have questions or concerns, you will find it addressed here in this course: everything important to know about and help you select the most effective interventions for a dyslexic child; how to go about choosing the best school, including potentially one that is specialized, for such a child, including what is most important to look for when visiting a potential school; the role of accommodations and how to select the best one; and common co-occurring conditions like ADHD and anxiety – their impact, how to recognize and treat. In the following lessons you will meet wonderful, incredibly insightful and highly successful dyslexics – including governors, cardiac surgeons, nationally renowned attorneys, basketball coaches, economists and dyslexic children and their wonderful families who will share their experiences and advice. Enjoy!