COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED
- How will I know if these methods will suit me?
You can read the book ‘ The Gift of Dyslexia’ by Ron Davis. Most bookshops have got it and you will also find it in libraries. It will give you a good idea what the Davis method is all about.
You may also like to check out the ’37 common Characteristics of Dyslexia’. If you recognize at least 10 characteristics, it is likely that the methods will suit you.
Also, you can contact me. I will be happy to talk to you without any obligation, and will try to answer all the questions that you may have.
- Is the program suitable for all ages?
Yes, it is suitable for all people between the ages of 7– 80.
Children, aged 7 and up, whose school performance does not reflect their capability. Symptoms most commonly seen are learning related and /or attention problems.
Teenagers who have continued falling behind in their schoolwork, and often show frustration and poor self-esteem as a result. Typically, their learning difficulty has gradually had in impact on their enjoyment of reading and school in general and, very often, affects their behaviour and well-being.
Adults who have long experienced their learning and attention problems and realize they are functioning below their potential. Often they are fed up with coping and are motivated by a desire to achieve more in their personal and professional lives. Younger children might find the long hours too much to cope with and might struggle with their input.
- What is included in the program?
– The initial assessment usually takes 2 hours and determines the client’s suitability.
– The program that consists of about 30 hours spread over 5 days or over 2 week-ends
– Clear goals will be agreed upon
– All material is included
– All sessions are one-to-one with the facilitator
– Follow-up sessions are included to ensure that the program benefits continue to develop
– For all follow-up work, there will be training for the support worked
- Why do we call the abstract words ‘Trigger Words’?
A word always consists of three components to be easily understood and used. The Trigger Words are missing one of these three components.
For example, the three components for the word elephant are the sound of the spoken word, its written form (spelling) and its meaning. If the meaning of a word is missing (because it is an abstract word), then the pupil will be confused and disorientated when he/she sees this word in context.
The Davis method will provide the missing ‘picture’ , the meaning of this word so the reader is no longer confused when seeing the word in context.
- How is the Davis method different from other approaches?
Ron Davis believes that dyslexia is a result of an inherent mental gift or talent. People who develop dyslexia think in pictures rather than words, they are imaginative and creative, and they try to solve problems by looking at the whole picture rather than working step-by-step. Davis Dyslexia Correction relies on using the mental talents that dyslexic people share to overcome the learning problems. To do this, students must follow a different approach to learning.
When dyslexic students recognize their mental talents, they develop a renewed sense of self-esteem and confidence. When they start to employ study methods which capitalize on their talents, progress is very rapid.
Some of the ways that Davis Dyslexia Correction differs from other programs are:
– The Davis method does not rely on instruction based on phonics.
Since dyslexic students tend to think in pictures, they have difficulties thinking with the sounds of words so it is hard for them to try to read by breaking words down into component sounds. Rather than trying to force students to use a method that is inherently difficult for them, Davis methods teach a visual and meaning-based approach that is much easier for dyslexic people to learn and use. This in turn leads to much more rapid progress than with traditional instruction and most students become fluent and capable readers using the Davis strategies.
– The Davis method does not employ repetition or drill
Dyslexic students have a hard time remembering things that they do not fully understand. Repetition and drill are a waste of time for them, and only increases their frustration because they will not retain information unless they understand where it fits into the ‘big picture’.
– The Davis method does not rely on physical devices such as coloured overlays or large print books.
Dyslexia is a developmental learning problem, and is not a result of problems with vision or hearing. While some physical devices may seem to make reading or writing easier, the use of such devices does not help the dyslexic student to function normally.
– The Davis method does not rely on medications or herbal treatments.
It is important for dyslexic students to take control of their own learning Since dyslexia is not a disease or a psychiatric ailment, medications are not appropriate and will only hinder the student’s learning abilities.
- What is the success rate of this program?
The program has a success rate of 97%. Sometimes spectacular improvements can be seen when reading ages go up years in the 5 days the program takes. More importantly, students gain enormously in confidence and self-esteem; they believe that they can learn anything if they put their mind to it.
- How does the program work?
The student acquires tools to deal with the root cause of his difficulties. Through increased self-awareness, he learns to recognize his patterns of thought, behaviour and learns how to break these patterns if they do not serve him, or how to build on them.
Our clients learn by doing and seeing. With the use of clay, they master the language symbols which help accessing their visual skills more fully to comprehend the written word and to express themselves more easily.
- Why clay?
Clay can be used to demonstrate the meaning of specific words, and also to illustrate broad concepts. In this mode, the concept of ‘consequence’ has been shown. The child, who created the model, understood that ‘something happened as a result of something else’ (cause and effect). Children often only see the second part of the concept ‘consequence’. They do not realize that they have ’caused’ the ‘effect’.
- Can dyslexia be cured?
No! Dyslexia is not a disease, and it is not the result of a brain injury or defect. Dyslexic people think primarily in pictures, not words, and have difficulty learning to work with symbols such as letters or numerals. When they are confused or frustrated as children, they begin to experience distorted perceptions, such as reversals of letters, and develop life-long leaning blocks that hamper their progress. The problems that prevent leaning can be corrected. That is, dyslexic children and adults can learn to recognize and to control the mental state that results in distorted perception, thus eliminating this problem. They can also learn new and more effective approaches to reading writing, spelling or math calculation, and thus overcome problems at school or work.
