The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan - 9780345541239

Finally, a groundbreaking book that reveals what your dyslexic child is experiencing—and what you can do so that he or she can thrive

Nearly thirty million people in the United States are dyslexic—a brain-based genetic trait that makes interpreting text and reading difficult often labeled as a “learning disability” or “learning difference.” Yet even though children with dyslexia may have trouble reading, they don’t have any problems learning; dyslexia has nothing to do with a lack of intellect. In fact, their innate skills, which may include verbal, social, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical abilities are their unique key to acquiring knowledge. Figuring out where their individual strengths lie and then harnessing these skills offer an entrée into learning and excelling. And by keeping the focus on learning, not reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond.

After years of battling with a school system that did not understand his dyslexia and the shame that accompanied it, renowned disabilities activist, inventor, and entrepreneur, Ben Foss, is not only open about his dyslexia, he is proud of it. In The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan he shares his personal triumphs and failures so that you can learn from his experiences, and provides a three-step approach for success:

• Identify your child’s profile: By mapping your child’s strengths and weaknesses and assisting her to better understand who she is, you can help your child move away from shame and feelings of inadequacy, and move toward creating a powerful program for learning.
• Help your child help himself: Coach your child to become his own best advocate by developing resiliency, confidence, and self-awareness, and focusing on achievable goals in areas that matter most to your child.
• Create community: Dyslexic children are not broken, but too often the system designed to educate them is. Dare to change your school so that your child has the resources to thrive. Understanding your legal rights and finding allies will make you and your child feel connected and no longer alone.

Packed with practical ideas and strategies dyslexic children need for excelling in school and in life, this empowering guide provides the framework for charting a future for your child that is bright with hope and unlimited potential.