Dyslexia Resources
Organizations:
International Dyslexia Association (IDA)
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.
Dyslexia Action (UK)
Dyslexia Parent Resource – Dyslexia Online
Dyslexia teacher – Dyslexia Online teaching resources
Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic
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
Dyslexia Caused by a Faulty Gene – article on the BBC News website, August, 2003
The Science
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.)
Williams & O’Donovan, The Genetics of Developmental Dyslexia. Abstract on PubMed, from the US National Library of Medicine;
European Journal of Human Genetics, June 2006. Link to complete article.
Bates et. al., Replication of reported linkages for dyslexia and spelling and suggestive evidence for novel regions on chromosomes 4 and 17. European Journal of Human Genetics, Nov. 2006.
For Kids
Kids Health.org- Article on Dyslexia geared towards helping children understand what it is
Waterstone’s Guide to Books for Young Dyslexic Readers
Audio Book Resources:
Audible.Com (note to self- check with Commission junction to update this link)
StoryNory podcast- children’s stories (Free downloads through website or itunes and transferable to portable mp3 players)
Librivox – Public Domain Audo Books- You can even volunteer to read for this site!
Blogs
COMD News – Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas- Dallas
I speak Of Dreams- Liz Ditz- Blog about learning disabilities
Bad Science – a blog about the untested miracles people claim to deliver
Communities
Being Dyslexic – support community out of the UK
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.
Other resources
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Resources
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: (part of the National Institutes of Health)
Links to trials, clinical research, research literature and more.
Genetic Information on dyslexia
Information on Genes linked to dyslexia
fMRI studies of Dyslexics
NIH Science Education Website
Bright Solutions for Dyslexia
NICHD funded researchers map the physical basis for dyslexia
Children of the Code- Great website about reading issues in children
From the website “Children of the Code”:
Prison Cells and Reading Scores:
Dr. Grover (Russ) Whitehurst is the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences, and an Assistant Secretary of Education with the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Whitehurst administers the Institute, including the activities of the National Center for Education Statistics, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance and the National Center for Education Research. He advises the Secretary of Education on research, evaluation and statistics relevant to the work of the US Department of Education. Additional bio info
We found Dr. Whitehurst to be a person who genuinely cares for children and who is dedicated to fundamentally improving the quality of their learning in life.
David Boulton: We were interviewing Lesley Morrow, the Past-President of the International Reading Association, and she made a statement which flabbergasted me. She said this was a fact: that there are some 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.