Newsletter November 2019

Dear Everyone… October was an amazingly successful month for The WDS … I hope it was for you too. We are excited to launch our new Newsletter format. We hope you enjoy it and look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest Wishes, Sue Hall, Chair

Achieving our Mission

You may remember that in September Sue went to her first meeting of 100 Women Who Care. All over Canada there are groups of 100 Women Who Care, 100 Men Who Care, 100 Children Who Care, and for smaller communities 100 People Who Care.  They meet 4 times a year, everyone donates $100 each time, local charities put a nomination slip in a box, and three are drawn out at each meeting.  The three charities make their pitch, the ladies vote, and the winning charity gets $10,000.  Well the North Shore branch had just achieved their 100th member when Sue got to the meeting in September, which in itself was an achievement, so it was the first time they had their goal of $10,000.  Guess who was first out of the box of nominations… the WDS…. Sue spoke first, (asking for money to fund Davis Learning Strategies Basic Teacher Workshops) then two other charities spoke, they all voted, and guess who got the first $10,000.   WE DID !!!!   So many women came up to Sue afterwards to say how learning challenges had affected themselves, or their children or their grandchildren.  At their next meeting, December 2, Sue will speak to the assembled women telling them what the money is being used for, and anyone is welcome to come as a guest, it’s at Amica just off Taylor Way.  Let her know … info@thewds.org

Prevention

On October 25/26 there was a scheduled DLS Workshop; 16 teachers attended from Burnaby, Victoria, Nanaimo, Nelson and Surrey.  The presenter, Colleen Millslagle came from Texas, and luckily for us, the workshop was the last part of Stacey Smith’s DLS Presenter training, so fingers crossed, we now have a Canadian DLS Presenter.  It was the perfect photo opportunity for the giant cheque from 100 Women Who Care to be presented.  Thank you to Naomi Chard and Mary McGivern who give philanthropic women the opportunity of supporting local charities… especially us !   I’d like to point out Donna Doerksen in the photo – 3rd from the right front row – I will never be able to thank her enough for all her support over the 17 years she has known about the work we do.  She is currently a teacher/librarian in the Burnaby School District, a total non-picture thinker, and our strongest advocate.  For this event, she got 5 teachers to come and provided the most amazing baking!   

Your Board will be meeting shortly to discuss the best use of this money.  It has always been Sue’s hope that three schools will use these methods wholeheartedly, and provide success stories/statistics that other schools will envy and replicate.  Paddy Carson, Edmonton Facilitator, and antipodean is currently in New Zealand visiting some of the schools using DLS.  This article is an update on DLS schools down under, click here to read more 

Resources

Stacey’s husband Larry Smith was also at the Workshop; he is a Davis Autism Approach Facilitator and Trainer. Many of our children have a few autistic characteristics and he recommended this book, Parenting, Love and Logic. I am also a fan of Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. In the latest Dyslexic Reader there was an article entitled ‘Ten Reasons why handheld devices should be banned for children under the age of 12’ and the author, Cris Rowan, lives on the Sunshine Coast, working out of Zone’in Programs. Her latest book is The Virtual Child – the terrifying truth about what technology is doing to children.

Outreach

Sue spoke at the Decoda Conference, November 22, 2019, Radisson Hotel, YVR. The audience was made up of literacy proponents from all over BC, who were all wonderfully receptive. Sue received one such response:

‘Your presentation was definitely one of the best that I attended during the conference. I really enjoyed it – so valuable. Thank you for the information and for your good work!’

 She will also be supporting the CKNW Kids Fund at their Telethon, December 3, 2019. They have been kind enough to support some of our bursary applicants for the past few years. Sue was there 3/4 (?) years ago. Donna and Sue have put in an application for the Burnaby School District Pro D Day, February 28, 2020.

Thank you to our Donors and Sponsors

And finally… if you are still awake… more good news… the Canadian Davis Facilitators Association is donating another $1,500 to our bursary fund.  They have been kind enough to do this for several years now and this donation enables us to support clients in other provinces, so thank you!

Ed Roman is an incredibly talented, generous singer/songwriter who is donating some of the profit from his prize winning Red Omen Video (based on his dyslexic struggles) to the WDS – it will be available in Canada shortly.  So many congratulations to Ed, and so much gratitude.  To read more click here.

Thanks to Zella and Maela Aufochs we now have three Christmas Cards added to the WDS selection in our Card Project.  To read more click here. 

Thank you to the North Shore Community Foundation who has granted us an award of $2,400.00 for the Society’s Community initiative for the 2020 Family Summer Camp weekend. Children who have completed a program, and some parents enjoy a multitude of activities and a rare chance to be with like-minded people for a whole two days ! Many thanks to the Foundation for helping us achieve our mission.

Copyright ©2019 The Whole Dyslexic Society, All rights reserved.

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345 East 11th St, North Vancouver, BC, V7L 2G9

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Davis Learning Strategies Basic Teacher Workshops - the missing piece.

The Whole Dyslexic Society sponsored a Davis Learning Strategies Basic Teacher Workshop in Burnaby, British Columbia on October 25 & 26, 2019. 16 teachers participated and we hope to be able to sponsor more of these workshops. The goal is to give K-3 classroom teachers an effective and efficient way to develop the beginning reader into an accomplished reader by the end of 3rd grade and to give their students life long skills in ‘how to learn’. To read more about Davis Learning Strategies visit our page here. We are so grateful to our sponsors, presenters and volunteers for making this possible.

Thank you Davis Dyslexia and Autism Facilitator’s Association of Canada for your gracious donation

This month, DDAFAC has awarded The Whole Dyslexic Society $1,500 for our Bursary Fund. Thank you facilitators ! To read about the need for our Bursary Fund please visit our page here.

Thank you 100 Women Who Care

On October 25, 2019 participants of our Davis Learning Strategies 2- day workshop watched representatives from 100 Women Who Care present a cheque for $10,000 to Chair, Sue Hall. Funds will support our Davis Learning Strategies Basic Teacher Workshops. To read about DLS please visit our page here. We are so grateful to the North Shore 100 Women Who Care. Sue will outline our plans at their next meeting, December 2, 2019.

Ed Roman's "Red Omen" - partial proceeds to support The Whole Dyslexic Society

Many Thanks to Ed Roman for his generous contribution to raising awareness and supporting our mission.

Follow Red Omen the Video on Facebook

Purchase/Rental available in US/UK at this time. Canadian options coming soon !

What if English were phonetically consistent

Fun video that highlights why phonics is a disaster for many.

The Dyslexic Reader Issue 11, 2019, Vol 79

Community Flax to Linen Growing Project

The WDS Newsletter - July 2019

Dear Everyone

The summer holidays have arrived ...... I am sure there is much relief amongst my students and their families! The weather is gorgeous and touch wood it will be a fabulous summer for you all.

The WDS Newsletter - March 2019

AGM - Year in review

Well, fingers crossed no more snow, and Spring is here ! Major news is a SAVE THE DATE for our Family Summer Camp weekend, May31 -June 2, 2019, see attached email.

On February 23 we had our AGM.

The WDS Newsletter - January 2019

Year in Review

Dear Everyone,

We all hope you had a lovely Christmas break, whether full to the brim, or nice and quiet, and of course, we hope that 2019 will bring you all that you could ever wish for. This year has blown me away already.

The WDS Newsletter - October 2018

Dear Everyone,

Last week was Dyslexia Week – apparently, created by the ‘regular’ dyslexia community. SO, I thought it would be appropriate to send this Newsletter bringing hope to our ‘irregular’ community, even though I am a bit late !

The WDS Newsletter - July 2018

Dear Everyone,

I have just finished a Davis program and am privileged to see a student, who thought she couldn’t do something, go home feeling proud of her achievements. I was also privileged to have a visit with one of our Board, because sometimes I need a bit of a reminder that what we do is so important.

The WDS Newsletter - March 2018

Report from the Chair ? from our AGM on February 26, 2018

Dear Members

It hardly seems possible that a whole year (and a bit ) has gone past since the new Board came into being. I have to begin with sincere thanks to the outgoing Board, headed by Sue Jutson, and my thanks and admiration to the incoming Board,

Vegas Night in West Vancouver

Representatives of the Whole Dyslexic Society hosted Shift 2010 -- A Vegas Night in West Vancouver, Nov. 6, at the West Vancouver Community Centre. The more than 130 guests enjoyed casino games, fine food and dancing, bidding on auction items, as well as live entertainment, all the while raising funds for the society, which addresses the needs of dyslexic individuals, their families and the community while ensuring a safe place for learning, healing, social interaction, and growth and development.

Dyslexia: Learning disorder or gift?

Imagine you're struggling to read the words on this page, and the letters get flipped backwards, spun upside down and turned into an incomprehensible mess. That's a bit what it's like to have dyslexia. But is it a learning disorder or a special gift?

For eight-year-old Freya Enright, dyslexia used to mean struggle. She would get so frustrated from school, she would come and throw screaming fits, and up until a few weeks ago, she couldn't spell her last name.

Making it fun: Eight-year-old Freya Enright and mom Hayley work on Freya's reading skills. The Grade 3 student received tutoring in a unique method designed to tackle the challenges of dyslexia, and had great results.

Larry Wright/BURNABY NOW

"It was very difficult in school. I was having a lot of trouble, it was very stressful and (I couldn't) really spell and I couldn't get my math right," said the Grade 3 St. Michael's student.
Freya took a course with Sue Hall, a North Vancouver woman trained in a special technique, developed by author Ron Davis, to help people with dyslexia.

Dyslexia Can Be A Gift

Unique Program Helps Dyslexics Fulfill Potential

"All the other methods out there come from the sound-based world, even if they have multi-sensory facets, they are still based in sound [phonics]," she says.

He'll be working with Sue Hall, a Davis Dyslexia Correction Facilitator who uses the Davis method, based on the experience and work of Ronald Davis,...

It's not always as easy as 1-2-3

Kids with dyscalculia have trouble deciphering numbers, in the same way dyslexics have trouble with letters, researchers say.

It may look like arts and crafts, but when Nicolas Lafreniere plays with balls of clay, he's actually learning the basics of math.

As the Vancouver child moves a clay rope up and down a grid of balls under the watchful eye of his tutor, he's adding sets of the same number in order to understand multiplication tables. It's a remedial method that is working for a number of children like Nicolas, 9, who have trouble reading numbers.

Unraveling 'math dyslexia'

Although school has been back for less than a month, it is likely that many children are already experiencing frustration and confusion in math class. Research at The University of Western Ontario in London, Canada could change the way we view math difficulties and how we assist children who face those problems.

Daniel Ansari is an assistant professor and Canada Research Chair in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience in the Department of Psychology at Western. He is using brain imaging to understand how children develop math skills, and what kind of brain development is associated with those skills.