Celebrating 40 Years - The Ron Davis Story

Photo: https://blog.dyslexia.com/ron-davis-discovery/

“Forty years ago – in 1981 – Ronald Dell Davis stumbled on a breakthrough idea.”

That breakthrough idea was the discovery of the root cause of Dyslexia. Disorientation.

To read more visit Dyslexia the Gift Blog Here

To read The Ron Davis Story visit here

Absurdities of English Spelling

Photo by Amador Loureiro on Unsplash

The following is an article by The English Spelling Society on Poems showing the absurdities of english spelling.

The classic spelling poem is Chaos by Gerard Nolst Trenité, published by SSS in Journal 17.

I take it you already know
I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, lough and through?
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird,
And dead: it's said like bed, not bead -
For goodness sake don't call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt).
A moth is not a moth in mother,
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for there
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear,
And then there's dose and rose and lose -
Just look them up - and goose and choose,
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword,
And do and go and thwart and cart -
Come, come, I've hardly made a start!
A dreadful language? Man alive!
I'd mastered it when I was five!
Quoted by Vivian Cook and Melvin Bragg 2004,
by Richard Krogh, in D Bolinger & D A Sears, Aspects of Language, 1981,
and in Spelling Progress Bulletin March 1961, Brush up on your English.

Read More Here.....

"Is there really a ‘science of reading’ that tells us exactly how to teach kids to read?"

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

The Washington Post, Valerie Strauss, January 26, 2021

"One of the longest-running education debates — commonly referred to as a war — has been over how to teach reading. It started in the 1800s, when Horace Mann, often called “the father of public education” in the United States, argued against teaching the explicit sounds of each letter. He worried that students would concentrate on sounding out words rather than learning how to read for comprehension, so he argued that students should learn to read whole words instead.

Thus began the fight over teaching phonics or “whole language” — and more recently what is known as “balanced literacy.” We’ve also been hearing declarations that a “science of reading” proves that employing phonics in a particular war is the best and right path to teach young children how to read.

The following post looks at this broad issue and whether there really is a “science of reading” that has finally settled how reading should be taught."

read more.......................

Newsletter November 2020

Fall Report

Our first look backwards brings sad news. We have lost one of our most passionate directors, the late Carole Ford put all her energy into her fight with pancreatic cancer, and left this world on October 10. She was a retired Facilitator, University Professor and Elementary School teacher, and passionate about Davis Learning Strategies. She was always cheery, the best supporter, colleague, presenter and editor ever, so don’t be surprised if there are typo’s in this Newsletter. We will miss her enormously, but knowing Carole and her indomitable personality, she will be helping us from ‘above’ and we are dedicating our Davis Learning Strategies Fund to her in Memorium.

Your Board just met for a Strategic Planning Meeting and we all agreed that looking forward to the next 5-10 years involves looking back on the past 20 years of The Whole Dyslexic Society’s life – something we rarely have the time to do, but oh so valuable.

Looking back at the Society : Firstly there was an idea; let’s form a non-profit/charity, then how does one do that; where do we get the money from to initiate the legal process; who do we ask to be our founding Board members?  Well, thanks to Janice Scott for the original idea; to Brenda Pulvermacher who suggested I ask Milton Wong, who donated $5,000 and lent us his charity advisor, John McCulloch, who became our first Board Chair alongside Ian Tostensen and Helen Babalos. We got charitable status in 2002.   Every Board member since then has donated their time and enthusiasm to maintaining our mandate:  Jack Harland, John Robbins, Rita Schmidt, Carolyn Van Meenen, Joe Wozny, Susan Manz, Natrisha Sagris, Jennifer Prowse, Liz Vela, Jay Fisher,  Bruce Shore, Clinton Pazdzierski, Sue Jutson, Carole Taljeh, Anne Haegart, Andrea Flaa, Guy Murphy, Adrian Boston, Donna Doerksen, plus the endless volunteers who have helped with hosting training sessions, workshops, Pro D Day and Conference presentations, webinars, talks, fundraisers, bursary interviews, summer camps and fun activity days. 

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 This is what we have all achieved!  We have maintained our 4 Objectives: : improved Outreach, funded Bursaries, created and maintained a Community and have a Prevention plan in progress.  We are particularly proud of the fact that we have donated $90,400.00 to 10 Davis Facilitators in Canada for 63 clients over the past 16 years.  Our current website provides a comprehensive view of our mandate, our objectives and our current activities, which is astounding considering we are ALL volunteering our time outside of our full time jobs, families and hobbies; even our Administrator volunteers more time than she is paid for.  We are SO grateful and blessed for the thousands of volunteer hours donated to us.

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Looking forward to a very rosy future:

SHORT TERM:

• Continue our podcasts, starting with a Christmas series featuring the ‘gift’ of dyslexia and all the wonderful talents that it brings. The message being we are good at what we do BECAUSE of our gift, not in spite of it!

• A Davis Learning Strategies Workshop Spring 2021- Online

• Family Summer Camp weekend, May 2021, Camp Elphinstone

• Walk and Talk the DYS out of Dyslexia II - August 2021 PLUS an Online Auction

• Adding one school a year to our DLS Learning Challenge Prevention plan

• Full use of social media – especially for fundraising

• Attracting a major influencer/sponsor to support us

• Planning a Homeschooling Support Conference

LONG TERM:

• DLS Learning Challenge Prevention plan – to have at least 3 schools, or School Districts using DLS throughout their school(s).

• Maintaining a strong community of corrected dyslexics

• Being part of the Davis international community

• Sustaining the Society financially

• Being a beacon for information, solutions and support in the world of dyslexia

Look for us Here:

Podbean & Spotify (Fish Don’t Climb Trees),YouTube (The Whole Dsylexic Society)

Members at Large -  To accomplish all of the above, we are asking for Members at Large.  You don’t have to be a Board member (unless you’d like to be) but if any of the tasks above appeal to you, please let us know, we would be SO grateful for your help.  We are a very small Board, with a modest budget, and an enormous amount of work to do.  Some of you have felt the benefit of our programs, maybe of our funding, and Outreach and Community efforts – our work is SO important for at least one third of the population – we are all LEARNING ABLE – we just don’t learn the way we are taught – and you all have skills worth sharing.

THANK YOU !!! Sue

Our Fundraiser, Walk & Talk, continues to the end of this year. Visit our Canada Helps Page to support our cause.

Our Fundraiser - The Card Project has a wonderful selection of art cards for purchase. Created by Davis Dyslexia Students.

Dyslexia Awareness Week October 5-9, 2020

We celebrate having the ‘Gift of Dyslexia’ every week, but especially this week:

We are still Talking the DYS out of Dyslexia with our Second Series of Podcasts !

This time we focus on the prevention aspect – Davis Learning Strategies in K-3 classes reach all learners, regardless of learning style, ensuring a cognitive equal opportunity for all.

We hear from a teacher who had no idea our way of thinking existed – from a teacher in New Zealand who is using DLS in her class – from a teacher/Facilitator/Special Education Needs Consultant who explains the argument for DLS and the enrichment factor they bring – and from the DDAI Webmaster who shares DLS origins and the research behind the methods.

Look for us Here:

Podbean & Spotify (Fish Don’t Climb Trees),YouTube (The Whole Dsylexic Society)

Our Fundraiser, Walk & Talk, continues to the end of this year. Visit our Canada Helps Page to support our cause.

Our Fundraiser - The Card Project has a wonderful selection of art cards for purchase. Created by Davis Dyslexia Students.

From India:  If you have Facebook, you will be able to see the extraordinary success stories as Davis Learning Strategies are introduced in a school India. Read More……………

From the UK:  Why Tyrannosaurus but not If – The Dyslexic Blueprint for the Future of Education. To Read More and access Richard Whitehead’s free Course……………

From South Africa:  Axel Gudmundsson – DDA South Africa is offering 3 talks HERE.

Ron Davis’ Concepts for Life – Ron always wanted to create programs for those on the autism spectrum, and they are all listed on the New Site Here. The Concepts for Life program is available to anyone, especially those with ADD, ADHD, Executive Functioning challenges and Self Improvement goals – parents are also encouraged to take this program for themselves. Access Autism Programs Here.

Newsletter September 2020 #2

Dear All – always hoping you are well as we get to move to another transition – children going back to school or not.  Sue wants you to know that she is always here for a review when needed, we all get a little rusty over the summer holidays, just call or email her. 

Our education system is changing, by necessity; homeschooling organisations are inundated with applications.  We feel that Davis methods, being ‘hands-on’ are a wonderful fit to offset much of the current screen time – and would be grateful for any ideas, any open doors that you might have.  We are working on adding an Online/ Homeschooling page to our website.

DEDICATION: 

On that note, this Newsletter is dedicated to the late and hugely missed Sir Ken Robinson.  We have posted several of his YouTubes on our new channel - Here - click on the Playlist option.  To say he was inspirational is a gross understatement – I would suggest the father of educational reform with a brilliant sense of humour.  Hopefully he is orchestrating the necessary changes from his SKR cloud.   He recorded 3 videos entitled ‘Learning from Home’ which might prove useful just now.

Photo Attribution: Sebastiaan ter Burg / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

ANXIETY:

It is to be expected that there will be anxious moments around going back to school or trying to homeschool.  Sue read an article in the North Shore News - Here -  which she hopes might be useful.  The short story is that anxiety is based in a fear  - worrying about the fear gives us the message that we are doing something about it… that we are making ourselves safe.  Sharon Selby offers tips to deal with those anxious feelings and has written a book called ‘Surfing the Worry Imp’s Wave’ which is on Kindle and in paper.  Read More Here…….

PROJECTS:

On the Davis front we have some exciting news.  Axel Gudmundson, DDA South Africa is piloting a program called 2ReadtoLearn.  It is basically an online version of the Young Learner’s Program, and can be downloaded in modules for parents to do with their children.  For every program purchased one goes to a family who would normally not afford one.  It is in its pilot stage at the moment, but we are hoping it can be made available worldwide shortly.

 Also, in New Zealand, an online version of the Davis Learning Strategies is being piloted, and again we are hoping this will be widely available, as so many teachers find it difficult to travel to the workshops.

We are still Talking the DYS out of Dyslexia!

As you know, we launched our first series of podcasts in August on Podbean and then on our YouTube Channel.  Thanks to Tristan’s efforts we are now approved for Spotify !  Only iTunes to go !  We are currently recording the second series focussing on the Davis Learning Strategies, the preventative measures that can be introduced into K-3 classes, thus providing a cognitive equal opportunity for all, regardless of learning style.

We have international speakers shedding light on:

• The need for DLS in schools

• The success teachers see when they implement DLS (in NZ and Canada)

• The research behind DLS

• An overview of a book that provides a segueway for teachers who need more information

• An online program for young learners and their parents

and more… they will be launched to coincide with Dyslexia week – October 5-9, 2020. 

CHILDREN & READING

One of our interviewees brought up a very sound point.  She sends children home with reading books that are very easy for them, rather than stretching them.  She pointed out that when adults get home from work, they are more likely to reach for a magazine,  novel or newspaper than a highly challenging research paper.  They are tired they read for relaxation, and why would children be any different? 

She also believes, as we do, that reading is introduced far too early in a child’s life.  Brain research shows that children are not ready to read until they are at least 7 and feels that much of the anxiety she sees today is because we push too much too early.  Rudolf Steiner found that they are not ready until they have their adult teeth.

A link with the INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY is in its early stages.  They process apprenticeships throughout BC and when a student struggles and fails their exam because of their learning challenge, the ITA seeks different routes for them to take.  Luckily one route is to contact a Davis program provider, with a view to a correction program, which they will fund.  Very good news for adults who like ‘hands-on’ careers!

FUNDRAISING

We are so grateful for the generosity shown to us in our Walk and Talk the DYS out of Dyslexia campaign.  We estimate we are close to $6,000 and donations are still coming in.  We will leave the campaign page open till the end of the year. 

Ed Roman’s Video – Red Omen is now available on Vimeo for Canadian Rental Sales. Amazon, to buy or to rent for U.S.A residents and Apple Music. Part of the proceeds will go to The Whole Dyslexic Society – this video has won so many international awards at film festivals – and we thank him for being so generous. Please follow Red Omen The Video on Facebook. Follow Ed Roman on Instagram here.

A LONG OVERDUE INSIGHT – HOW I THINK

You would think that being of a grand old age, I would know how I think… particularly in my line of work!

Well, apparently not… I am still a marvel to myself.  This is my latest epiphany.  Thanks to the recording and editing of 10 podcasts which involved learning Audacity (which if you are ever tempted, know there is NO real live help or chat line), and thanks to recording 3 YouTubes via Movie Maker, which needed slides being overlaid onto the recording and for the sound to keep going… I have discovered that not only do I need to make an image of the technical support (thank you thegeekteacher), but once I have seen the advice, I need to go away, do something physical, even washing up and housework count, so that I can process the information, and come back refreshed to give it a go.  Just going away and having a break doesn’t do it… I need to do something physical in that break. 

 So I see a need for this ‘processing by doing’ to be in schools… oh wait a minute... that’s what Davis methods do!

When children look up a word in the Dictionary, when they understand the meaning, and they make a 3D model, this is their physical doing.

It is part of their processing as well as the Mastery procedure.  Ron may well have voiced that many moons ago, but I was obviously out to lunch at the time, so I guess better late than never!   And WOW… there is SO much more to Davis techniques than meets the eye first time around, or in my case many thousands of times around. 

Sue

Newsletter September 2020

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who donated and listened to our incredibly successful Walk and Talk the DYS out of Dyslexia.

We had so much fun, both in the planning and the doing and watching our $ thermometer rising to an amazing $5200 at September 04, and we know more donations are on the way.

We have had so many wonderfully generous donations from all over Canada – and its never too late, our coffers are always open, so if you would like to help us get to that $8,000 mark just go to Canada Helps Here,

or send a cheque to The Whole Dyslexic Society, 352 East 11th Street, North Vancouver, BC, V7L 2G9.  Thank you !  We can do this by the end of 2020 !!!

 SO many wonderful donors, we can only mention a few:

• One shining star is Zoey, age 8, who cycled 25kms in 2hrs 24 mins from Mud Bay to Boundary Bay and raised $685 !!!

• We had a biker who decided to ride 505kms the equivalent distance from his home town of Yorkton in Saskatchewan to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

• Gisa, a Board director, got back her thirst for running, 10kms every other day!

• Tristan was so busy hiking, he forgot to put himself in the photo!

• Sue and a lawn bowling friend Mary Anne determined to walk 5kms every day… even Sue’s dogs were hoping for a day off but finishing the seawall walk with breakfast at the Boat shed in Ambleside made it all much easier. 

The ultimate star is Laura O’Neil, our administrator without whom this fundraiser would never have got off the ground and for whom we are always incredibly grateful. 

The podcasts would never have developed if Tristan hadn’t suggested them, and he set us up with Podbean and YouTube. Shortly they will be on Spotify and Apple iTUnes.

In one month we have had positive reviews with 223 listens, and 21 followers, most people seem to listen/download on Sunday evenings ?

This first series has been about dyslexia and the correction.   Sue and Tristan have already started interviewing a second series which will focus on Prevention using the Davis Learning Strategies in schools.  They will be published every Sunday from October 4, 2020.

Sue and Laura are now posting videos on the WDS YouTube Channel  here or just go to YouTube and Search The Whole Dyslexic Society. You will see the public videos and then click on Playlist and you will see the ones we have been collecting.  This year we are dedicating our channel to the late Sir Kenneth Robinson, who was a remarkable, inspiring, hilarious proponent of positive change in education.  We miss him greatly.

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We trust that Canada Helps will be sending you tax receipts automatically, but if not, just let us know.  Those not using Canada Helps will have a tax receipt mailed to them from the WDS. Contact us at info@thewds.org

What a month!  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, this feels like the beginning of a whole new lifetime for The Whole Dyslexic Society, and massive thanks go to the current Board who have worked so hard for so long.

We are all in this community together to bring about increased awareness, and we will keep Talking the DYS out of Dyslexia in order to bring about an equal cognitive opportunity for all.

Love and gratitude to you all,

 Sue, Laura, Denny, Carole, Paddy, Nadine, Gisa and Tristan

Please follow us on Social Media and YouTube

Newsletter August 2020

We are halfway through August and have already raised very close to half our total !  We are so grateful and so amazed by the generosity we are experiencing.

Walk and Talk the ‘dys’ out of Dyslexia

We had an article in the North Shore News August 1 and our podcasts are being published every Wednesday and Sunday in August.  We have listeners from around the world, and the comments are all good.

The episodes are on Podbean and also our own YouTube Channel.  Very soon we will be adding videos outlining what dyslexia is, the correction procedure and how it can be prevented.

Creative Dyslexia The Video

A group of Facilitators, led by Shelley McMeeken in New Zealand has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a video – Creative Dyslexia. There will be one version featuring Davis methods, and one version for general information on dyslexia. To visit the Creative Dyslexia Kickstarter campaign click here .

This truly is an exciting month for encouraging news!

To visit our Podcast Click Here

Tristan and Sue have already started working on the second podcast series which will be focussing on the Davis Learning Strategies (DLS) – our Prevention objective.  For example, Richard Whitehead of DDA UK is the author of a book entitled Why Tyrannosaurus But Not If?  The Dyslexic Blueprint for the Future of Education, which is the perfect segueway for teachers who are aware of the DLS but need more information.  I have copies here if anyone would like to buy one. Click here to contact me.

It’s been difficult to focus (surprise) with so much excitement in the past 2 weeks, so many new connections are being forged and there will be more news at the end of the month.  For now, please do encourage your friends/family/work colleagues to go to our website and register for the sponsored walk – we are going to get to our $8,000 total – and we need you !

Please follow us on Social Media and YouTube

With deep gratitude we thank you for your support. Warm sun-filled wishes, your Board, Sue, Laura, Denny, Carole, Paddy, Nadine, Gisa and Tristan.