I Googled, “What is the best way to teach reading?”. The answer? Phonics. One site, in particular, struck a nerve with its list of “10 Simple Steps to Teach Your Child to Read”. I had tried all ten on the list of so-called simple steps with my son and let me tell you, they were far from simple or fun for him! Rhyming, phonics, nonsense words with “key sounds” all had been tried and all had failed. Little did I know then that all of these things that he struggled with were characteristics of Dyslexia. So what if phonics doesn’t work? In comes Google search #2. Answer? Push more phonics. Wasn’t it Albert Einstein (my favorite individual with dyslexia) who said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result?”
Turns out my son, like many other early learners, falls into a category Educational Researchers call “non-responders” or “treatment resistors”. In fact, 30-50% of children with learning disabilities fall into this group. Both labels don’t sit well with me as a parent or a Licensed Davis Facilitator as I feel that it suggests that there is something wrong with the child and not with the method being used. You can read more about what it means to be a “non-responder” here.
The question I’m sure you are asking is, “If not phonics then what?” How about a program that yields significant gains in confidence and self-esteem, as well as improved reading skills? YES!
The Davis Dyslexia Correction Program changed my son’s life in all of those ways! If you are tired of watching your child’s confidence and self-esteem decline while pushing through phonics with little to no improvement, it’s time to stop the “insanity” and try something different!
