Sunday, May 25, 2008

DYSLEXIA AN EXPLANATION


Details of the book

Title: Dyslexia – An Explanation

Author: Martin Murphy

Publisher: Flyleaf Press
4 Spencer Villas
Glenageary
Co Dublin

ISBN: 0-9539974-5-6

RRP: €17.50

Style: A5 Paperback, 215 pages

Availability: This book is available in all good bookshops and also directly from the website www.dyslexia-at-bay.com


PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

The dyslexia@bayTM Association is an Irish based organisation which was established in Ireland in 1998 by Martin Murphy, who was a teacher for 23 years. During a dyslexia@bayTM consultation each student is screened for reasons behind the following difficulties:

a. Eye-tracking problems leading to slow and hesitant reading
b. Lack of comprehension while reading
c. Phonetic difficulties while spellings
d. Difficulties in accessing long-term memory for spellings
e. Inability to follow a set of instructions or steps
f. Lack of sequence while writing a story
g. Confusion with b/d’s and p/q’s while writing or spelling
h. Difficulties in telling the time

As each student is dealt with on a one-to-one basis during a dyslexia@bayTM consultation, the particular strengths and weaknesses of their learning profile is identified and each student is then given their own programme of mental skill exercises to complete to alleviate their difficulties and make learning easier.
Along with working in individuals with dyslexia on a one-to-one basis, Martin Murphy and Orla Callan from the dyslexia@bayTM Association also run workshops for teachers and other professionals in the areas of dyslexia. To date they have worked with teachers from over 400 schools in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Having been guest speakers at numerous conferences for educational groups in Ireland they found that many professionals and parents with an interest in dyslexia had a good understanding of the signs and symptoms of dyslexia. However, few people seem to understand the behavioural and cognitive reasons behind the symptoms, which was evident in the common questions that were frequently posed at each conference/meeting.

Consequently, it was decided to put all the frequently asked questions together in a book called “Dyslexia An Explanation”.

The purpose of the book is to encourage those working in education and parents, to appreciate that all children, and indeed adults, learn differently. The book offers an explanation of the symptoms and cognitive thinking processes that lie behind dyslexia. The language in the book is non-jargon and everyday terminology is used.

An understanding is given of these and many other common symptoms of dyslexia:

Long-term recall of spellings
Students are unable to remember a spelling after one, three or nine days. A student has only learned to spell successfully if s/he can remember spellings one month later.

Sound blending difficulties
Students are unable to successfully read or spell by the “sound” of words.

Mechanical reading difficulties
Students read without fully understanding what they are reading.

Eye-tracking difficulties
Students run their finger underneath the line when reading, otherwise lose their place on the page, skip lines, read the same line again, leave out small words such as “of” or “a”, or in extreme cases complain of words moving on the page, or complain about eyes being tired after reading for a period of time.

Sequencing difficulties
Students are unable to follow a set of instructions, e.g. go to your bedroom, get your slippers underneath your bed, pajamas underneath your pillow, and the book beside your bed and bring them to me. Many individuals with dyslexia cannot follow more than two instructions at a time.

Writing difficulties:
Students are unable to put thoughts down on paper in a logical order and hence underachieve in written work at school, despite the fact that they can tell the story orally.

Sample chapters from the book are available on our website:
www.dyslexia-at-bay.com
For further information: telephone Orla Callan on 01 2862537 or visit the website www.dyslexia-at-bay.com

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