The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child's Confidence and Love of Learning

by Ben Foss

Finally, a groundbreaking book that reveals what your dyslexic child is experiencing—and what you can do so that he or she will thrive

More than thirty million people in the United States are dyslexic—a brain-based genetic trait, often labeled as a “learning disability” or “learning difference,” that makes interpreting text and reading difficult. Yet even though children with dyslexia may have trouble reading, they don’t have any problems learning; dyslexia has nothing to do with a lack of intellect.

While other books tell you what dyslexia is, this book tells you what to do. Dyslexics’ innate skills, which may include verbal, social, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical abilities, are their unique key to acquiring knowledge. Figuring out where their individual strengths lie, and then harnessing these skills, offers an entrée into learning and excelling. And by keeping the focus on learning, not on standard reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond.

After years of battling with a school system that did not understand his dyslexia and the shame that accompanied it, renowned activist and entrepreneur Ben Foss is not only open about his dyslexia, he is proud of it. In The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan he shares his personal triumphs and failures so that you can learn from his experiences, and provides a three-step approach for

• Identify your child’s By mapping your child’s strengths and weaknesses and assisting her to better understand who she is, you can help your child move away from shame and feelings of inadequacy and move toward creating a powerful program for learning.
• Help your child help Coach your child to become his own best advocate by developing resiliency, confidence, and self-awareness, and focusing on achievable goals in areas that matter most to him.
• Create Dyslexic children are not broken, but too often the system designed to educate them is. Dare to change your school so that your child has the resources to thrive. Understanding your rights and finding allies will make you and your child feel connected and no longer alone.

Packed with practical ideas and strategies dyslexic children need for excelling in school and in life, this empowering guide provides the framework for charting a future for your child that is bright with hope and unlimited potential.

Praise for The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan

“A passionate and well-articulated guide . . . This extremely practical and motivational book will be welcomed by parents of dyslexic children.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Accessible and reassuring.” — Library Journal

“This step-by-step guide will become a go-to resource for parents.” —James H. Wendorf, executive director, National Center for Learning Disabilities

“I study dyslexia in the lab and am a parent of a wonderful daughter who fits this profile. Ben Foss’s book should be considered essential to any collection on the subject. It was extremely useful, especially for a mom.” —Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology, UCSF, Memory and Aging Center

“As someone with a learning profile that made school tough, and as a parent, I know kids need the right support. Ben Foss knows how to get access to education because he’s been through it. I was thrilled to read this book. It offers a wise collection of insights that are both practical and touching.” —James Gandolfini, actor,  The Sopranos

Genres: Nonfiction, Education, Parenting, Audiobook, Self Help, Reference, Teaching

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Leigh Collazo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for all teachers and any parents whose children are dyslexic. I listened to the audiobook, which is read by the author Ben Foss. I love how humble and passionate Foss is about rights for dyslexic people under the Americans with Disabilities Act. My own child is dyslexic, and even though I have researched and already know a lot about dyslexia, this book helped me better understand my child's dyslexia and how I can help him as a parent. I'd also like to thank Mr. Foss for encouraging me to push harder for my son to try audiobooks. I've mentioned it to him before, and he wasn't interested, but I spoke with him about it again yesterday, and he checked out four audiobooks from our public library OverDrive. He does like to read graphic novels, but he does struggle with novels and nonfiction. If my son likes the audiobooks (I expect he will), it will be my mission from now on to ensure my son has accommodations to read with audiobooks at school.

I plan to review this book more fully on my blog in the next few days.

[Laura Cheek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best book I have read on dyslexia, and I have read many. This book has truly changed the way we approach books with my son (who is dyslexic). I found this book to be practical and inspiring. The audio version is especially helpful for anyone who wants to hear it read rather than read it themselves. In the audio version, he goes through the process of how he (Ben Foss - the author), was able to write a book and read it for the audio when he is dyslexic. I played this part of the audio for my 10 year old son and I believe it went a long way to encourage him in how to work with his dyslexia to accomplish whatever he wants to. I have seen some negative comments on amazon about him not being "friendly" to homeschooling in this book, but I did not find that to be true. He may have a few sentences that give an opinion on not letting dyslexia keep you out of school, but as a homeschooler, I found the book very helpful and not at all "anti-homeschool". The book barely mentions it. If I had to give a parent only one book to assist them with a dyslexic child, this would be it.

[Georgia Roybal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was helpful to me as a special education teacher. One of the primary aids was the idea that success is not determined by tests and ability to read visually. The author's statement that resiliency is really more important really challenges the current corporatization of education by textbook publishers and standardized test makers. The discussions of the testing process and IEP development were very thorough. The realization that dyslexics are over-represented in entrepeneurial efforts made a lot of sense to me-the dyslexic child spends their life trying different ways to succeed. His anecdotes also helped me to realize that we need to put the emphasis on getting information rather than on getting a person who will never read efficiently to be reading more.

One idea I really loved was that of an early screening for dyslexia. We waste a tremendous amount of the most productive learning years in trying to make these children fit into that middle 2/3 of the Bell curve. Because of their lack of success, they often misbehave in class. We seriously need to stop pretending they are "normal".

A more immediate benefit from reading this book is that I am determined to help one of my students who is very dyslexic get access to auditory learning materials. Expecting him to gain information by regular reading is cruel and unusual punishment as well as banishing him to second-class status all his life. I am going to research both Learning Ally and Bookshare for him as well as suggest that we start to emphasize him gaining access to texts that are auditory. I was trained to work with the blind, so I have been familiar with the Recording for the Blind, but didn't realize that it has been expanded to include dyslexics. Also, compressed speech would be helpful as he goes through school.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Dyslexic Empowerment Plan", Ben Foss does for the dyslexic community what Temple Grandin does for the autistic community: Foss speaks about dyslexia with credible authority and courageously shares his personal dyslexia story. Those of us in the dyslexic community are better for it. I consider this a “must read” in the dyslexia library; part of an indispensable trio that includes: "Overcoming Dyslexia" – Shaywitz and "The Dyslexic Advantage" – Eide. "The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan" caps that library list as Mr. Foss walks parent and child through the maze of emotions and obstacles associated with dyslexia.

I really appreciate Foss’s honesty about shame. As I work with dyslexic students, I see it – especially in older students. The shame and associated pain that accompanies feeling stupid is so real. Most dyslexic kids already secretly feel that they aren’t intelligent, but it is almost always compounded as parents, teachers, and fellow students validate those inner feelings with careless and ignorant remarks. I had an older student recall a memory from her fourth grade year. She was a “book buddy” to a first grader, and while she was reading to the first grader, the younger child shouted in frustration to the teacher, “I need a different book buddy! I can read better than her!” As my student shared this experience, she tried to smile and laugh, but her face crumbled and she sobbed instead. Foss honestly acknowledges that pain is a part of the dyslexic experience, but then teaches a plan of empowerment for parent and child.

Part of that empowerment comes from recognizing distinct and specific strengths associated with having a dyslexic brain. Foss expands on the strengths that the Eide’s highlight in "The Dyslexic Advantage". Having applied the strength based approach to my tutoring and with my own child, I can attest to its success. These kids know they have these special skills and abilities, but the current Ed system’s overabundant focus on test scores and data, has created an environment that highlights only their challenges – reading and written expression. As a parent and tutor, his book helped change my focus and attention. Prior to understanding the strength side of dyslexia, I would see unusual gifts and talents in dyslexic children and shrug it off as an interesting observation. Now I can recognize it as an asset, point it out to the child, and then alter the way I teach to play to their strengths.

Foss also emphasizes the dyslexic child’s need for a sense of community. This can be difficult whether in public school or home school. I live in an area where state and county administrators actively discourage identifying dyslexic kids – so unless you opt for private testing, you may never know. My son didn’t know any other dyslexic kids at school – when the data actually suggests that there could be as many as 300 in his school. I had to actively seek out opportunities for my child to connect with other dyslexic kids at conferences and specific dyslexic events. Foss was right again. My son had an amazing, positive paradigm shift after being in a room filled with people just like him.

Lastly, overwhelmed parents are given the right language, legal knowledge, and proactive steps to take within school districts to access accommodations and advocate for their child. More importantly, students are taught to become their own advocates. They are taught to “own” their dyslexic identity as a positive and to educate others along the way. It’s been a blast to see my dyslexic HS student teach his teachers and friends about dyslexia and communicate what he needs and how he learns best. He recently had a teacher say to him, “Yea, I get dyslexia at night sometimes when I’m really tired.” – and mine just smiled and nodded at this well intentioned teacher and thanked him for his help… knowing that when you have dyslexia, you don’t get to wake up in the morning after a good sleep and no longer have it. That’s why self-advocacy is so crucial – because dyslexia doesn’t go away, and you’ll need those skills your whole life.

Thanks, Ben Foss. Great book.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very excited to get this book! As a first grade teacher, helping kids learn to read is my main responsibility. In my first class as a first grade teacher, I had a child whom I couldn't help learn to read and I felt helpless! I have since been eager to learn everything I can about dyslexia in hopes that I will be able to help the next child who enters my classroom with reading troubles. Although this book is geared more towards parents of dyslexic children, I still found the information inside valuable in my classroom and in my dealings with parents of dyslexic children.

At first I felt that the author was "pushing" his invention of the Intel Reader as the way to help all dyslexic kids, but as I read on in the book I learned that he does see the value in the child learning to "eye" read with an Orton-Gillingham method as well. He impressed upon me how audiobooks and text to speech aids can be of help to dyslexic kids and aren't considered a "way out" of learning to read in a conventional sense.

This book truly does "empower" the reader with much information about the dyslexic child and ways to help them.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read on dyslexia. I haven't researched dyslexia enough to know if I agree with everything Ben Foss states. But he writes persuasively, accessibly, and with a strong spirit of activism, and I like that.

This book serves primarily as a guide for parents and guardians who find themselves having to navigate school systems peopled with administrators who don't want to spend money identifying and accommodating non-obvious disabilities such as dyslexia, teachers who don't know what dyslexia is or how to accommodate it, and members who bully those identified with dyslexia for being "stupid" or "lazy."

Ben Foss's approach to accommodating dyslexia is radical. While other advocates call for programs to help dyslexic people read better, or to cure them, Ben Foss suggests that dyslexic people toss textbooks entirely. Describing dyslexia as word blindness*, Foss asks: Would you expect someone who is blind to persist in learning to eye-read? Or would you hand them some Braille?

You would give them Braille. Likewise, Foss argues, a person identified with dyslexia should not, after a certain point, be asked to continue learning how to eye-read better or faster. If a person is dyslexic, they will not get over it. They will not be cured. They may struggle and struggle and struggle and eventually work themselves up to reading at 1/5 of the speed that a standard neurotypical reader can read, but Foss states--correctly, I think--that it's ridiculous to ask students who are essentially blind to read written material that they could access through, say, audiobooks or technology that scans text and reads it aloud--at accelerates rates if the ear-reader wishes to speed read. Once a person identified with dyslexia hits the "reading to learn" age, they should be reading to learn, Foss argues. If they're still learning to read, they're missing out on an education that ought to be free and appropriate for all.

This book is ferocious. I wasn't expecting ferocity from a book called The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan, but maybe I should have.


*It's important to note that dyslexic people aren't literally blind. They can see fine. Many can see text fine. But where processing is concerned, the images become garbled. People identified with dyslexia are essentially blind when it comes to decoding text.

[Adayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Really dived into the emotional side of dyslexia. Written using speech-to-text software and a great editor, this book was written by a dyslexic man addressing the parents of dyslexic children.

This was a breath of fresh air. It was practical, encouraging, realistic, and gives the real truth in a light way.

Some main topics that are discussed: emotional wellbeing of dyslexic children, identifying strengths, if and when and how to approach the topic with people (even includes some direct word-by-word suggestions of how to say it and in what kind of tone based on the situation), Orton-Gilligham tutoring, schooling options and how to directly approach teachers and administrators for help. He also gave some convincing examples about how generally private schools are even harder to get adequate help vs public school. That was interesting. But I think it was also a balanced view. I think there are benefits and drawbacks to every schooling environment and I saw him describe good and bad instances in both.

I would say this is 50% emotional and mental encouragement and 50% direct explaining of handling discussions with schools. As a homeschool parent, I still found these sections interesting. In my view, he does not speak ill of any specific schooling, even homeschooling. He has maybe one or two mentions of it at all. He does say he is not against homeschooling on the fundamental level but seriously warns against it if you are doing it for the sole reason to fix/cure your child of dyslexia.

I really appreciated how dyslexia was approached. He made it very clear that the child will grow and learn and become more fluent (especially with accommodation and OG teaching) but you cannot expect him to eventually read with the same fluency, or spell as accurately, as a non-dyslexic person. This cannot be your goal for your child.

Reading the suggestions to continue schooling and direct teaching while also starting to integrate more and more accommodations as the child gets older was helpful. Helping the child gain independence and learning to use these tools for themselves before they get out into the world as a dyslexic adult.

I was encouraged by this and found it very refreshing. I recommend it.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this author’s positive outlook and personal experience as a dyslexic. His list of tools is very valuable. A great deal of the book includes ways to navigate the school system as your child’s advocate. If your child is enrolled in a public or private school, you NEED this book.

However, I was disappointed to see only two paragraphs discussing homeschooling. Done well, homeschooling could be the very best environment for a dyslexic child. No involvement with the LEA is necessary. Although the book includes the LEA as a resource, I haven’t found that to be true for our area at all. Many LEA’s are hostile to homeschoolers and aren’t interested in actually providing any real help.
When homeschooling there are no hoops to jump through, no red tape plus lots of time to devote to the unique strengths of the dyslexic child, such as art, music, and sports. No bullying or stigma. You can choose the best OG tutors for your child (or learn yourself as the parent) and get what they need to succeed. I hope updated editions will include a more in depth look at homeschooling and how it can be tailored to meet the needs of a dyslexic child as well as more homeschooling specific resources (They could be an entire book on their own!). Many homeschoolers homeschool because their child has special needs. It’s time to reflect that and help parents to see it’s not as scary as they might think nor would they have to figure everything out on their own. A community is waiting.

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe some useful info here and there but the author comes off as condescending. He takes digs at Dr Sally Shaywitz without mentioning her, says people should give up the label 2E and calls homeschooling for dyslexics a "last resort" without taking the time to present much reason why. Better to stick with Overcoming Dyslexia

[Becky Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good resource for all parents!

All teachers should be made to read it so they better understand the things they say and how much of an impact it has on children. We all too soon forget they are just trying to figure out the world.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure I'll be referencing this book for quite some time as I navigate the system for helping kids with learning disabilities. I'm so thankful I'm parenting at a time when a book like this exists!

[Shanna Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is raising a child with dyslexia, or is dyslexic themselves. The author has dyslexia, which lends the perfect perspective for describing the unique challenges and strengths of managing life and capitalizing on the strengths of having dyslexia. There were so many helpful suggestions for accommodations, assistive technology, along with the hows and whys of dyslexia. A must-have for every dyslexic family's library.

[Esther · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I like about this book is the star graphs he sets up for charting strengths and weaknesses. I also like the fact that Foss tries to walk a line between "dyslexia is a disorder" and "dyslexia is a gift" somewhere closer to "this is the hand you got dealt" and mostly he does a pretty good job. Where he fails miserably is his assumption that conventional schooling is not only the only way to go, it is the best way to go. He devotes fewer than 300 words to homeschooling, and nearly all of them shine with ignorance. He might just as well have said that suffering is good for your soul. Consequently he offers no resources that are not entirely connected with doing battle with your child's school system.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely essential reading on dyslexia. His way of talking about different modalities of reading— ear-reading, eye-reading, and finger-reading— will forever change both how I understand and how I talk about reading, both with my dyslexic kiddo and with others. His observations are insightful and his advice is practical. But above all, his work is focused on empowering, and that is essential. The copy I read is from the library, but I’ll be buying my own.

[Eliso]

page 11- ''There are three types of reading: eye reading, ear reading, and finger reading.
A child with dyslexia will never eye-read as well as his peers, and that, I hope to reassure you, is fine. Yet all children need to be exposed to vocabulary and ideas to be successful in school. If your child was blind, providing text as audiobooks or Braille would allow her to read with her ears or with her fingers. No one would ever claim that a blind person was lazy or stupid for not reading texts with her eyes. When I listen to audio, that's ear reading. When I speed it up to four hundred words a minute, four times the pace of standard speech - a skill you can learn about in this book- I am leveling the playing field for me. It's not what the mainstream conceives of as reading. But it's ear-reading. It's learning. It's literacy.''

''Eye reading is what children are taught in school, but it is no better than ear or finger reading in terms of information absorption or comprehension. In fact, each reading approach has both benefits and challenges.''

page 12- ''A dyslexic person may be able to get through one page of text in six minutes of eye reading, while mainstream people do it in one, but if they can access the information in one minute with their ears, that is a better path.''

page 28 - ''Oddly, there is no clear agreement among experts as to what constitutes dyslexia. Here is my definition, based on the latest science and my personal experience with the community:

Dyslexia is a genetic, brain-based characteristic that results in difficulty connecting the sounds of spoken language to written words. It can result in errors in reading or spelling as well as in a number of areas not considered major life activities, such as determining right and left. Individuals who are dyslexic can be highly independent and intelligent. Dyslexia is also characterized by a set of strengths that typically come with this profile in one or more of the following areas: verbal, social, narrative, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical skills. Overall, it is characterized by an increased ability to perceive broad patterns and a reduced ability to perceive fine detail in systems.''

page 32- ''A somewhat better definition is offered by the International Dyslexia Association:

(Dyslexia) is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities... Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge. ''

page 10- ''One of the most important characteristics associated with dyslexia is entrepreneurial thinking. Indeed, 35 percent of American entrepreneurs are dyslexic.''

page 160- EYE-READING METHODS
''Many people assume that if you push a student hard enough he will learn to read in a standard way. I can’t repeat often enough that this is absolutely untrue for someone who is dyslexic. However, every child should be given an opportunity to learn to eye-read, and learning accommodations should begin with methods of teaching eye reading.
For dyslexic children, the most useful method for teaching reading is the Orton-Gillingham (OG) method. Samuel Orton, the grandfather of dyslexia research, and Anna Gillingham, a psychologist and educator, created this model in the 1930s. It involves a multisensory approach that helps students develop the ability to break down the written code of language. It is often delivered as one-on-one tutoring or in small-group instruction, and it has been adapted, updated, and repackaged into a number of different methodologies. For example, the Wilson, Lindamood-Bell, Barton, and Slingerland reading programs each rely heavily on OG, and are all good models that a school can adopt for eye-reading training for dyslexic students.''

page 183- Core Accommodations for All Dyslexics
- Appropriate language instruction for two to three years: Orton-Gillingham (OG) method
-Digital platform: iPad or laptop (includes spell-checker,
keyboard for writing, and device for recording audio)
-Access to free audio versions of text material: Bookshare and
Learning Ally outlined below
-Speech-to-text software: Dragon NaturallySpeaking products and
a high-quality USB microphone
-Text-to-Speech Software: Native Apple or Microsoft speech
engines turned on

''As a general rule, most dyslexics are stronger in ear reading than they are in eye reading.''

page 230- ''The most important accommodations or supplemental services you should be looking for with a young child are 1) Orton-Gillingham intervention for two years in order to support the child's learning of standard eye reading and 2)access to audiobooks.''

[Wendy Leonard-Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of helpful information for establishing an IEP for older children, likely grades 3-4 and up. I did not find much helpful information for my kindergarten child. This book is not a reference book for those looking to garner the basic information on what dyslexia really is, like the nitty gritty. I would recommend Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level by Sally Shaywitz. The title of that book is a bit of a misnomer but it does provide valuable information.
Back to this book here. This really is a book about accommodations. It provides a lot of reference materials and references in general. One of my main caveats is the negative attitude taken toward home schooling. It was basically assumed that a child would be socially isolated and would not receive a proper education if home schooled. With my son, I chose to home school him after unsuccessfully attempting to send him to public schools. I had never before considered home schooling a child (I mean seriously, who does that???). He struggled immensely in the public schools for a variety of reasons and was thrown off of an IEP because they could not identify any needs. I researched all nearby schools (we are very rural). Discovered a home school group. Went that route. Had him privately tested. Discovered his dyslexia. Taught with ALL ABOUT READING and he is doing much better. Now to figure out what to do with my kindergarten child.... But the stance in this book is not home school friendly and does not really give recommendations for those early learners in that easy to be overlooked stage which I was hoping for.

Overall this is a great reference book to keep on hand especially when developing an IEP.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every parent of a dyslexic child should "eye-read" or "ear-read" this book. Ben shares his challenges and how he integrated dyslexia into his life to be successful. As parents, we can get so caught up in "fixing" the struggles and getting all the right interventions. It was eye-opening to see a dyslexic learner will still be years behind their peers despite these intervenrions and still be successful. Ben shares how he has accomplished so much, like graduate school, business school, and becoming a lawyer, but when compared with non dyslexic peers, he reads on a 5th grade level. This book can help parents who are trying to help their learners climb the ladder when their child might just crawl to get there but still get there, just using different ways. This book challenges the norms of what is considered intelligence and shares how acquiring knowledge in other ways than "eye-reading" is still learning and gaining knowledge to be successful. I would recommend this book to parents and caregivers, teachers, or anyone wanting to learn more about dyslexia.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started writing a really long review with my personal rants and then I erased it all. This book was eye opening in so many ways and there is a lot of value in it, especially in teaching a parent how to tend to the emotional needs of their child with dyslexia. It was even helpful with suggesting useful technology tools. If that’s what you are looking for, it’s a valuable book and hence the 3 stars.

That being said, this book falls short in the same way so many books about Dyslexia do. It is very black and white with describing Dyslexia as an incurable, disability. That is fine and I don’t take issue with that. I do take issue with the added and unsupported, blanket message of “[someone with Dyslexia] is never going to be as fluid an eye reader as [their] mainstream peers.”

[Damos · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, well written, fairly easy to read. Written by a man who has walked & is walking the journey.

Great book to have read from many perspectives. Very practical, particularly if you have dyslexia or are a parent of someone who has it. Not so practical if you're on the 'system' side of education ~ good to know, but some things are more complex than they seem.

Written from a lived experience but with a lack of focus on research based evidence on how to support people with dyslexia at the real foundational level. Heaps of wonderful ways to cope with it but hard to find explicit ways for professionals to manage it.

[Pilar Rincon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book motivated and encouraged me to continue to empower my students with dyslexia. The notion that ear reading has been so mind-blowing even though it is so obvious. I hope that parents and students alike will adopt that view. The only part that hurt was the chapter about administrators and teachers. Please understand that while there may be some not nice people out there, most do care, but we are so understaffed and spread thin that we do the best we can!!! I have already recommended this book to many of my friends and colleagues. Finally, can you please work on a kid-friendly version???? Thank you!!!

[Catherine Mikkelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We should be measured by what we can do, not by what we can't." - Ben Foss

Ben Foss is the guy who did the Ted Talk "Choose Strength, Not Shame." He talks about just how powerful the shaming influences are that hit young dyslexic children as they discover they are dyslexic. And then he talks about how to do better.

This shouldn't be the only book that parents read, but it really gets you into a good mindset, so it's good to return to this book for an occasional "topping up."

Good resource listings, lots of stories.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs93i...

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out good, but then got into the weeds for me about a third of the way through. I understand the title includes "plan" but it became a bit too prescriptive for my taste. The "plan" mostly centered around adjusting the environment in accommodation for the dyslexic child which I agree is important, but maybe shouldn't be the driving force behind dealing with this issue. It just got a bit redundant and tiresome for it to be the bulk of the material. I also thought it was interesting that the author often referred to several dyslexics who become very successful "despite" their dyslexia, but then failed to focus on how their struggle with a world not set up for them played a key role. My impression was he seemed more interested in just mitigating as much of the struggle as possible.

[Dananna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about dyslexia from a successful person who has never lived without it and can't imagine life any other way. He gives hands-on advice to overcome the worst pitfalls for your children who may be in the same path. He is completely confident with his strengths and abilities. I wish I could memorize his advice and apply it in so many aspects of life. Plus I know feel positive about the potential of loved one's lives of they too have dyslexia as a characteristic trait to view and interact with the world. Great book to empower a parent and even oneself!

[Nancy Burgandine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best guide to dyslexia and the support your child should get. Not sure your child has Dyslexia this book gives you some things to look for. The Number one resource in this area.
Ben talks about the importance of not hiding your learning difference. he also talks about the proper use of audiobooks. The blind listen to audiobooks at the same speed must people rad and he discusses the methods to get there and the software to use. many schools do not provide reading out load apps that go fast enough

[Catherine Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own this book, and purchased it and read it a few years ago when we realized my son had severe dyslexia. First of all, Ben Foss is dyslexic himself, and is willing to be vulnerable with his own experiences. I really like how Foss emphasizes the many ways that someone with dyslexia can excel, and the importance of finding and developing those good things. The biggest "aha" for me was how easily it is for people with dyslexia to feel shame, and how that shame can stick with them. I changed how I spoke about dyslexia with my son based on that advice, and I think that change is for the better.

[Jasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most helpful book I've read about dyslexia. It helped after someone close to me was identified as dyslexic. I was feeling unsure about how to advocate most effectively. This book helped me better understand dyslexia and how to engage with the school district.
It seems like the nonprofit organization the author founded to be a resource is no longer around. I read this over a decade after it was published, and it is encouraging to see how some of the accommodations are now mainstream, like voice to text.

[Jennifer Hamrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man's perspective on having dyslexia gave me such relief and encouragement as I parent a severely dyslexic child. The author's way of teaching a dyslexic person how to describe their dyslexia to educators and employers makes this book worth purchasing, but there is so much more than practical advice inside. There is also a great deal of examining strengths weakness that many dyslexic individuals have and how to utilize them to the person's advantage.

[Sarah Wakefield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but it's definitely a more extreme view than you will find in other reads. I did think his perspective as a dyslexic is invaluable. There are some really good takeaways and as a parent of a child identified as dyslexic, it was helpful to understand steps you can take to empower your child and break away from the shame and inadequacy they feel as they watch their peers making easy progress at something they feel is impossibly hard.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, but there were definitely parts that I wanted to reread in book form. I read it as a teacher, not a parent, of children with dyslexia. I think it has some great ideas in how to motivate students with dyslexia who often struggle with school more because they are discouraged that the educational system could not fit them more than they should be impacted by their learning disability.

[❤️ Mandi Listens & Reads ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such an inspiration! Highly, highly recommend listening to this book on audio. Ben talks about his struggles and triumphs with dyslexia and helped me understand as a parent of a child with dyslexia, that everything would turn out ok. At the end of the book Ben talks about his experience narrating the book and having to memorize the script sentence by sentence to do it. Just amazing!