This hard-hitting PSA for the 1in5 Initiative has been making waves all over the country. Please pass it around to raise awareness of dyslexia and draw people to the Explore1in5.org website, where hope and resources abound.
Submission from John Davy, who made this podcast with film industry veteran Graham Fordham about dyslexia:
http://www.biznetworkguy.com/podcast/dyslexia-is-no-barrier-to-working-with-cate-blanchett
Should people with dyslexia have a hand in redefining “dyslexia”? Or is defining the diagnosis a job for experts?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/opinion/defining-my-own-dyslexia.html?_r=1&
Yeah, five years ago I was diagnosed as having been dyslexic for my entire life… which explained a lot of things. It was like the last puzzle part in a tremendous mystery that I’ve kept to myself all these years…. that basically started with all these things that happened when you’re in school and you’re a slow reader, and in my case, I was actually unable to read for at least two years. I was two years behind the rest of my class. And of course I went through… teasing…. The teasing led to a lot of other problems, in school, but it all stemmed from the fact that I was embarrassed to stand up in front of the class and… and read.
“
| — | Steven Spielberg in September 2012 (via iradavidschneider) |
Hello! My name is Carin and I’m a senior at MIT, about two weeks from graduation. Next fall I’ll be headed off to medical school at Tufts. I’m both excited and a bit apprehensive about med school, which seems fairly normal. I’ve heard that medical school is much easier than MIT, but I’m not sure…
In a survey of 35,000 children ages 8 to 16, 52% preferred to read using computers and e-readers, instead of books printed on paper. Will reading using those technologies become mainstream in the schools? Will this help students who have dyslexia?
However, the study said, “Younger children who read printed books as well as used computers were more likely to have higher reading levels than those who only read on screen. Although this gap did not apply to those children who used tablet computers or e-readers.” Do students have higher reading levels because of the form of the book? Or do better readers just tend to read both forms of book?
The full article from BBC News is below.
Young people are now much more likely to prefer to read on a computer screen rather than a printed book or magazine, according to a UK survey.
The National Literary Trust studied almost 35,000 eight- to 16-year-olds.
Its findings suggest a picture of young people who are now immersed in a screen-based culture.
As well as social networking and browsing websites, the study indicates almost a third of youngsters read fiction on online devices.
Screen-agers
The study suggests high levels of access to mobile phones, computers and tablet devices now mean that reading is an activity more likely to be on screen than on the printed page.
Of those surveyed, 52% preferred to read on screen compared with 32% who preferred print, with the remainder having no opinion or preferring not to read at all.
“Not only are children and young people more likely to read on electronic devices than they are to read paper-based materials but they also do it more often,” said the study.
Researchers found that 39% of the young people read every day on computers and screens, compared with 28% who read each day using printed materials.
Technology is central to the lives of these youngsters - 97% reported having access to a computer and the internet at home, 77% said they had their own computer.
Novel devices
Much of this will be used for activities such as social networking websites, but there were also signs of a switch to the screen for other types of reading, such as fiction, news and information.
About a third were reading fiction on screen, with higher levels for those using tablet computers or e-readers.
And 23% of the youngsters read fiction on their smartphones.
But there has so far not been a complete shift to reading on screen, with 53% still reading novels in printed form.
The girls were more likely to read printed books than the boys - with both having similar levels of reading on screen.
Younger children who read printed books as well as used computers were more likely to have higher reading levels than those who only read on screen, the study said. Although this gap did not apply to those children who used tablet computers or e-readers.
A clearer pattern was visible with the readership of printed newspapers. This has tumbled from 46% in 2005 to 31% in this latest study. In contrast, there are now 41% of these young people who read news stories online.
National Literacy Trust director Jonathan Douglas said: “Our research confirms that technology is playing a central role in young people’s literacy development and reading choice.
“While we welcome the positive impact which technology has on bringing further reading opportunities to young people, it’s crucial that reading in print is not cast aside.”
Google has teamed up with organizations like NASA and PBS to create “Play for Education”. It allows users to search for and recommend learning content by category, grade level, and a variety of other criteria. The content is preapproved by educators before being posted, so users can rest easy knowing the recommended content is quality and school-appropriate.
The program will be open to all later this year. To learn more about the program and to sign up, go to:http://www.google.com/edu/android/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/15/google-intros-play-for-education-a-curated-portal-for-apps-and/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget
Voice search is coming to your desktop computer! Google has created speech-to-text searching with natural language for Chrome, so you won’t have to type on your desktop at all. Just say “OK, Google” and the speech-to-text mode will activate, allowing you to search the internet with normal language (e.g., “How far is Pizza Hut from me?”). You will also be able to write emails using conversational language (e.g., “OK Google, send an email to my friend George. I’ll be late today and we’ll have to meet up at 4 pm.”). Exciting times for assistive technology!
http://www.slashgear.com/google-voice-search-hits-chrome-with-hotwording-ok-google-15282253/
“I am Dyslexic” is a short but very interesting mini-documentary about dyslexia and how it affects people. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCf0JOhPV64
30 successful entrepreneurs who have dyslexia and dropped out of college
http://www.incomediary.com/top-30-dyslexic-entrepreneurs/
Today is Apraxia Awareness Day. The symptoms of apraxia include: difficulty putting sounds and syllables together in the correct order to form words; inconsistent mistakes when speaking; ability to understand language much better than they are able to use language to express themselves; poor vocabulary; incorrect grammar; problems with reading, writing, spelling, or math; and coordination or “motor-skill” problems. The symptoms and severity vary with each individual.
For more information about apraxia, go to: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/pages/apraxia.aspx
