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BOOKS FOR TEACHERS
Books with three red blobs (• • •) are particularly recommended.
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• • Glue
Ear by Lindsay Peer - Glue Ear is a common condition among young
children but until recently its long-term effects on learning and achievement
weren't fully understood. Lindsay Peer's research has found significant links
between the condition and dyslexia. As well as helping teachers to understand
the potential consequences of temporary hearing loss, this book will be useful
for health professionals who may be aware of the medical implications of Glue
Ear but not the educational reverberations. Similarly, parents of children who
have the condition will appreciate the accessible, jargon-free text and practical,
credible ideas.USA
"Of great benefit to the older dyslexic child with a reading age of 6+ years, is the Unit of Sounds Programme designed to develop awareness, fluency and accuracy in spelling, reading, writing and memory. Developed by the UK Dyslexia Institute, it can be used in conjunction with ‘Write Out Loud’ – a separate software package which I personally use to assist with the sentence construction aspect of Units of Sound, though it has not been specifically designed for use in conjuction with Units of Sound. When a full stop is typed the programme will then read the full sentence back to the child. It has facilities to change background colour, font size and helps alert the user to incorrect spelling or grammar by highlighting errors via a colour change across the tool bar area. The programme offers a choice of words and spellings and if the child cannot recognise the spelling pattern, the word can also be heard before inserting into the text. It is an invaluable aid to the dyslexic child." (H.F., Adu Dhabi). UK
Covering
the range of special needs encountered by special needs teachers - dyslexia, attention
problems, autism, dysgraphia, etc. - 'The Mislabeled Child' is 'the best book
of its kind we have read for a very long time. Highly recommended'. (Direct Learning
team.)
• • •
• The
Dyslexic Scholar: Helping your Child Succeed in the School System - by Kathleen
Nosek. If you are looking for a book that explains dyslexia and how to cut through
the red tape at school, this is the book. I finally found some answers to my questions
about dyslexia and what I need to do to get my child help. Ms. Nosek's book is
very parent friendly. She gives you wonderful advice in a step by step fashion.
I found the most useful part of the book to be the section on the federal laws
(she gives you the public law number) that the schools must obey. I finally know
what my rights are! You should read this book if you are having any problems getting
your child services. I think it would be useful to any parent of a child with
a learning disability.(A reader from Newport Beach, California) USA
| UK
• Dyslexia and Music - Maximise your pupils' music skills and their enjoyment of the subject. Non-specialists and specialists can use this book to help pupils overcome common stumbling blocks and: boost pupils' success in exams with ideas for preparation; make appropriate assessment of pupils' theoretical and practical work; teach successfully in groups and one-on-one; support pupils' learning with the right IT resources; learn from first hand descriptions of pupils' experiences in music. • Dyslexia and Drama - Helping teachers to guarantee that dyslexic students get the most from drama inside and outside the classroom, this indispensable book covers: a straightforward explanation of dyslexia; tactics for removing problems experienced by students in drama lessons; suggestions for setting homework; ideas to boost students exam success; insights into good and bad practice with case studies. • Dyslexia and History - Offering teachers a variety of tried and tested learning and teaching strategies, this book provides a core of good classroom practice in history and discusses the range of resources and support currently available to classroom staff. It should help make the history classroom a more interesting and successful environment for dyslexic pupils. • Dyslexia and General Science - This work focuses upon the requirements of science specialists teaching dyslexic pupils in a primary mainstream setting. Using the book's practical learning plans, teachers should be able to improve the dyslexic child's success in and enjoyment of science. • Dyslexia and English - The difficulties dyslexic students experience in the English mainstream classroom and present to their English teacher are examined in detail in this book. The authors show how these difficulties may best be supported and the students' strengths utilised. The book offers: discussion of the ways in which the English department and staff can prepare for dyslexic students; guidance in the context of the curriculum; suggested teaching approaches and methods of working for both National Curriculum tests and GCSE examinations; and pointers for staff development. The book looks at language, different types of literature and poetry, and highlights the use of oracy for written language. Handwriting, reading, comprehension, writing and spelling strategies are also considered. • Dyslexia and Math/s - This concise text helps the reader to understand why dyslexics can find maths difficult and offers practical ideas for supporting them most effectively. It explains which areas of maths dyslexics tend to have particular difficulty with, assesses current teaching philosophies and methods, describes a framework of general learning principles that allow dyslexics to make progress in maths and outlines a number of specific and effective teaching recommendations. The book helps teachers at primary and secondary levels to better understand the maths performance of dyslexics and gives them an overview of the ways in which dyslexics can best be supported in all aspects of maths learning. • Phonological Skills Programme by Kathryn Dickie - meticulously planned programme teaching what a word is, segemntation, rhyming, through the early letter sounds, with a large battery of pictures to photocopy. The programme relies on a knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet - which many teachers may not be familiar with. It is also open to criticism on the grounds of including pictures which are not always readily meaningful to a multi-cultural audience, using words not in common usage (e.g. cloy, ploy), and requiring a very large battery of teaching equipment - wooden lolly sticks, metal washers, miniature animals and vehicles, etc. Recommended for a private tutor in the UK with a speech therpy background and a desire to thoroughly cover each small step of the initial process of learning to read and recognize letter sounds. Contact: kathrynmary@tiscali.co.uk
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Strategy
Instruction for Increasing Reading Comprehension - Edwin S. Ellis describes
the paraphrasing strategy that has been demonstrated to increase reading comprehension
skills for adolescents with learning disabilities.
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• • How to Reach
and Teach Children and Teens with Dyslexia by Cynthia Stowe - comprehensive,
practical resource giving educators at all levels essential information, techniques,
and tools for understanding dyslexia and adapting teaching methods in all subject
areas. Over 50 full-page activity sheets that can be photocopied for immediate
use and interviews with students and adults who have had personal experience with
dyslexia. Organized into twenty sections, information covers everything from ten
principles of instruction to teaching reading, handwriting, spelling, writing,
math, everyday skills, and even covers the adult with dyslexia. 
Overcoming Dyslexia for Dummies -
How to spot the signs and get the proper treatment. This friendly guide
shows parents how to identify the signs of dyslexia, choose among
dyslexia treatment options, and find an individualized education
program for their child. They'll also find practical tips on assisting
with homework, helping a child build self-esteem, and easing the
transition to high school and college. ('An excellent book to recommend
to parents', John Bradford)
•
• • The Dyslexia-friendly Primary School by Barbara Pavey 
•
• • Overcoming Dyslexia - Yale neuroscientist Sally Shaywitz demystifies the roots of dyslexia and offers
parents and educators hope that children with reading problems can be helped.
Shaywitz delves deeply into how dyslexia occurs, explaining that magnetic resonance
imaging has helped scientists trace the disability to a weakness in the language
system at the phonological level. According to Shaywitz, science now has clear
evidence that the brain of the dyslexic reader is activated in a different area
than that of the non-impaired reader. Interestingly, the dyslexic reader may be
strong in reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking, but invariably lacks
phonemic awareness-the ability to break words apart into distinct sounds-which
is critical in order to crack the reading code. The good news, Shaywitz claims,
is that with the use of effective training programs, the brain can be rewired
and dyslexic children can learn to read. She walks parents through ways to help
children develop phonemic awareness, become fluent readers, and exercise the area
of the brain essential for reading success. Book: 
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Units
of Sound - This multi-sensory reading intervention program from the UK 
• • • Practical Ideas That Really Work for Students with Dyslexia and Other Reading Disorders
- includes two components: an Evaluation Form to rate a student's
specific reading problems, and select strategies that can to improve
reading skills; and a manual of practical ideas, containing 38
instructional strategies, explanations, helpful illustrations and
examples, tips, and over 85 reproducible forms. 
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•
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The Mislabeled
Child - a definitive look at learning disabilities and the brain from two
neurologists, with a wide range of practical techniques to improve children's
performance. 
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•
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Active
Literacy Kit - Another excellent program from the UK 
• • • Overcoming Dyslexia - a Practical Handbook for the Classroom - The authors have created new links between multisensory learning and the UK
National Literacy Strategy, and have applied these to the National Literacy Framework
and the structure of the Literacy Hour. 
Overcoming
Dyslexia - Resource Book 1 - practical set of resources which has been
written for the busy teacher who wants to use a multisensory approach to overcoming
literacy difficulties in the classroom. The fully photocopiable materials can
be used on their own or in conjunction with the highly successful handbook ' Overcoming
Dyslexia' (2nd ed., Hilary Broomfield and Margaret Combley) on which they are
based. The wide range of activities, suitable for learners of all ages can be
used during the literacy hour or specialised support lessons. They are also suitable
for learning support assistants under the guidance of a teacher. 
• • • Overcoming Dyslexia - Resource Book 2 - fully photocopiable
set of resources supports the learner in reading and spelling vowel digraphs and
diphthongs, 'soft' 'c' and 'g', common ending such as 'tion' and 'le', suffixes,
prefixes, multi-syllablic and contracted words. Those familiar with the "Overcoming
Dyslexia" handbook will recognise these from part two of its 'step-by-step' approach.
The resources also cover the correct use of punctuation, including end of sentence
marks, commas, speech marks and apostrophes, and the use of everyday research
skills such as scanning and finding information in telephone directories and dictionaries.
The materials include background information for the teacher, teaching and learning
activities, guidance notes for parents and homework activities. 
• • • Sound Linkage - Integrated Programme for Overcoming Reading Difficulties - teaching package contains a reading and phonological training programme
for use with reading-delayed and dyslexic children. It comprises: 54 laminated
picture cards; a criterion-referenced test of phonological awareness; photocopiable
record sheets; and an outline of a reading programme within which the phonological
awareness training can be used. In addition to the materials from the first edition,
the second edition includes normative data for the test, and specific examples
of letter-sound "linkage" activities to supplement the purely phonological training
activities. The second edition also provides information for teachers that should
enable them to grade early reading books (23 levels), in order that children can
make the link between sounds and words while reading text with at least 90 per
cent accuracy. The materials were originally used in the Hatcher, Hulme and Ellis
(1994) study, which has been rated internationally as one of the three most effective
phonological awareness intervention studies. Since 1994, the materials have been
used with a wide range of children and been found to be suitable for use with
any reading-delayed child, irrespective of cognitive ability and age. 
Spelling
Smart! - a ready-to-use activities program for students with spelling difficulties,
by Cynthia Stowe. 
•
Phonics from A to
Z: A Practical Guide
- Everything you wanted to know about phonics but were afraid to ask! This practical
handbook, written by an early reading specialist, will show you how to build engaging,
effective phonics practice into your reading-writing program. Lots of ready-to-use
lessons, word lists, games and learning center ideas (K-3). 
• • • How to Identify and Support Children with Dyslexia
- Written by an experienced Dyslexia Adviser, this practical new book
offers help and advice to those providing and supporting the learning
process of dyslexic children within the primary school classroom.
Packed with valuable advice and ideas, Chris Neanon aims to address
those questions that are most frequently asked by teachers and to build
confidence. Sections include: Definitions of dyslexia, recent research
and early identification issues. What is it like to be dyslexic? A
child's perspective on dyslexia. Differences in learning styles How to
support the dyslexic learner in the Literacy Hour Using teaching
assistants most effectively Useful resources - letters for parents
explaining dyslexia including suggestions of ways in which parents can
support children at home. 
•
Multi-sensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills - Judith R.
Birsh, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. - 1999 ISBN 1557663491. - Dr. Judith Birsh
has succeeded in bringing together the expertise of a constellation of respected
and well-known contributors to produce what will undoubtedly become a highly prized
and much-used text/reference book in the field of dyslexia and learning differences.
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Phonemic Awareness in Young Children - A Classroom Curriculum
- Phonemic awareness - distinguishing the individual sounds that make up words
and affect their meanings - is an essential preliteracy skill, and a hot topic
in education today. This supplemental curriculum is brimming with engaging, adaptable
language activities proven to increase phonemic awareness. Use them in any preschool,
kindergarten, or first-grade classroom. Its developmental sequence builds on simple
listening games and gradually moves on to more advanced sound manipulation exercises
like rhyming, alliteration, and segmentation. 
•
Alpha to Omega - by Beve Hornsby,
pub. Heinemann. Recommended phonics manual used very widely in UK schools, listing
words in their phonic groupings. 'I
just wanted to say that I find "Alpha to Omega" really good to use, if not in
the sense it was intended! I have a group of Y5/Y6 (Grade 5/6) students once a
week for a "spelling club" and they raise the spelling difficulties they are having
and we address them through using this scheme. It works as a few of them have
increased their spelling ability by 12 months or more in a much shorter space
of time! ' (V.L., UK). 
• The Secret
Life of the Dyslexic Child
by Robert Frank - The author's own experience (he was not diagnosed until he was
a graduate student) demonstrates that despite the lack of professional attention
to his condition, the parental love and support he received encouraged him to
transcend his problems with processing language. He provides here a number of
strategies that will help parents to understand and identify with how their dyslexic
child sees the world. Building self-esteem is the key to helping a dyslexic child
overcome overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frustration that may occur when
he or she struggles with schoolwork. Positive feedback from family and friends
is crucial to building self-esteem in a dyslexic child. Included in this very
helpful, accessibly written guide are many practical suggestions for working with
your child's teacher to create a positive goal-oriented learning environment both
at school and at home.
•
Dyslexia
and Learning Style
by Matilda Mortimore - The latest research into both dyslexia and learning styles
shows that adapting the way teachers teach to suit the individual ways in which
students learn can maximise success for all students dyslexic and non-dyslexic.
The practical teaching suggestions contained within this book are based firmly
upon research findings and have proved successful in a range of mainstream and
specialist settings. The first section of this research based but practical book
provides an overview of the latest research in two key areas: dyslexia and the
dyslexia experience; and the major learning styles and the role they play in successful
learning. The second section provides: a range of ways to diagnose a learning
style; techniques to help students absorb, process, and create responses to information
across the curriculum; practical strategies to help teachers adapt material to
suit the different styles encountered in every classroom, and activities to help
students develop a more flexible approach to learning. 
•
Dyslexia
and Self-Concept
by Robert Burden - This book addresses the important area of dyslexic children's
perception of themselves and how this is shaped by people and processes within
their early school careers. It draws upon hitherto neglected psychological concepts
such as self-efficacy, locus of control and learned helplessness to explain within
a social-interactivist framework the powerful effect of self-perceptions on the
social, emotional and academic development of dyslexics. Techniques for assessing
these factors are described and research evidence is provided to demonstrate how
a sense of dyslexic pride associated with positive academic outcomes can be achieved.
The book is aimed at teachers, teacher-trainers, parents and academics researching
developmental aspects of dyslexia, but combines scholarship and research in a
manner that makes it accessible to adult dyslexics also. 
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• •
Dyslexia
and Literacy edited
by Gavin Reid - provides a comprehensive, practical introduction for all professionals
seeking an understanding of dyslexia in children. Divided into four parts, the
book firstly introduces the various theoretical perspectives and follows this
up with identification and assessment techniques with an emphasis on practical,
classroom related issues. The third part of the text covers topics related to
the school curriculum and a final section covers issues that relate to the learning
process. An invaluable text for anyone who needs to know about dyslexia in children
including post-graduate students in psychology and education, SENCOs and trainee
teachers. 
• • • Dyslexia
and Counselling - by Rosemary Scott, published Whurr. 'Good counselling can
remediate the negative effects of dyslexia on daily life, to the point where dyslexia
becomes not just manageable but 'a source of individual strength and wisdom''. 
• •
• Dyslexia
- a Practitioner's Handbook - by Gavin Reid, published Wiley. "How can
the research in reading help me teach dyslexic children? How can I help dyslexic
students learn more effectively? How can I select appropriate resources for the
classroom? This comprehensive handbook answers these and many other important
questions integrating research and practice in an accessible form. This practical
guide will help professionals and parents to make an informed choice in the selection
of materials, and provides a choice of strategies for classroom use for teachers.
The text * explores and explains research in reading and learning, and promotes
the use of learning styles and study skills techniques which enable dyslexic students
to acquire some degree of self-sufficiency in learning * examines all aspects
of practice, including a wealth of assessment techniques providing an assessment
framework which teachers can implement and adapt to accommodate to their own particular
teaching context * covers many learning approaches from early education to higher
education * includes a review of resources in a special section which describes
over a hundred different strategies, resources and books on dyslexia, and comments
on how these may be used "The sections on assessment, programmes, strategies and
the review of resources will be invaluable to our Learning Support team, by bringing
all those together under one cover. In summary, I found the handbook practical,
readable, concise and an invaluable resource." Frederika Ritherdon, Principal
SEN Officer, Bolton, UK. 
• • •
Dyslexia?
Assessing and Reporting: the PATOSS Guide
- There is now a greater need than ever before to assess, record and respond appropriately
to the special needs of individuals. Specialist teachers, learning support managers
- all have a statutory duty to see that individual needs are identified, from
the early years to further and higher education. This book focuses on the purposes,
principles and practicalities of assessing for dyslexia across successive age
groups, exploring the changing assessment issues and specific assessment needs.
It looks at the available types of assessments at each stage, explaining how to
interpret results and how and when to involve other professionals. Throughout,
special emphasis is placed upon the need to cooperate and communicate effectively
with others - pupils/students, their parents, class teachers, administrators and
fellow professionals - to ensure that appropriate intervention and follow-up support
are forthcoming. Assessments are needed to diagnose, to plan intervention, to
inform school/college policies, to support claims for funding, to justify special
arrangements in examinations, and more. These very different purposes require
specialist teachers and support managers to have a firm grasp of relevant legislation
and professional guidelines, to select appropriate assessments and provide reports
that will meet their intended purpose. Assessing for Dyslexia will enable you
to achieve this! Down to earth, and with numerous examples, this book provides
the practical guidance needed by specialist teachers special needs teachers and
educational professionals in training, as well as by learning support staff working
in schools and colleges. 
• Spelling, Handwriting and Dyslexia: Overcoming Barriers to Learning
- Diane Montgomery argues that spelling and writing need to be given
more consideration in teaching and remedial settings especially if
dyslexic pupils are to be helped back up to grade level, and other
pupils are to make more effective, quicker progress. Helping teachers
and student-teachers to understand the valuable contribution spelling
and handwriting makes to literacy development in primary and secondary
schools, this book shows them how to overcome existing barriers to
learning. Chapters cover key topics such as: the nature of spelling and
the impact of the National Literacy Strategy; the strengths and
weaknesses of existing schemes for handwriting; the definitions of
dyslexia and how common spelling errors by dyslexics are made; making
effective links between strategic assessment and strategic
interventions in schools; problem-based learning, underpinned by plenty
of case-studies and real life classroom examples. Written by a
well-known author in the field of literacy and dyslexia, this is a core
text that will interest teachers, teacher educators, and undergraduate
and postgraduate students in education and inclusion. 
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Could Do Better - two important techniques are recommended by
this helpful book: Reflective Listening and Descriptive Praise. Noel Janis-Norton's
methods are aimed at restoring self-esteem, and will help re-build the confidence
of any dyslexic child. The book contains practical techniques to help children
achieve their true potential.
Aurally
Coded Dictionary - The ACE spelling dictionary is the Aurally Coded dictionary
– it confronts the multitude of vowel sounds by classifying words according
to the first one in each. She has been under very intense pressure and extremely
frustrated by her efforts to use a normal dictionary. "Using the ACE Dictionary,
my 16-years old student identifies the start sound of a difficult work, then the
second sound. The dictionary gives a visual support to the second sound and a
page reference for the combination from a grid. She then counts the syllables,
selects the list on the page, runs her finger down and is becoming increasingly
proficient at identifying the word. Her motivation has increased because the exam
board is now allowing her to use the ACE Dictionary in some exams. (S.D. P, Kent,
UK)."
• Dyslexia
- Overview of the causes and treatment of dyslexia in children by Gavin
Reid, a well respected writer in the field. "A useful text book, but
too many lists to make it readable." (S.J., Cornwall, UK.)