Dr. Sylvia Moody's book ‘Dyslexia, A Teenager’s Guide’, has filled a niche in the support material currently available for dyslexic teens.

She shows a keen insight in the problems that teens face in learning to learn and in coping with dyslexia. Years of working with teens has provided Dr. Moody with a rich bank of experience and numerous case studies that form the base of this easy to read, refreshing, teenage-friendly, guide. It feels as though Dr. Moody has managed to speak to each teenage reader individually. By regularly quoting the experiences of a teenage girl and boy, any student will be able to identify her or his personal case with the ones described in the book. Dr. Moody’s language and vocabulary are most appropriate for teens. Students will feel fascinated if not compelled to read on about the numerous practical hints, tips, skills and strategies provided.

The book is divided into three sections, each of which is subdivided into chapters:

A: What is Dyslexia?

B: Improving Skills; followed by an Endword

C: Further Help and Advice, with finally a handy key word index.

In section A is a checklist for dyslexia as well as dyspraxia (there seems to be a strong case for co-morbidity). Several fun exercises invite the student to sample some diagnostic assessment tasks to familiarize them with an otherwise possibly daunting experience when they are being assessed. There is also a regular ‘Parent Alert’ diagram to signpost certain symptoms in the minefield of dyslexia/dyspraxia difficulties their child may experience.

Dr. Moody has made use of the latest accelerated learning ideas and skills available such as those promoted by Colin Rose, Tony Buzan etc. She regularly encourages students to use visualisation techniques as well. She applies a holistic approach, by pointing out to use a dyslexic’s strengths, how to deal with emotional and intellectual issues, inter- and intra- personal aspects and encouraging music and movement, thus incorporating Howard Gardener’s Multiple Intelligences Theory.

The text is lively, interspersed with cartoons, diagrams, bold headings and even cursive handwriting.

The whole presentation is very dyslexic- and teenage-friendly: a light, handy format paperback, with off-white paper, easy to read font and letter size and well spaced text and figures.

This guide fills a gap we have long been waiting for and is highly recommended not only for use by teenagers, for whom it is specifically written, but also parents, carers and teachers dealing with dyslexic/dyspraxic teens.

USA | UK


Eleanor May-Brenneker
- lecturer, Dyslexia Consultant, NLP practitioner, Dir. TOCFE.NL (Thinking and Communication Skills).