Former Google Executive On Getting Organized

In this era of information overload, the experience of being stressed, forgetful and overwhelmed means your mind is perfectly normal. Douglas Merrill, author of the new book Getting Organized in the Google Era, writes about his own struggle with dyslexia, and how that forced him to develop techniques for remembering information.

Listen to NPR interview here

British Dyslexia site

Here's a link to an interesting British dyslexia site, which also has forums.

http://beingdyslexic.co.uk/

More on the dyslexia debate

GMTV debate about the recent article

Professor Julian Elliott, who has raised doubts before about whether dyslexia exists as a medical condition, said he believes the label is used by middle-class parents terrified their children will simply be classed as low achievers.

(I should add that in the debate his point of view is actually not as grim and daft as the above quote suggests. He seems to call for more specific labelling and that some people present with symptoms that are too broad to be called dyslexia)
Watch the debate here

Dyslexia facts :

The word 'dyslexia' comes from the Greek and means 'difficulty with words'
Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty, mainly affecting reading and spelling. About 10% of the population are affected by dyslexia to some degree.
Dyslexia tends to run in families; it is known that there are several genes that contribute to a genetic risk of dyslexia.
Dyslexic people usually find it difficult to analyse and work with the sounds of spoken words, and many have difficulties with short-term memory, sequencing and organisation.
Dyslexia is not the same as a problem with reading. Many dyslexic people learn to read, but have continuing difficulties with spelling, writing, memory and organisation.

Possible difficulties you may experience being dyslexic :

Reading hesitantly
Misreading, making understanding difficult
Difficulty with sequences, e.g. getting dates in order
Poor organisation or time management
Difficulty organising thoughts clearly


The ideal thing to emerge from this debate would be more research into learning difficulties, more excavation on the specifics rather than it fading to a bunch of mudslinging in three newspaper articles.

Dyslexia: article

These kinds of articles frustrate me
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article1847619.ece

Firstly, I find it slightly far fetched that people would invent dyslexia symptoms to get longer to do their exams. If that's the case it's a flawed administrative system that's the problem.

Secondly it's disingenuous to suggest dyslexia is merely about being crap at reading. Instead of attacking the notion or existance of dyslexia, people should try to focus on the self esteem of the individual child which is constantly eroded everytime he/she looks at the page of the kid beside him. The aim should be to ensure no child feels hopeless, never mind this pointless clap trap.

Times article: 10 minute test to help screen for dyslexia

Cartoon pictures of a grey mongrel cat washing herself and a small blue alien are at the heart of a new test to help parents to establish whether their children have dyslexia.
The ten-minute test, developed by speech therapists and psychologists, screens young children for language disorders from the age of 3. By testing simple grammatical and pre-reading skills, parents, teachers or assistants can check whether a child is “school-ready” or may need more help.

For more info on obtaining the test GAPS click here http://www.dldcn.com/

To read the complete article http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2561005,00.html

Two links on dyslexia debate

www.Iamdyslexic.com is a website maintained by a teenager over the years charting his experience with dyslexia and the accommodations that helped him. It gives a great insight to his expereince finding strategies that work and his subsequent success at school as a result.

The Daily Telegraph speakers corner have a bunch of comments in response to their article Dyslexia -- an expensive myth? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=BLOGDETAIL&grid=P30&blog=yourview&xml=/news/2007/01/15/ublview15f.xml

You'll also find the original article by searching that newspaper site.

The Observer: Feature article on dyslexia

Article in today's UK Observer about dyslexia:

In a small room at the physiology department of the University of Oxford a man is being tested for dyslexia. This is an elaborate, detailed and standardised process, and the tests get harder as the session unfolds.

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,1987978,00.html

The article is well worth reading. The journalist Simon Garfield travelled to several conferences and gatherings. The article also details some of the history of the recognition of the existence of dyslexia.

Three resources listed at the end of the article:

The Dyslexia Research Trust: dyslexic.org.uk
Dyslexia Action: dyslexiaaction.org.uk
British Dyslexia Association: bdadyslexia.org.uk

Updated links to BBC Woman's Hour Radio discussions

Finally here are the direct links to the radio items I previously mentioned.

ADHD in adults

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/02/2006_51_tue.shtml

Dyslexia: a discussion about the Dore method

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2006_49_thu.shtml

Do schools discriminate against boys?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2006_48_thu.shtml

Empowering women through educating girls.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/02/2006_50_mon.shtml