The Gift of Dyslexia, written by Ron Davis, tells of his own struggle with dyslexia and will give readers an insight into the way dyslexics think. Ron Davis explains in detail his method for dyslexia correction and how he developed it, having been the main guinea pig each step of the way.

What does a Davis program® consist of ?

First, there is an initial interview which allows the facilitator to discover the specific aspects of the client’s dyslexia, and allows the client to explain how dyslexia affects his or her life and what he or she would like to change. It’s a time when he or she can ask about: dyslexia in general; the Davis method; or even, the facilitator’s background.
Then, the main part of a Davis program takes four full consecutive days and finally, the rest is done on one or two days, according to the client’s needs, a month later. (see FAQ: How does a Davis program differ….)

How does the Davis® method work?

According to Ron Davis, the dyslexic is a picture thinker. It is for this reason that he has trouble dealing with non-real or symbolic objects such as letters and numbers. Confronted with words which, in themselves, do not represent anything tangible, the dyslexic will become disoriented which will provoke the manifestations that we are familiar with in dyslexia: substitutions, omissions, inversions, transpositions, both in reading and in writing.
The Davis method proposes a technique for controlling disorientation ( Davis® Orientation Counselling), then goes back, using clay, to the basic symbols of the written language, the alphabet. Via Davis® Symbol Mastery, the dyslexic learns how to create a precise image for the meaning of each “trigger” word (word that causes disorientation). Finally, specific reading exercises allow a more fluid reading and a better comprehension of the meaning of the text.

(for more details, see the article by Abigail Marshall, which appears on the Books and Links page)