What Sets Davis Apart
We view dyslexia as a result of an inherent mental gift or talent.
People who develop dyslexia think in pictures, rather than words; they are imaginative and creative; and they try to solve problems by looking at the whole picture, rather than working step-by-step.
Davis Dyslexia Correction is a strength-based approach that harnesses the mental talents that dyslexic people share to overcome the learning problems. To do this, students must use different strategies than are commonly taught with remedial programs.
When dyslexic students recognize their mental talents, they develop a renewed sense of self-esteem and confidence. When they start to employ study methods which capitalize on their talents, progress is very rapid.
The Davis method does not rely on instruction based on phonics.
Dyslexic students rely mostly on non-verbal thought processes. Since their primary mode of thought is to rely on pictures or other sensory impressions, they have difficulty thinking with the sounds of words and it is hard to try to read by breaking words down into component sounds. Rather than trying to force students to use a method that is inherently difficult for them, Davis methods teach a visual and meaning-based approach that is much easier for dyslexic people to learn and use. This in turn leads to much more rapid progress than with traditional instruction. Rather than the slow progress and labored reading that often is seen with phonics-based methods, Davis strategies enable dyslexic students to become fluent, capable, and often enthusiastic readers.
The Davis method does not employ repetition or drill.
Dyslexic students have a hard time remembering things that they do not fully understand. Repetition and drill are a waste of time and increase frustration because they will not retain information unless they understand where it fits into the “big picture”.
The Davis approach is based on mastery — students are given tools that enable them to master the symbols and concepts that are part of learning. Once mastered, the information is understood inherently and the student does not need to practice or review.
The Davis method does not rely on physical devices such as colored overlays or large print books.
Dyslexia is a developmental learning problem that affects the way that individuals process information. It is not a result of problems with vision or hearing. While some physical devices may seem to make reading or writing easier, the use of such devices does not help the dyslexic student to function normally.
Dyslexic students do often experience distortions in perception, but these problems are caused by mental disorientation. It is not a problem with eyes or ears, but rather the way that the brain interprets the input from the sensory organs.
With the Davis approach, students learn to recognize disorientation when it occurs, and learn simple techniques to reorient themselves so that they can maintain mental focus and accurately perceive print on a page.
The Davis method does not rely on medications or herbal treatments.
The Davis approach puts dyslexic students in control of their own learning, mental focus, and energy level. Since dyslexia is not a disease or a psychiatric ailment, medications will not address the underlying problem, and will only tend to hinder the student’s ability to learn.
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Davis Dyslexia Correction
The Davis Dyslexia Correction program is suitable for children age 8 and over, and adults of any age. Licensed Davis providers have successfully worked with many individuals over age 70.
The program typically includes 30 hours of one-on-one...
Davis Program Average Reading Gains
Statistics from Rocky Point Academy
Davis Facilitators Lawrence and Stacey Smith have assembled data showing reading level gains for more than 360 clients who completed the Davis Dyslexia Correction® program at their center, Rocky Point Academy , in Calgary, Canada.
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I was told about the davis theory from my mother who heard it from someone she works with. I have to admit at first i was very nervous to even go on this website and didnt really think it would be overly relevant to me because i thought it would say what other people say about being dislexic. I was diagnosed with dyslexic and i never thought alot of it other than the years i had trouble reading and writing in public school but now looking at all the mistakes in my reading and writing now i thought was normal it is very obvious that i am deffinitely dislexic. Every thing on this website describes me and how i learn. I dont know exactly what to make of this yet but i know that its deffinitly the beginning to something big for me and my life.
Hi Emma
Thank you for being brave and leaving a reply. here. I have been directed to this site by a parent in my class who is a strong advocate for his son. I have read through a few articles and feel humbled by the tips mentioned that i am already doing in my class. I am interested in implimenting the Davis programme and am committed to make a difference to the lives of children with Dyslexia. Your message was inspiring not only in what you wrote but in the share fact that you were brave enough to do so. Thank you for that.
I am a dyslexic and it has served me well as the sole inventor of 20+patents. I experienced dyslexia as a memory packing problem. For me letters b, d, p, q and g are all the same shape so they would all get stored in the same memory slot. The word form and from would also get stored in the same memory slot because they have the same group of shapes. Once I realized letter orientation and letter order in a word made a difference, things got a whole lot easier when I stored words according to the sound they made. This placed the words form and from into different memory slots. In the real world recognizing a bird independent of orientation is an advantage and more efficient as far as memory use is concerned and faster fetching. Pretty handy if one is a hunter. Dyslexia allows me
to see the sameness in things that appear totally unrelated to others.
To me dyslexia is like being able to see the world in color.
Hi Paul. I have just started the dyslexia program , currently attempting to master the trigger words. I’m interested as to which course you did as your review is very positive, and how you felt it helped you ? I also flip letters but less when I read and more when it’s in my head, i.e similar looking words I pronounce the same, a picture flashes up so fast in my head so I often say the wrong word, inability to find a word etc.
When did you find the program started to help?
Thanks !
Good morning, my name is Willeke Ter Haar and we have two boys with dyslexie. They both have been tested by an educational psychologist and were identified with dyslexia but scored average IQ’s. We are working in Malawi and are homeschooling the boys for the second year. Now we are about to move to the UK mainly in the interest of our kids. Is there a school in the U.K. That runs the Davis program as far as you know?
There are many licensed Davis Facilitators in the UK — you will find them all listed at http://www.davismethod.org/loc/uk
My grandson, who is almost 8, is dyslexic as well as being on the autism spectrum. He is verbal and has an above average IQ but is very disruptive in school and reads at a beginning kindergarden level. Could this program help him?
Yes, Davis Facilitators work with many kids like your grandson. His current level of maturity and motivation would be a factor would be considered in deciding whether he is ready for a corrective program at this age.
Good day my name is Monique I am doing homeschooling with my boys and have picked that my youngest is dyslexic he reverses letters gets easily distracted and takes ages to finish his work and his writing is like a grade one not at all his fault. I am currently doing another homeschooling system and we have paid for it but found out it is not benefitting him. He is 12 years old. We can not afford to pay for another course. Please help me to help him. Thank you so much.
Monique, the best starting point is to read the book, The Gift of Dyslexia. The book explains the reasoning behind our approach and also provides specific instructions in the core Davis techniques, so it gives you enough information to get started working with your son on your own.