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What happens during Davis Dyslexia Correction®?
 

THE FIRST STEP IS AN INITIAL SCREENING CONSULTATION
 

About 2 hours is needed and for children, participation of at least one parent is required. A profile of academic weaknesses that need to be remedied is developed. This information is critical to determine whether Davis® Dyslexia Correction is appropriate to an individual’s goals and conditions; to provide a safe atmosphere for reflection and to determine and establish motivation and goals for doing a Davis Program. The Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment is conducted to help determine whether the individual has the positive mental talents associated with dyslexia. A short Reading Inventory is administered to assess current reading abilities: word recognition and word analysis skills through oral reading, and comprehension through silent reading and listening.  Information about what to expect during a Davis Program is shared and questions are encouraged!
 

PROGRAM
 

The two major components of Davis® Dyslexia Correction are Davis Orientation Counseling® and Davis Symbol Mastery®. Davis Dyslexia Correction always includes both of these components.
 

Davis Orientation Counseling® teaches dyslexic students how to recognize and control the mental state that leads to distorted and confused perceptions of letters, words and numerals. Through a simple mental technique, the students learn to turn off the thought processes that cause misperceptions. Instead, they are able to restore their minds to a relaxed and focused state, suitable for reading and other studies. Once Orientation is learned, the student is ready to build the conceptual skills that will allow them to overcome problems stemming from dyslexia.

Davis Symbol Mastery® gives dyslexic students the ability to think with symbols and words, so they can learn to read easily and with full comprehension. Using clay, students first work with the alphabet, numerals, and punctuation marks, to make sure that they have an accurate perception and understanding of these symbols. Students then use clay to model the trigger words--the short abstract words, frequently encountered in reading, such as and, the, to, or it. These words cause problems when dyslexic students cannot form a mental picture to go along with them. Through Symbol Mastery, the student makes a three-dimensional clay model of the meaning of each word, together with a model of the letters of the words. With this approach, learning is permanent.

A PROGRAM INCLUDES

• An initial 30-hour week working one-on-one with a facilitator

• A 3-hour support training session with parent or spouse/friend to ensure success

• Take home materials for program follow up

• Unlimited Follow-up Telephone Consultations

• Three 2-hour Procedure Review Sessions

• Progress Monitoring on the Trigger Words

SCHEDULE

Monday - Friday, from 9 - 4, with a one hour break for lunch. I can be flexible with my schedule to meet your needs. A family member must be available to supervise children during lunch. Short breaks are taken throughout the day as needed. Friday afternoon the person who will continue working with the child, usually mom or dad, (or with the adult, usually a family member or friend) is trained in the methods and procedures needed to continue the work.

SERVICES AND FEES

• Initial assessment and screening to determine if the program suits you or your child

• Deposit is necessary to reserve a week

PROGRAM CRITERIA

You must be 8 years old or older gifted with dyslexia. For the program to be effective each client must be willing and motivated to pursue the program for self-improvement, not because someone else insists. The Davis Dyslexia Correction Program is a drug free solution, therefore, before a program can be scheduled, clients must disclose all medications. Please call 813-956-0502 or email randee.garretson@verizon.net with any questions about these requirements.

What is the Davis® Reading Program for Young Learners?

The Davis® Reading Program for Young Learners is a learning enhancement program (not a dyslexia correction program) that is implemented over a two to four-year period.
 

It was conceived in 1994 by Ronald D. Davis, author of The Gift of Dyslexia and The Gift of Learning, and Sharon Pfeiffer, a teacher with more than 20 years of classroom experience. Their goal was to adapt the tremendously successful Davis Dyslexia Correction® methods to teach young children, ages 5-7, life long learning skills which would prevent the development of learning disabilities or problems in an academic setting.
 

What is the Purpose of the Davis® Reading Program for Young Learners?
Its main purpose is to enhance or improve reading readiness skills in a home setting or tutoring setting. The program provides children with the conceptual skills needed to develop reading fluency and comprehension. At its heart are techniques for focusing attention and understanding the meaning and roles of the most commonly encountered symbols and words of language. These skills also help children develop excellent visual memory of key words, which complements and enhances phonetic decoding skills. The Davis methods will pave the way for academic success in later years.
 

How is the Program Structured?

The program is individualized with at least 30 hours of Facilitator contact-time with the child and his/her parents/support person, not as hourly sessions or in segments. The program is typically given in 2 – 3 hour daily sessions spread over a period of at least two weeks.

At least half or more of the program time is spent with the parent/support person observing and then being supervised by the Facilitator doing the reading exercises, Koosh ball exercises and Symbol Mastery on the Basic Words with their child.

Davis Math Mastery®

Davis Math Mastery® provides tools to correct problems learning math. These learning problems are sometimes called dyscalculia and can often accompany dyslexia and ADD symptoms.

The Davis approach goes to the root issues that cause some people to have problems understanding and learning math with traditional teaching methods. Visual-spatial thinkers are often confused by the words and symbols which describe math functions. When the foundation concepts for understanding all mathematics are mastered, learning math becomes easy.

Like Davis Dyslexia Correction®, the first step in Davis Math Mastery is to enable children and adults to control disorientation. Once students can be sure that their perceptions are accurate, they can resolve any confusions about math with methods that build upon their creative and imaginative strengths.

The length of a Davis Math Mastery program varies, depending on the needs of the individual. Usually, the Facilitator will schedule 8 days. Less time may be required if the client has already completed a basic Davis Dyslexia Correction program.
 

Basic Outline of a Davis Math Mastery Program:

• Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment and Symptoms Profile Interview

• Davis Orientation Counseling®

• Mastery of basic language symbols, as needed

• Introduction to Davis Symbol Mastery®

• Mastery of the foundation concepts underlying all mathematics: Change, Cause-Effect, Before-After, Consequence, Time, Sequence, and Order vs. Disorder

• Davis Math Function Exercises: Twelve exercises which quickly lead to competency with dividing three-place numbers including decimals.

• Symbol Mastery practice on Story Problem Trigger Words: For example the word "by." The common meaning in everyday language would be "close to." There are two separate meanings which must be mastered for accurate comprehension in math -- for multiplication the meaning would be "using as a multiplier," and for division the meaning would be "into groups of."

• Comprehension practice reading story problems, as needed.

• Symbol Mastery on Key glossary words of math text book, if needed.

• Results Assessment Interview.

• Support training for teachers, tutors, parents and helpers.

• A Student Backpack Kit with a manual and materials necessary for successful follow-up to the program. (Follow up consists of mastering the meanings of 21 "trigger words" which describe math functions.)

From Dyslexia the Gift web site, www.dyslexia.com © 1995-2006

Davis Dyslexia Association International - Reprinted with Permission

A Drug-Free Approach to ADHD
By Abigail Marshall © 2005
 

The Davis Dyslexia Correction® program includes specific tools for self-regulating attention focus and energy level. These tools enable children and adults to work and study without reliance on medications commonly prescribed for ADHD. These tools include:
 

Orientation or Alignment

Davis Facilitators use several mental focusing techniques, including Davis Orientation Counseling®, Davis Alignment, and Davis Auditory Orientation, in order to enable clients to exercise control over their perceptions and mental focus.

Davis Dial-Setting.

Dial-setting is a technique used to enable clients to become better aware of their own energy level, and to develop sensitivity to the energy levels of others around them. With this tool, the individual develops the ability to precisely regulate his own energy level, avoiding bouts of hyper-activity in inappropriate contexts.
 

Davis Concept Mastery.

Davis providers also use clay modeling to explore concepts like self, consequence, change, order/disorder, sequence, or responsibility to help their clients better control their own behavior and understand its impact on others.

The Davis approach to ADHD is described in-depth in the book The Gift of Learning, by Ron Davis.
 

Why Drugs and Davis Don't Mix
 

Licensed Davis Facilitators usually will not work with clients taking medications commonly prescribed for ADHD, such as Ritalin, Strattera, or Concerta, as those medications generally interfere with the individual's ability to learn and apply the mental focusing techniques that are integral to the Davis program. Additionally, many medications prescribed for other conditions, such as depression or anxiety, may also prevent successful utilization of Davis techniques. In general, psycho-active drugs, stimulants, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors seem to stand in the way of a successful Davis program.
 

In order for a student to experience long-range success, it is also important to follow through after completion of the initial intensive week with a Facilitator. It is particularly important that individuals practice the various mental focusing techniques regularly, so that the use of these tools becomes natural and habitual.
 

Most Davis clients who wish to end their reliance on medication to control behavioral or attention focus problems are successful in doing so. However, to achieve this success, the Davis tools must be used consistently and regularly. This is not always easy; conditions which cause fatigue and stress may also prevent the successful use of the Davis tools on occasion, and anyone can have a bad day.
 

Thus, for the Davis program to be successful, it is important that the clients be truly motivated to change, and ready to assume responsibility for regulating their own behavior. It is also important that parents be supportive and encourage their child to use the Davis tools. It can be tempting for a parent to return to use of medication after the program, especially when the child returns to school; however, this can undermine the success the child has previously enjoyed with the tools. Not only do the medications interfere with the child's ability to employ the techniques he has practiced successfully in the past, but it also sends a mixed message: on the one hand the child is told that he now has the ability to control his orientation and energy levels with Davis techniques, and on the other hand is being told he must take a pill because the techniques have somehow failed him.

Davis providers will evaluate each case on an individual basis. Although a Davis provider may refuse to accept a client because of concerns about medications, the provider will not make a direct recommendation as to whether to continue with medication. Rather, the issue of whether to continue with medication is one that each individual must determine in consultation with the prescribing physician.

In general, medications that are prescribed primarily to regulate attention level or behavior are the ones most likely to prevent success with the Davis program. In most cases, medications prescribed for physical ailments or illnesses such as asthma, hypertension, or diabetes would not be a problem. However, it is always important for the prospective Davis client to disclose fully to the provider any medications that are being taken -- including nonprescription medications or natural, herbal remedies --  so that the provider is aware of the possible influence of these substances, as well as possible issues related to the underlying condition being treated.

From Dyslexia the Gift web site, www.dyslexia.com © 1995-2006

Davis Dyslexia Association International - Reprinted with Permission

________________________________________

Abigail Marshall is the author of the books The Everything Parent's Guide To Children With Dyslexia and When Your Child Has Dyslexia, and has been the webmaster of the Dyslexia, the Gift web site since 1995.
 

From Dyslexia the Gift web site, www.dyslexia.com © 1995-2006

Davis Dyslexia Association International - Reprinted with Permission