Breakthrough methods for treating people with dyslexia will be presented in Dunedin and Queenstown this week by overseas researcher on the condition.
Reading Research Council Dyslexia Correction Centre (California) co-founder Ron Davis has helped thousands of adults and children with dyslexia to see their way of learning as a talent and to enhance their natural creative ability.
His methods claim a 97% success rate in correcting dyslexia and related conditions such as dysgraphia, dyscalculia, attention difficulties and dyspraxia.
Mr Davis's research indicates dyslexia is a compound of simple factors which can be dealt with step by step.
He believes dyslexics have visual, multidimensional minds which are less predisposed to word-based thinking.
This causes dyslexics to not easily recognise printed symbols, such as letters of the alphabet and written words, and have difficulty with teaching approaches, which emphasise phonics and phonemic awareness.
Mr Davis said if control could be gained over perceptual disorientation by using simple mental processes, and language skills taught with methods adapted to picture thinkers, then someone who was dyslexic would be able to read and write without problems.
Mr Davis will present lectures at the University of Otago College of Education auditorium tomorrow, at 7.30pm, and at Queenstown Primary School on Wednesday, at 7.30pm, to inform parents and educators about his breakthrough methods.
The lecture will encompass Mr Davis' personal battle with dyslexia, how he developed his methods, and will examine issues such as how dyslexics think, how dyslexia develops, how dyslexics learn best and how the condition can be corrected.
The visit is part of a nationwide tour this month.
