About the Course:

Dyslexia is everywhere, touching so many children and adults, and while science has made extraordinary progress in understanding and clarifying the condition, this incredibly powerful knowledge rarely reaches those who most need to know and would greatly benefit from it. We aim to change all this with the Coursera you are about to view, produced by Dr. Sally Shaywitz, the Audrey G. Ratner Professor in Learning Development, both the leading scientist studying dyslexia and the most devoted advocate for helping those who are dyslexic. The course addresses and answers just about all the questions you have: beginning with what is reading and what is dyslexia and sharing with you the most up-to-date 21st century federal definition of dyslexia.

If you have dyslexia, you’ll come to learn you are not alone – dyslexia is prevalent, affecting one out of five, that is, 20% of the population, including both boys and girls all over the world. The course addresses a major question we hear from so many parents and teachers- how do I know if my child may be
dyslexic? What signs or symptoms should I be on the lookout for? And here’s another very important question we hear from so many parents and educators who are eager to do the best for their child -when should screening for dyslexia begin? What is the best method? What should I look for or ask about? A major source of worry for parents is their child’s slow reading- they ask will this prevent a happy future for the child. Yes, dyslexics are slow readers and here, in Coursera, you will come to understand the brain’s role in dyslexia,

including slow reading. Great news to share – you will also be so delighted to learn that surrounding a dyslexic’s slow reading is a phenomenal powerful sea of strengths in big picture thinking and reasoning. Dyslexia is a true paradox: dyslexics may be slow readers but at the same time are incredibly fast thinkers! You can be assured, if you care about a child or someone who is dyslexic and have questions or concerns, you will find it addressed here in this course: everything important to know about and help you select the most effective interventions for a dyslexic child; how to go about choosing the best school, including potentially one that is specialized, for such a child, including what is most important to look for when visiting a potential school; the role of accommodations and how to select the best one; and common co-occurring conditions like ADHD and anxiety – their impact, how to recognize and treat. In the following lessons, you will meet wonderful, incredibly insightful and highly successful dyslexics – including governors, cardiac surgeons,
nationally renowned attorneys, basketball coaches and dyslexic children and their wonderful families who will share their experiences and advice.

What People Are Saying About the Course:

“Amazing course and highly recommended. I really appreciated how thorough and well-explained each step was. The questions throughout the video and the quizzes at the end really helped me to focus.”

“Amazing and informative! Great for anyone wanting to know about dyslexia and advocating for their child or others.”

“A professional course for anyone who is interested in Dyslexia.”

“This is a marvelous course, dealing with every aspect of Dyslexia, what it is and how to recognize it from the earliest age, who might be at risk for being dyslexic, how to work with a small child and secure screening at kindergarten/first grade. And from there the evidence-based route to follow to help the dyslexic recognize the needs and how they may secure aids and accommodations. The stories of those who have overcome their reading disorder in order to fulfill their professional potential, and then how to deal with society to get the support required. The number of dyslexics in our society and how the majority are not finding the support and recognition they need. How the law now backs up Dyslexics to get the necessary accommodations to function at the level they are capable of.”

Educators, advocates, parents, friends and tutors, take this course. Dr. Shaywitz, and her incredible Dr. family are providing an extraordinary service in providing awareness of how to overcome dyslexia.

“Good lectures and sharing by different speakers about

1. dyslexia
2. how people with dyslexia can succeed
3. what accommodations people with dyslexia need in school and taking tests”

“This course is a phenomenal review of what dyslexia is & how to diagnose and treat it. I wish the Shaywitz screening tool was used in the school systems that I am/was involved with. Use of this instrument and appropriate interventions would have made a world of difference to the many youngsters I know who suffer with this disabling condition. It shouldn’t be this way and it make me very sad and frustrated!!! Thank you Sally for doing this work for all.”

“My nephew is dyslexic. This course has helped me understand him better and has also spurred me to find ways that I can help him progress both academically and in life. Thank you for bringing this course to Coursera. The school system here in Singapore is also not doing as much for Dyslexic students as they should be as well. Hopefully, they will take more positive actions in the near future.”

“This is an excellent and enriching course for learning about dyslexia. It helped me to understand the superpower of a person with dyslexia and a much more in-depth understanding of the proper techniques and requirements to harness the hidden talent and overcome these challenges into strength. The questions after each section are helpful. The presenter and the real life testimonies helped me connect to the materials. Having the text along with the spoken word was helpful to me since English s my second language. Information about Dyslexia was clearly presented. The explanations and testimonies made learning very insightful and enjoyable. I appreciated finally understanding my own dyslexia now as a senior adult who never was identified as such. Thank you.”