"Finally, a groundbreaking book that reveals what your dyslexic child is experiencing--and what you can do so that he or she can thrive More than thirty million people in the United States are dyslexic--a brain-based genetic trait, often labeled as a"learning disability" or "learning difference," that makes interpreting text and reading difficult. Yet even though children with dyslexia may have trouble reading, they don't have any problems learning; dyslexia has nothing to do with a lack of intellect. While other books tell you what dyslexia is, this book tells you what to do. Dyslexics' innate skills, which may include verbal, social, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical abilities, are their unique key to acquiring knowledge. Figuring out where their individual strengths lie, and then harnessing these skills, offers an entree into learning and excelling. And by keeping the focus on learning, not on standard reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond. After years of battling with a school system that did not understand his dyslexia and the shame that accompanied it, renowned activist and entrepreneur Ben Foss is not only open about his dyslexia, he is proud of it. In The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan he shares his personal triumphs and failures so that you can learn from his experiences, and provides a three-step approach for success: Identify your child's profile: By mapping your child's strengths and weaknesses and assisting her to better understand who she is, you can help your child move away from shame and feelings of inadequacy and move toward creating a powerful program for learning. Help your child help himself: Coach your child to become his own best advocate by developing resiliency, confidence, and self-awareness, and focusing on achievable goals in areas that matter most to him. Create community: Dyslexic children are not broken, but too often the system designed to educate them is. Dare to change your school so that your child has the resources to thrive. Understanding your rights and finding allies will make you and your child feel connected and no longer alone. Packed with practical ideas and strategies dyslexic children need for excelling in school and in life, this empowering guide provides the framework for charting a future for your child that is bright with hope and unlimited potential"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

The inventor of the Intel Reader shares inspirational ideas for accessing the tools and learning accommodations needed by dyslexic students in school and life, outlining a three-step strategy for skill building and advocacy while sharing advice on how to harness personal strengths to advance long-term goals. - (Baker & Taylor)

Shares ideas for accessing the tools needed by dyslexic students in school and life, outlining a three-step strategy for skill building and advocacy while offering advice on how to harness personal strengths to advance long-term goals. - (Baker & Taylor)

Finally, a groundbreaking book that reveals what your dyslexic child is experiencing—and what you can do so that he or she will thrive

More than thirty million people in the United States are dyslexic—a brain-based genetic trait, often labeled as a “learning disability” or “learning difference,” that makes interpreting text and reading difficult. Yet even though children with dyslexia may have trouble reading, they don’t have any problems learning; dyslexia has nothing to do with a lack of intellect.

While other books tell you what dyslexia is, this book tells you what to do. Dyslexics’ innate skills, which may include verbal, social, spatial, kinesthetic, visual, mathematical, or musical abilities, are their unique key to acquiring knowledge. Figuring out where their individual strengths lie, and then harnessing these skills, offers an entrée into learning and excelling. And by keeping the focus on learning, not on standard reading the same way everyone else does, a child with dyslexia can and will develop the self-confidence to flourish in the classroom and beyond.

After years of battling with a school system that did not understand his dyslexia and the shame that accompanied it, renowned activist and entrepreneur Ben Foss is not only open about his dyslexia, he is proud of it. In The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan he shares his personal triumphs and failures so that you can learn from his experiences, and provides a three-step approach for success:

• Identify your child’s profile: By mapping your child’s strengths and weaknesses and assisting her to better understand who she is, you can help your child move away from shame and feelings of inadequacy and move toward creating a powerful program for learning.
• Help your child help himself: Coach your child to become his own best advocate by developing resiliency, confidence, and self-awareness, and focusing on achievable goals in areas that matter most to him.
• Create community: Dyslexic children are not broken, but too often the system designed to educate them is. Dare to change your school so that your child has the resources to thrive. Understanding your rights and finding allies will make you and your child feel connected and no longer alone.

Packed with practical ideas and strategies dyslexic children need for excelling in school and in life, this empowering guide provides the framework for charting a future for your child that is bright with hope and unlimited potential.

Praise for The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan

“A passionate and well-articulated guide . . . This extremely practical and motivational book will be welcomed by parents of dyslexic children.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Accessible and reassuring.”—Library Journal

“This step-by-step guide will become a go-to resource for parents.”—James H. Wendorf, executive director, National Center for Learning Disabilities

“I study dyslexia in the lab and am a parent of a wonderful daughter who fits this profile. Ben Foss’s book should be considered essential to any collection on the subject. It was extremely useful, especially for a mom.”—Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology, UCSF, Memory and Aging Center

“As someone with a learning profile that made school tough, and as a parent, I know kids need the right support. Ben Foss knows how to get access to education because he’s been through it. I was thrilled to read this book. It offers a wise collection of insights that are both practical and touching.”—James Gandolfini, actor, The Sopranos - (Random House, Inc.)

Ben Foss is a prominent entrepreneur and activist and the founder of Headstrong Nation, a not-for-profit organization serving the dyslexic community. Foss graduated from Wesleyan University and earned a JD/MBA from Stanford Law and Business Schools. He invented the Intel Reader, a mobile device that takes photos of text and recites it aloud on the spot. Ben is a co-founder of Integration Ventures, a venture capital firm that is looking to invest in dyslexic entrepreneurs. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox Business News, ABC, CNN, HBO, and the BBC. Represented by the Random House Speakers Bureau, he regularly speaks to Fortune 500 companies, public policy organizations, and colleges and universities across the country. - (Random House, Inc.)

Library Journal Reviews

One of the 30 million Americans struggling with dyslexia, Foss—founder of the advocacy group Headstrong Nation—offers coping strategies he's learned.

Library Journal Reviews

We live in a text-driven world, whether it appears in print or on the Internet. This makes navigating information difficult for those with dyslexia. Foss, who is dyslexic himself, is the inventor of the Intel Reader, a mobile device that photographs text and reads it aloud, and founder of Headstrong Nation, a nonprofit organization serving the dyslexic community. He is committed, with this book, to "renewing your child's confidence and love of learning." A strong advocate for individuals with the disorder, Foss writes in an accessible and reassuring conversational tone—and, after all, he notes, if he is successful, then there is hope for your child. He explains the myths of dyslexia and exposes parents to the concept of mapping a child's unique abilities using a "strengths star"—putting the focus on the child's unique combination of learning styles as that child's primary tools for processing content. While the idea of different learning styles is hardly new, the graphic representation of a star encourages the reader to think beyond "eye-reading" and consider other ways of receiving information. VERDICT Foss's no-nonsense, practical advice to parents includes testing their children for dyslexia, the individualized education plan (IEP) process, and building community. Most important, he keeps the focus on the individuals with dyslexia, who are not broken; they just learn differently. [See Prepub Alert, 3/1/13.]—Virginia Johnson, Weymouth P.L., MA

Publishers Weekly Reviews

In a passionate and well-articulated guide that puts to rest the idea that dyslexic people are unintelligent, disabilities advocate Foss (himself dyslexic and the creator of Intel Reader, a text-to-speech device) describes dyslexia as a characteristic and a disability that should be accommodated in the same way as blindness or mobility issues. Foss reframes the use of film, audiobooks, and material read aloud as "ear-reading," in contrast to the "eye-reading" that is the educational standard. Though, as Foss notes, eye-reading is a useful skill that can be improved by teaching methods like Orton-Gillingham, by mid-elementary school, dyslexic students should be accommodated with auditory materials. He hopes that parents can learn to explain their child's needs in a way that will win them essential support, and that they can help their child build self-esteem. Foss describes the current state of assistive technology and highlights the availability of material from resources like Learning Ally; he also discusses how to navigate good accommodations in the school environment and determine if a school is inappropriate for your child's welfare. This extremely practical and motivational book will be welcomed by parents of dyslexic children. Agent: Carol Mann, Carol Mann Agency. (Aug.)