The writers of this letter have been Australian citizens for many years and of Czech origin. The family is significant in that that there are a lot of academically competent people and dyslexia within the family.
We were always confident in the fact that every civilized country recognises and protects dyslexic people, only to learn later from Parliament of New South Wales that Dyslexics are discriminated against in Australia.
Our good fortune led us to dyslexia specialist Dawn Matthews at Dyslexia Centre Australia.
Our only child Elizabeth was born in Australia in August 2006 and in May 2010 we took her to Dawn, because we suspected that she was dyslexic like her father. We wanted Dawn to make recommendations.
Dawn worked out a personal teaching program for Betty and also helped her father who was never given a proper eye specialist examination. Dawn returned the dying mother to life.
We will always respect and love Dawn. We see that she is the defender of good and justice. Betty’s grandfather, who is an engineer, and prior to retirement was the director of main government roads, bridges and railways in the Czech Republic, has the same regards for Dawn.
Dawn has referred Elizabeth to a specialist developmental optometrist for testing because she suspected that Betty tends to pay more attention to distant things rather than close ups and she was right. Now both father and daughter are wearing reading glasses.
Also after only a few weeks of Dawn’s teaching method Elizabeth is, for the very first time, properly pronouncing the words she hears.
Dawn we do thank you very much, you have changed many lives for the good. My husband Thomas is saying that ”you are the light in the tunnel in the mountain where we live”.
Our warmest regards
Yours with respects Vladana and Thomas Kubat
July 21st, 2010
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Dear Dawn,
Greetings from the Faroe Islands! I am now back in the Faroes after a lovely, though rather hectic holiday in Australia and India.
I am so grateful that you found the time to test my son Peter. I am so happy that now I will be able to help Peter better, having understood his special learning style.Thank you Dawn!
I read the wonderully positive report you´ve written and now I will use it to show his teachers so that they, and others ,can understand dyslexia better.You asked for any corrections.
I did find some mistakes but only in the name and address.The rest of the report is perfect!
— Sharon, Faroe Islands
We Now have the answer, it has been the best meeting and advice we have ever had. Thank you so much dawn, you have given us hope.
— Janice Whyte
I feel Dawn has made a lot more practical sense.
I Look froward to be working with Dawn in the future.
Thank you very much
— Kevin Gervasi
Hi Dawn,
I had parent and teacher interviews today. Hannah has an A – for science. Her teacher said she is looking at putting her into extension !!! canyou believe that. She has an A + for drama, a model student, For English, her teacher said she cannot believe how much she has improved, she is better than some in her class. Yesterday I read her writing and I cannot believe how much she has developed. This time last year she scribbled , now she writes using full stops, I reckeon it has been the use of the laptop- spell check and her determination to succeed. So thanks you for all you have done. I did not realise she could have improved so much. She is really an example to many of us , having the right attitude can bring success.
— Name Withheld
Fantastic, tangible helpful advice.
Given me hope for my beautiful intelligent child who has been struggling for years
thanks
Dawn
— Catherine Maher
Just had to write a huge thankyou to Dawn for all the fantastic work she has done to help my daughter Maddie.
Dawn is such a dedicated and passionate person and has always done her best to ensure that all her pupils get the individual teaching they need. I highly recommend all of Dawns books. You will find them invaluable in helping you and your childs teachers understand how these wonderful dyslexics think and learn…..and easy to read too!
Dawns determination to change how schools treat and teach dyslexics and kids with learning differences can only benefit us all and see our kids really start to enjoy being at school and learning.
Keep up the great work.
Regards Gail
— Gail
My son also has dyslexia and also auditory processing disorder, he goes to a good school but his self esteem is rock bottom, I would love to find a school that caters for it in SA as I would move house to get the best for him, his behaviour is now his mask because he finds things so difficult, I am at my wits end with problem after problem just wish he could have a lovely normal school life but its not going to happen and he is only 9 so we still have a long way to go.
— Sarah, Adelaide
"Dawn has made me understand dyslexia and my daughter's learning problems I feel like my own confidence has risen, as being a home educator we don't have help and feed back. we will be able to work on your program to help my daughter. Thanks so much Dawn 10/10"
— Heather
Just a quick note to thank you for spending so much time with us
yesterday. You were SO helpful and Liam feels so much better about
everything and his self esteem has lifted! Just a couple of things
FYI. I have spoken to the head of the learning centre at Liam's
school (as suggested by you) and have an appointment with them on
Wednesday. They are organising a laptop for his exclusive daily use
commencing the beginning of term 2, is going to inform Liam's
teachers, is going to organise locker checks to help Liam be
organised, suggested the colour coding as you did, and are talking
about scanning all Liam's worksheets into his computer for him
(yay!) They were very encouraging, which was FANTASTIC, because I
NEVER got this support through high school. I also went home and
read your CD on dyspraxia straight away, and feel much more ready to
face the world on Liam's behalf armed with all the information you gave us. So thank you, thank you, for helping us. You are very special and we are so thankful! So thanks again, Dawn.
Liam says now that he's different, but special and smart! PS. He also thinks your dog is "cool"!
Warm regards,
Cathy.
— Catherine Maher
I have really enjoyed reading your book, now as a 37 yr old it is funny looking back on my education and seeing my learing tragedies laid out in front of me. I had no idea that people can actually see words before they write them down!!
I really concur that it was terrible at reading aloud a school, one teacher told me to pull my socks up!!!. Even now, whilst reading to my children I am not the best, as not being able to read in front I get all the inflections wrong, as they are 3 and 5 they don’t know any better, but I do love reading to them anyway.
However I really loved the number counting with the dots on the numbers, that’s what I did, I too found that seven was a hard one to figure where to place ‘seven’ dots when counting!!! When I tried to explain this to my beloved wife she didn’t understand at all. She looked at me strangely just like when I told her that I am unable to visualize the words before it write.
I can still remember my yr 11 English teacher, saying with exasperation, “Stuart I don’t understand you, you read everything that is required and more, the your creative writing has far better potential than anyone else in class, but your spelling and grammar are terrible!. What is the matter with you?”
I did laugh about trying to find words in the dictionary, and giving up and using another word instead, I did find the thesaurus quite handy for this, as I could work backwards and get the spelling of the word(s) same time.
However, there is hope for people, like us, out there, I did finish year 12, however after a couple of years later I redid it, managed to get into uni, not UWA, not unsurprisingly due to not passing English. Although I tried my heart out.
Went to ECU completed a BA in Sports Science, then a Dip. Ed in Phys Ed. and lately a BA In Bus, part time, and being asked to do honors!!! Not bad for a chap that can’t spell and has never worked out punctuation. Although I think I might try and work it out for myself.
You are completely correct about maths text books and the wording, reading the text book was far harder than understanding the problem. All this time I thought it was me.
Anyway, I could go on, luckily I haven’t turned out to be a medieval cleric!!
Now both myself and my beloved will be very watchful of both our children, so we can proactively assist when and where required.
Warm and best regards,
— Stuart
"I wish I had started here 1st as we have done so much and also wasted so much time previously. I really feel I now understand why my son is the way he is. Thank you so much. I can now see the light at the end of our tunnel 10/10"
— Snez
HI Dawn,
I will leave my blog here about the amazing assessment that was done for my 12 year old daughter (Hannah) last month. Hannah had a Skype assessment done here in QLD, live from Perth. Once we semi darkened the room and moved the laptop about, Dawn was able to see most of what she wanted too via the laptop camera.
Paying $200 for this service seems little in comparison to what I was quoted in Brisbane $600 for starters. It has been a relief to find out about Dyslexia and now Hannah and I can work together on it.’
She has just started high school here at James Nash, after being homeschooled and after a few discussions between the teachers, she has been able to stay in mainstream use a laptop and be placed in their new ‘digi’ class, class for mainstream kids to use computers etc….I have been really impressed at the willingness of the teachers to help her. I have made a special card for Hannah to show her teachers explaining how she learns best, i.e.) she needs hand outs etc.
Keep up the great work to all the parents out there and thanks to Dawn for seeing her artistic ability and abilities. Will keep you posted as I feel like we are making new grounds into the school- educating the educated. I am encouraging my wonderful daughter to pave the way for other dyslexics and others who have a different way of learning.
You will see me back as I have 7 other children, 4 of which could have some degree of dyslexia, but that will be another story,
Encourage others about the new way of testing via Skype, you will be amazed and blessed!!!
— Withheld
On the way home yesterday Robert said “you know I think that lady understood how my brain works which is pretty good because I don’t think anyone else has really ever understood me”
Many thanks I will give the report to Roberts teacher and the flyer about the seminar you run for teachers.
Cheers Jannette
— Janette
This assessment went very well. Discovered everything I was Concerned about. Very Thorough.
Dawn did an awesome job assessing Jayson. Jayson said he is glad he came and hopes Dawn can help him learn better. thanks a lot.
— Kylie Mann
this assessment was relevant to my child. I can put these strategies into place straight away which is fantastic.
Its nice to hear the positive things that my daughter can do.
— Leisa reid
I feel I have come away with a much to help my son already.
Fantastic to hear someone confirm my suspicions and give me some tolls to use.
— Tracey Narkle
Fantastic I have learnt so much. 100% on top of anything I have done before. without this in formation I have no idea how much worse things would have gotten, feeling very positive for my children's future.
— Rachel Harwwod
February 21st, 2010
