The Gift of Dyslexia - How to Learn2. “Gift of Dyslexia” Video Course (TED 7614) for 4.5 quarter ( 3 Semester ) units of credit. Please send me the fill in booklet I will use as

- 1 - Copyright © 2003 - The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc.

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The Gift of Dyslexia

Ron Davis with Pat Wyman, M.A.

Ø What Dyslexia Really Is Ø How To Use Its Gift and Ø How to Correct It to Make Reading a Joy!


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Dear Parents and Teachers, Thank you for taking the first steps toward helping your children become successful in all their learning endeavors. This video course can be used by both parents and teachers to help students achieve learning and testing success. If you are a parent, please fast forward the first video beyond the assignments section designed for teachers who will practice the strategies in their classrooms. Skip over the assignments listed in the front section of this manual. If you are a teacher, fill out the paperwork included in the packet as instructed and you may take the video course for 4.5 quarter ( = 3 semester) academic units from California State University, Hayward. Please contact us at 1 (800) 469 – 8653 or send an e-mail [email protected] if you have any questions. Thank you, The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc.

Please visit our award winning website:


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www.HowtoLearn.com This site was developed as a resource for teachers, parents and students. You will find lots of helpful information including an on-line personal learning styles inventory, learning strategy help for your children from Clyde the Cyber-Tutor, and information on how to diagnose learning challenges. Read on-line articles from parenting and leaning experts, get a free E-Learning Strategy Newsletter. You will discover which foods make your child smarter and you can get 7 Free Chapters from the new “101 Best Remedies for Your Child’s ADD / ADHD” package. Want to improve test scores and student grades? You may also be interested in our video course, Super Teaching Strategies, which contains learning strategies for all subject areas. The strategies in these videos have been shown to raise CTBS scores between 12 and 15 national percentile points! Studies with over 100,000 students (pre-test and post-test actual student grades were measured) showed over 95% of the students raised their grades to A’s and B’s in reading, math, spelling, social studies, science and other subjects Are you a teacher wanting academic or salary increment / continuing education units? Academic and/or salary increment units are available for teachers taking these courses also. California State University, Hayward, Extension Division, will grant 4.5 quarter (3 semester) units for watching these videos and applying the strategies in your class or with a group of students. Please call 1 (800) 469 – 8653 for more information or visit our website, www.HowtoLearn.com to learn more about these incredible programs. Are you a parent who will use these videos to help your child? Please skip over the next twelve pages which are for teachers taking this as a course for academic credit.

Attention Teachers:

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If you are not already doing so, you may take this course for 4.5 quarter ( 3 semester ) units of academic credit. Once your work is completed you will receive the units from California State University, Hayward, Extension Division. If you have not already done so, please call 1 (800) 469 – 8653 or (707) 837 – 8180 to sign-up today. Then fill out this form and mail it to: You may also fax the form to: 1 (707) 837 - 9190 Once we receive your registration, we will send you the fill- in booklet requested by the University. You must complete the assignments in this manual (in your choice of order) to a total of 37 hours of work. You must do these assignments with your students (there are options to do this during the summer listed in the manual). Once you have completed all the work you will send your finished project, along with the registration form in this manual, to the address above. Please see our website for more information about our other educational materials and free articles: www.HowtoLearn.com

I wish to take: (Circle one)

1. “Super Teaching Strategies” Video Course (TED 7585) 2. “Gift of Dyslexia” Video Course (TED 7614)

for 4.5 quarter ( 3 Semester ) units of credit. Please send me the fill in booklet I will use as I watch the videos. I understand that I must call 1 (800) 469 – 8653 or (707) 837 – 8180 to find out the end date for the academic quarter in which I will want my grade. I understand that I may choose to take this course for credit / no credit option. I further certify that I have already paid the $150.00 registration fee, or that I have included a check with this form for $150.00 made out to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc. for the registration.

Name __________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________ City / State / Zip _________________________________________________________ Telephone Number (s) _____________________________________________________ School and Grade Level Taught _____________________________________________ School Address __________________________________________________________ California State University Information

The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc. PO Box 1019 Windsor, CA 95492-1019



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END OF QUARTER PROJECTS DUE TO ME Please call 1 (800) 469 – 8653 for due dates, and write them here: __________________ When taking the video course, you may turn your projects in to me during any term you choose. Be sure to include the registration form for the University when you turn in your coursework. PLEASE READ! VERY IMPORTANT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS!

1. Grades. When are they posted?

California State University only posts grades AFTER THE END OF EACH ACADEMIC TERM. Please allow at least 4 – 6 weeks after that time to receive your grade card from the University. The University does not post grades on the day you turn in your project to the Instructor.

2. What if I need an official course completion letter to my district sooner than 6 weeks after the end of the term?

Please send the Instructor a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope along with a letter telling her that you need this letter. Most districts accept these letters easily from her; if your district requires a letter on California State’s letterhead, please let her know that also.

3. What do I do if I need an official Transcript after my grade is posted?

If you need an official transcript, please call the University for instructions. You will need the course number along with all your personal information. The course number for this course is TED 7614 (Video Course)

IMPORTANT! Please read this entire section carefully. If projects are turned in after the due date or differently than directed, your grade may not be issued during the quarter you need it. You will receive an incomplete if your project is turned in after the due date and you will have one year from the date of the course to make up your work for a grade.


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4. Exactly how do I turn in my assignments? You must TURN IN ALL ASSIGNMENTS BY RETURN RECEIPT. Mail your completed project to the instructor at: If you do not include the Return Receipt when sending the project, you can not guarantee that it arrived and you may not get your grade. Do not mail it without this protection. 5. What if I want my project returned to me? Please write me a note and include a self-addressed stamped envelope with the proper postage. Weigh project and mailer. If you do not have enough postage you may not receive it. Call 1 (800) 469 – 8653 if you would like your project returned via UPS or Insured Postage, or to pay for the return postage by credit card. 6. What if I am taking the course during the summer and do not have any

students? As you look through the assignments, you will see that there are options for teachers taking this course in the summer. 7. See the next page which you must include as the cover page for your

project. 8. READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY:

If you need an official course completion letter to my district sooner than 6 weeks after the end of the term, please send the Instructor a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope along with a letter telling her that you need this letter. Most districts accept these letters easily from her; if your district requires a letter on California State’s letterhead, please let her know that also.

Turn in all assignments to: Pat Wyman, The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, Inc.,

Pat Wyman, Instructor Cntr. For New Disc. In Learning PO Box 1019 Windsor, CA 95492-1019


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P.O. Box 1019, Windsor, CA 95492-1019. IMPORTANT: Mail with Return Receipt. Fill out this cover sheet and attach a second sheet listing the hours you spent on each assignment. Place them on top of your work and include the enrollment form from CSUH next. This course is: Gift of Dyslexia TED 7614 Video In Practice In The Classroom

Be sure to include student work collected from each student and record the results on the student grade rosters included in packet. These grades will show the progress during the three weeks of pre-tests before you taught the strategies and the three weeks of grades after you taught the strategies. If you are taking the class during the summer and don’t have any students, you may do the summer assignment options listed in the assignment section. Or, you may ask a friend if you can tutor their student or tutor your own child at home. If you do not include student work when taking this course during the school year, it will lower your grade two full grades.

Fill in the following information:

Name _____________________________________________________________

Home Address ______________________________________________________

City / State / Zip _____________________________________________________

Telephone Numbers __________________________________________________

E-Mail Address _____________________________________________________

School Name _______________________________________________________

School Address _____________________________________________________

City / State / Zip _____________________________________________________

Grade (s) and subject (s) you teach ______________________________________

I want to have my grade at the end of the (circle one) Fall Winter Spring Summer Quarter of ______________ (Year).

List each assignment and the hours you spend on each using the example below. You may attach a separate page. Remember your hours must add up to 37. Example: 4 Hours | Diagnosing and teaching students about Learning Styles 2 Hours | Writing newsletters to parents 15 Hours | Teaching spelling, math facts, vocabulary, mind-mapping 2 Hours | Planning and giving a staff/parent in-service

[If this form is not legible when you print it out, please call: 1 (800) 469 – 8653]


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Davis Orientation Mastery Workshops The Gift of Dyslexia

Assignment List for Academic Units

Steps 1 & 2 required. Select from others to equal a total of 37 hours of activity. Some of these can be done with individual students or with a group. They can also be repeated with different students. Document these activities and your time on the Assignment Report form provided. Times given for each assignment are approximate. Materials needed: Book: The Gift of Dyslexia Clay Container for the Clay Plastic Knife Alphabet strip (upper and lower case) Dictionary Course manual

1. Read The Gift of Dyslexia (6 hours)

2. As you read the book, fill out the test (1 hour)

3. Design 3 lesson plans for implementing the Davis Procedures with your students. Attach these to an Assignment Report. (5 hours)

4. Select 5 words from the trigger word list and master the first definition of each word. (2 hours)

5. Do the Perceptual Ability Assessment with a student (1 hour)

6. Do Orientation Counseling, Release Procedure, Orientation Review, Fine-Tuning and/or Alignment with a student (1 hour per each procedure)

7. Do a Symbol Master on the Alphabet with one or more students to the point they know it forwards and backwards, and know what letter comes before and after each. (6 hours)

8. Do Symbol Mastery on punctuation marks with a student. (2 hours)

9. Do the Create-a-Word exercise with a student. (1 hour)

10. Do Symbol Master on one or more nouns until the student is familiar with the procedures and steps for mastering a word. (1 hour)

11. Do Symbol Mastery on words from the “Trigger Word” list with a student. (1 hour per 2 definitions)

12. Fill out the Final Evaluation (1 hour)


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If you are taking this class in the summer and have no students to teach, you are encouraged to speak with friends and neighbors and try to locate one or two children whom you think will benefit from these assignments. Following are some additional assignments you may choose from to complete your 37 hours. A. Dr. Beth Gilman has written an enormously helpful book called “A+ Vision” which is a

series of fun and exciting exercises designed to strengthen the visual skills of all your students. The Educator’s Checklist picks up visual problems not seen on the usual school evaluations. Administer the visual checklist to any student or adult you choose and then help them do 30 or more assignments from her book. Turn in the student’s work along with your observations of how the material helped them.

B. Design a monthly parent newsletter for the parents in your class (8 monthly issues giving

them information that you have learned in this course. Write the newsletter in your own words, and be sure to credit any sources you use.

C. Read “You Don’t Have to Be Dyslexic” by Joan Smith and write a summary and critique of

the book. Design any lesson plans revolving around the curriculum you already have showing that you are able to use the material in the book.

D. Design your own program or group of assignments! Call the instructor, Pat Wyman, to

discuss your idea: 1 (800) 469 – 8653

When working with students on the Davis Symbol Mastery, please include photos to show their work in clay.

Important Trademark Information This workshop/video course does not in any way certify, license or authorize a participant or student to make use of the following service marks in advertising, trade or commerce: Davis Orientation Counseling® Davis Orientation Mastery® Davis Symbol Mastery SM Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment SM Reading Research Council® For information on becoming certified to use these service marks, contact Davis Dyslexia Association International, 1601 Old Bayshore Highway #260C, Burlingame, CA 94010. Telephone: (415) 692 – 8995; Fax: (415) 692 – 8997; E-Mail: [email protected]


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Davis Orientation Mastery® Workshops The Gift of Dyslexia

Assignment Report Date: _________________ Name: ____________________________

Assignment Number off Assignment List ___________

Description of what was done: _________________________________________

Who was activity done? ______________________Age: ____ Grade Level: _____ What wend well? ____________________________________________________

What could be improved? _____________________________________________ Time spent on activity and planning: Today ___________________________ Cumulative_______________________


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Course Evaluation Name: __________________________________ Date: ____________________ 1. How do you plan to use the Davis procedures?

2. What did you like best about the workshop / training? 3. How could it be improved?


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Final Evaluation Name: __________________________________ Date: ____________________ 1. What results did you see in your students using the Davis Procedures? (Please

include any before and after test results, report cards, writing samples, etc. showing these results.)

2. How do you plan to continue using the Davis Procedures? Time spent filling out this evaluation: ____________________________________


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The Gift of Dyslexia Open-book Test

A. List the basic abilities that all dyslexics share. 1. _____________________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________________

7. _____________________________________________________________

8. _____________________________________________________________

B. What are the two kinds of thought? Describe them or give examples.

C. What is disorientation? D. What can cause disorientations in reading?

E. List some symptoms of disorientation: F. How can disorientation be shut off?


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G. How can you tell that a student is “holding” the mind’s eye rigidly on the orientation point and what can be done about it?

H. How is orientation checked before and after Fine Tuning? I. What basic symbols must be mastered to correct dyslexia?

J. Describe the Symbol Master steps


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A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO DYSLEXIA Davis Orientation Counseling® & Symbol Mastery SM

SUMMARY This paper reports the results of a seren-dipitous break-through in December, 1980, and reveals a dramatically different view of the condition known as dyslexia. The subsequent corrective procedures which were developed and tested on more than one thousand cases are also summarized. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ronald Dell Davis is co-founder and director of the Reading Research Council, a counseling center in Burlingame, California. He has had successful careers as an engineer, businessman and artist. Severe-ly learning disabled as a child, he was first thought to mentally retarded, but was later diagnosed as dyslexic. After struggling with his problem until age 38, he came to realize he was causing the problem himself. This was followed but the discovery of how he could turn off the symptoms. From that discovery and subsequent research has come a new under-standing of the nature and cause of dyslexia, and the Davis Orientation Counseling and Symbol Mastery pro-cedures. WHY IS DYSLEXIA MISUNDERSTOOD? This is a diversity of definitions due to a lack of certainty as to the cause. Traditionally, theorists and researchers have looked to physical defects, mal-functions, and malformations as the cause. Standard dictionary definitions reflect this perspective as in the following:

Dyslexia is defined as an impairment of the ability to read, often as the result of genetic defect or brain injury. (Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1984) Dyslexia: a form of aphasia marked by the inability to read properly. (World Book Dic -tionary, 1979) Aphasia: total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand words. Aphasia is caused by injury or disease that affects the brain. (World Book Dictionary, 1979)

This “physical origins” viewpoint has given rise to

theories such as Orton’s “mixed hemispheric dom-inance;” research studies suck as brain autopsies of dead dyslexic people (Clark, 1982); and treatment procedures which can include drugs, crawling exercises, chiropractic adjustments, and other physical interventions. Diagnoses of the symptoms of dyslexia which arose out of this perspective include minimal brain dysfunction, developmental reading disorder, specific learning disability, dysphasia, receptive or expressive language disorder, and even mental retardation. It’s obvious that researchers (and educators) are still searching for a functional definition and are often in disagreement among themselves about their hypoth-eses and models regarding the cause of dyslexia. In Left Brain Right Brain , Springer/Deutsch (1981) clearly that the lack of a definitive cause for dyslexia:

“Orton assumed that weak cerebral dominance caused reading disability (dyslexia). One could just as easily argue…that some third factor is responsible…”

They conclude:

“Reading difficulties are a complex class of problems to which many different factors may contribute.”

In A Solution to the Riddle Dyslexia , Harold N. Levinson, M.D. (1980) provides a thorough review of his research into past assumptions and theories. His findings reflect the need for a fresh look at the nature and cause of dyslexia:

“…almost all traditional assumptions and convictions as to the nature of dyslexia were surprisingly found to be based on a highly selective biased and minimal sampling. Inter-estingly, highly charged and / or confusing content invariably served as a guide to the unknown…”


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Levinson, although very laudable for pro-viding insights on perceptions other than vision in understanding dyslexia, nevertheless sought to find a neurological or physical cause rooted in abnormality. He concluded that dyslexia stems from a dysfunction between the balance-sensing organs of the inner ear and their connection to the brain, which in turn produces an eye dysfunction in tracking sequential information.

“…the dyslexic visual input (reading) disturbances were due to the perceptual scram-bling resulting from a primary, c-v-determined (cerebellar-westibular) nyst-agmus and dysmetric ocular-motor fixation/sequential scanning dysfunction.”

The premise that dyslexia stems from an organic or biological dysfunction becomes doubtful when it is examined with one of the basic assumptions of engineering: Function is determined by structure. If the structure (brain or nervous system) were indeed defective, the functions (symptoms) of that structure should also be consistently defective. Anyone who has experienced or witnessed the symptoms of dyslexia can verify that the symptoms are not constant. In fact, they vary a great deal from person to person, and in the same person from day to day. Thus, the structure must constantly be changing, or the problem is caused by some other factor than a structural defect or weakness. This is the realization that led to an entirely new or uncharted exploration or dyslexia. These explorations led to the conclusion that dyslexia (in cases that do not involve provable brain injury) is not a structural problem but actually stems from a cognative¹ function. This function is a non-physical conceptualization² process unique to individuals who manifest symptoms of dyslexia as well as other types of perceptual distortions and difficulties. Furthermore, this process was found to actually be a perceptual talent, a natural ability responsible for a wide range of aptitudes and gifts that dyslexics often display. It was also found to be an unconscious ability which could be brought under volitional control with relative ease. Whether this cognitive function can be traced to certain synapses of brain or a particular neurotransmitter will be interesting to discover. What is more important, especially for the millions of children and adults who have suffered the negative

effects of limited literacy, academic failure, and the belief that they were somehow abnormal, is that his discovery has given rise to a new definition and model for understanding dyslexia. It has also resulted in a highly effective set of treatment procedures. 1. cognitive: having to do with the process of knowing, including perception, memory. Judgement, conceptualization, insight, and realization. 2. conceptualization: an image, idea, thought, or concept that is created in the mind; the act of mentally creating something.


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Anatomy of a Learning Disability

1. THE INDIVIDUAL ENCOUNTERS AN UNRECOGNIZED STIMULUS. This could be a word (written or spoken), symbol, or object that is not recognized.

2. THE LACK OF RECOGNITION CREATES A CONFUSION WHICH STIMULATES THE DISORIENTATION.

The individual is using disorientation to pictorially examine the stimulus in an attempt to bring about recognition.

3. THE DISORIENTATION BRINGS ABOUT THE ASSIMILATION OF INCORRECT DATA.

The different views the individual is examining mentally are being registered in the brain as actual visual perceptions.

4. THE ASSIMILATION OF INCORRECT DATA WILL CAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE MISTAKES.

The individual cannot recognize the incorrect data as incorrect because it is registered in the brain as actual perception.

5. THE MISTAKES CAUSE EMOTIONAL REACTIONS. No one likes to make mistakes. The individual is simply experiencing a human reaction.

6. EMOTIONAL REACTIONS BRING ABOUT A CONDITION OF FRUSTRATION. The frustration is a result of cumulative effects of the mistakes and emotional reaction.

7. SOLUTIONS ARE CREATED OR ADOPTED TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE USE OF DISORIENTATION IN THE RECOGNITION PROCESS.

A solution will be a method of knowing something or a method of doing something. I will have worked at least once, and it will be COMPULSIVE. These solutions usually begin to appear around age nine.

THE DISABILITY OF A LEARNING DISABILITY IS COMPOSED OF THE COMPULSIVE SOLUTIONS THE INDIVIDUAL ACQUIRES. THESE COMPULSIVE SOLUTIONS ARE WHAT DISABLE THE LEARNING PROCESS.

To effectively unravel this sequence, the underlying reasons for the need to formulate and adopt compulsive solutions that disable the ability to learn must be addressed. These are disorientations and the confusions that trigger them

Because disorientation and confusion are both internal and subjective responses, the individua l, himself or herself, is the only one who can truly do something about it.

Davis Orientation Mastery gives these individuals a way to recognize, control, and effectively deal with their disorientation and confusions. Copyright © 1987 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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The Perceptual Talent The perceptual talent that underlies the symptoms of dyslexia (and many other learning disabilities) and produces disorientations can be described in many ways:

It is the ability to see, hear, feel, and sense what one is imagining as though it were real. It is the ability to view and interpret the world in creative and innovative ways. It is the ability to create a concept of sound, sight, motion, or time, and both perceive and experience it as though it were actual. It is the ability to move one’s point of perception from behind the eyes (or inside the head) to other locations in space for the purposes of creating mental images, making recognitions and resolving confusions.

Some of the skills and activities where this ability can be a significant asset which improves and enhances performance are:

Spatial awareness Reading people Strategies planning Mechanical arts Drama / role-playing Music / dancing Inventing Designing Manual skills Art Building Athletics Piloting vehicles Engineering Storytelling

With this understanding, we can see how this perceptual talent was used by dyslexic individuals

such as Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Walt Disney, Thomas Edison, Jackie Stewart, General George Patton, and Greg Louganis to develop exceptional skills in their respective fields.

Recognizing the positive aspects of possessing this talent has helped a great deal in not only understanding dyslexia and other learning differences, but also in restoring and increasing self-esteem and respect.

Thus the goal of Davis Orientation Counseling® is not the elimination of this talent, but the ability to consciously control it when it acts as a barrier to reading, writing, doing arithmetic, or succeeding in a traditional educational setting. Copyright © 1989 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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The Threshold for Confusion For people who experience disorientation as part of the recognition process, the threshold for confusion is a key factor in how often they disorient. The lower it is, the more easily they will be confused and the more often they disorient. The lower it is, the more easily they will be confused and the more often they will be disoriented. The higher it is, the less easily they will be confused and the less they will be disoriented. This explains why at certain times people can read and spell fairly well, and at other times they can’t: Their threshold for confusion changes. After a person learns to detect and correct his or her own disorientations, and begins mastering symbols that cause confusion, the threshold for confusion naturally increases. Besides confusion about words and symbols, there are other things that can lower the threshold for confusion and affect a person’s ability to maintain orientation. One should be aware of these other sources of confusion and resolve them whenever possible. They include: (but are not limited to…)

Not enough rest Poor diet Not enough food Illness Pain Injury Drugs Medicines Print size too small Print too faint Varying print styles and typefaces Loud noises Specific sounds Certain smells Poor lighting (can be too much or too little) Excess motion (whirling fans, dangling decorations) A change in the orderliness of the environment Furniture rearrangement Moving households Scheduling changes Time pressure (being rushed) Threats of punishment Family strife Fear A loss A reminder of an unpleasant past experience (a person, place, thing, or situation)

Copyright © 1989 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Disorientation and Learning Disability Symptoms

What is disorientation?

Disorientation is a commonly experienced state of mind generally associated with losing one’s position or direction in relation to one’s surroundings. It can be caused by strong emotions, pain, drugs, optical illusions, unfamiliar sensory stimulation, or confusion. During disorientation, people generally lose tough with reality for a period of time that can range from a split second to hours. What goes on mentally during that period of time and the effect this has on perception are two of the keys to understanding the cause of many learning disability symptoms. During disorientation, a person’s perceptions become distorted. What is mentally perceived as real is not in agreement with the true facts and conditions in the environment. The senses that become distorted, in varying degrees at varying times, are vision, hearing, balance / movement, and time. Common examples are motion sickness, the sense of falling when staring at a spinning spiral, mishearing something said, and the false sense of motion people sometimes experience when sitting in a stopped vehicle and see another vehicle in the environment move. While a person is disoriented, he or she does not perceive the same “reality” as others, and is unaware that what is being perceived is not real. On the other hand, when a person is oriented, what the sensory organs are registering agrees with what the person perceives mentally.

What does disorientation have to do with learning disabilities?

The third key to understanding the relationship between disorientation and learning difficulties is that certain individuals possess a natural ability to use disorientation in their thought and recognition process. When they become confused about the identity of some-thing in their environment, they immediately experience disorientation, and begin registering what they are thinking as though it were real. Additionally, their thoughts tend to be in the form of perceptual images rather than words or language. This entire process is so rapid that it is beyond the conscious awareness of the person. When this process produces an instant and accurate conceptual understanding or mental image of that which was confusing to the person, it enhances performance and effectively resolves problems. When it does not resolve confusion, the sensory distortions that are part of the disorientation become noticeable, and the “unreal” and inaccurate mental images the person is left with causes mistakes and hinders performance. Because words, letters, and numbers are only symbols representing sounds and concepts, as opposed to direct images or what they represent, this way of thinking fails to resolve confusions about their meaning or identity. The person remains confused to a greater or lesser degree. This is where learning disability symptoms start to manifest.

The continuing confusion and resulting mistakes eventually prompt emotional reactions and frustrations. To cope with this recurring problem, the individual will begin to adopt or create “solutions” for the discomforts of disorientation, the chronic mistakes, and the unwanted frustration. Because these “solutions” are coping mechanisms, they are compulsive. They act as substitutes for understanding and knowledge, prevent real learning from occurring, and form the true learning disability.

There are literally thousands of learning disability symptoms that can result from disorientation. The severity and degree to which each of the senses are affected varies from person to person, and from one time to another. The following are some common symptoms of disorientation categorized with the sensory perception that is most affected:


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Vision: Changes or reverses shapes and sequences of letters or numbers Spells incorrectly/inconsistently Skips or misses words or lines when reading or writing Sees letters and numbers move, disappear, grow or shrink Alters words and letters while reading Omits, ignores, or doesn’t see punctuation or capitalization Hearing: Has difficulty making speech sounds Has difficulty blending sounds Perceives sounds not made Appears to not listen Hears sounds as too soft or too loud Balance / Experiences dizziness or nausea while reading Movement: Has a poor sense of direction Can’t sit still Has difficulty with handwriting Has balance / coordination problems Time: Appears hyperactive (over-active) Appears hypoactive (under-active) Cannot learn math concepts Has difficulty telling time Is chronically tardy Daydreams excessively Loses train of thought easily Has trouble sequencing

There are hundreds of compensation behaviors, patters and mental tricks a person can create or adopt as compulsive solutions for their unresolved confusions that slow or stop their ability to learn. The following are a few common ones: Singing the alphabet song Extreme concentration Memorization Unusual body postures and motions Dependence on others Sounding out every letter of every word Avoidance


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What can be done?

Davis Orientation Mastery® is an educational and therapeutic system for empowering individuals who naturally use disorientation in the way they think and perceive, but have experienced learning difficulties in traditional educational settings because of it. First, those who use disorientation as part of their thought and perception process are identified. Once this is determined, assessments are done to determine what areas of life and academic performance are negatively affected, and goals for improvement are set. Second, they are shown an effective method for getting themselves oriented whenever they become confused and are experiencing disorientation. This enables them to control their own perceptions, and mentally perceive that their sensory organs are actually registering. Third, they are given guidance and help practicing this method until they can easily and quickly detect when their disorientations occur. Thus, they can recognize when they need to be oriented. Fourth, they are taught a process for resolving confusions about the identity and meaning of language symbols which allows them to accurately create the mental images and conceptual understanding their way of thinking and learning requires. Fifth, they are started on the task of replace their prior confusions about letters, numbers, words, and other language symbols with accurate perceptual images and true understanding. As they continue t use and integrate these basic tools for dealing with confusion and disorientation, their need to formulate and use compulsive solutions becomes no longer necessary.


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Positive and Negative Characteristics and Symptoms of Disorientation

Disorientation can cause both positive and negative characteristics and symptoms. The following list is compiled from hundreds of Symptoms Profiles we have done. It lists an example of a positive as well as negative characteristic for each skill. SKILL POSITIVE SYMPTOM NEGATIVE SYMPTOM

Memory Excellent visual memory Poor sequential memory

Art Talented in fine arts Cannot draw a straight line

Understanding Grasps the whole Misses the details

Reading Gets the overall concept Many inaccuracies

Math Grasps the theory Makes computational errors

Writing Beautiful penmanship Illegible

Coordination Excellent, graceful Clumsy, awkward

Sports Excellent at solo activities Poor in team or ball sports

Speech Good storyteller Difficult expressing thoughts

Learning Learns well hands-on Learns poorly listening

Organization Extremely tidy Extremely messy

Hearing Sensitive, musically talented Mishears sounds

Vision Notices fine details Experiences dizziness

Sense of direction Excellent memory for locations Many reversals, gets lost easily

Drama Easily assumes roles Has stage fright

Telling Time Estimates with good accuracy Has difficulty with schedules

Imagination Vivid and excellent Difficulty grasping humor

Logic / Reasoning Excellent Difficulties with sequence

Strategy Creates or grasps easily Executes poorly

People Empathizes well Becomes confused in crowds

Mechanics Grasps easily Better at disassembly vs. assembly

Copyright © 1991 by Reading Research Council. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Davis Perceptual Ability Assessment Procedure

1. GREETING AND INTRODUCTION:

Greet the person and introduce yourself. As appropriate explain the nature of the assessment.

2. CONCEPT CLARIFICATION:

ASK: “Are you right handed or left handed?” (MAKE A NOTE OF THEIR ANSWER FOR YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE)

SAY: “What I am interested in is your imagination. Mainly the part of your mind where you can close your eyes and make a picture of something and see the picture.”

ASK: “Does that make sense to you?” If ‘Yes’ then continue to next step. If ‘No’ then explain further. If the person still doesn’t get it, end off.

DRAW TWO CIRCLES ON A PIECE OF PAPER.

POINT TO ONE CIRCLE, AND SAY: “This circle represents you.” (WRITE “YOU” IN THIS CIRCLE)

POINT TO THE OTHER CIRCLE, AND SAY: “This represents me.” (WRITE “ME” IN THIS CIRCLE) “If you are looking AT me, you are looking FROM here.” (GO BACK TO THE FIRST CIRCLE AND TAP YOUR PEN / PENCIL IN THE “You” CIRCLE)

SAY: “And, your are looking TO or AT over here.” (DRAW A LINE TO THE “ME” CIRCLE)

SAY: “As long as we are looking with our eyes, we know exactly where we are looking from.” (POINT AT YOUR OWN EYES) ASK: “But what about when we are looking at a picture with our mind?” PAUSE FOR A SECOND, AND SAY: “We are doing the same thing, we are looking AT some thing (POINT AT THE ‘ME’ CIRCLE) FROM some place.” (POINT AT THE ‘YOU’ CIRCLE) SAY: “I want to call the place we look FROM , the ‘MIND’S EYE’ because it is what sees when we are imagining. It is what is doing the looking.” (MAKE SURE THEY GET THE IDEA) ASK: “Do you like cake?” IF YES, ASK: “What Kind of Cake is the Best Kind?”

SM

ME YOU

at from


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(WRITE DOWN THE KIND OF CAKE ON THE PAPER FOR FUTURE REFERENCE) IF NO, FIND SOME DISTINCTLY SHAPED OBJECT THE PERSON CAN IMAGINE EASILY, AND WRITE IT DOWN FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

3. ASSESSMENT STEPS:

HAVE THE PERSON SIT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU, CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD REACH OVER AND TOUCH THEIR FOREHEAD WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF YOUR CHAIR.

NOT: YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SO CLOSE THAT YOU MAKE THE OTHER PERSON FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.

ASK: “Is it alright if I touch you hands in what we are going to do? Get the person’s consent.

SAY: “We are going to use both of your hands, so I need you to keep them both available for me.”

TAKE THE PERSON’S OPPOSITE-TO-HANDEDNESS HAND (If right-handed, take their left hand, and vice versus.) POSITION THE HAND, PALM UP, AT THE APPROXIMATE PLACE WHERE A BOOK WOULD BE HELD FOR READING.

SAY: “Let’s imagine a/an (OBJECT EARLIER DETERMINED) is sitting right here in your hand. Tell me when you’ve got it.”

WHEN THERE, IF EYES ARE NOT CLOSED, SAY: “Close your eyes.”

SAY: “I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, OK?”

NOTE: If the person cannot visualize an object or has difficulty maintaining the image, you have the option of ending off or attempting to coach the person in creating an image. Difficulty visualizing is an indication that the orientation counseling process will not be easy for the person. Explain that the assessment is over and that orientation counseling is not indicated.

BY ASKING SIMPLE QUESTIONS, determine how the imaginary object is positioned in the hand. Continue questioning until you get enough information about the object that you also have a good image of it. Make your mental copy of the image in the same place.

NOTE: If you cannot make a copy of the imaginary object, at least get a sense of its size, shape, and position.

TAKE THE INDEX FINGER OF THE OTHER HAND BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER. RAISE THE FINGER TO A POINT A FEW INCHES FROM THE FOREHEAD, SLIGHTLY ABOVE EYE LEVEL.


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SAY: “I want you to shift your imagination and put your mind’s eye here, (TAP THE INDEX FINGER WITH YOUR INDEX FINGER) where your finger is, and look at the (OBJECT) from here.”

SAY: “It’s just like you raise up a little bit and get another view of the (OBJECT) from here.” (TAP THE FINGER AGAIN) WAIT SEVERAL SECONDS, AND ASK: “Can you see the (OBJECT) from here?” (TAP THE FINGER) IF THE PERSON CANNOT MAKE THIS FIRST SHIFT EASILY, DO NOT CONTINUE. GO TO STEP 4: ‘ENDING SEQUENCE’. EXPLAIN THAT THE ASSESSMENT IS OVER AND THAT ORIENTATION COUNSELING IS NOT INDICATED. IF YES, CONTINUE… SAY: “I want you to keep your mind’s eye in your finger, I am going to move your finger, I want your mind’s eye to move with it, OK?” NOTE: DO NOT MOVE THE FINGER WHILE GIVING INSTRUCTIONS OR TALKING TO THE SUBJECT. FINISH MAKING YOUR STATEMENT BEFORE STARTING TO MOVE THE FINGER AND STOP MOVING THE FINGER BEFORE YOU BEGIN TALKING. MOVE THE FINGER SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY TO A POSITION PART WAY AROUND THE OPEN HAND. KEEP THE FINGER ABOUT THE SAME DISTANCE FROM THE OPEN HAND AS THE EYES ARE. TAP THE FINGER, AND ASK: “Can you see the (OBJECT) from here?” IF ‘YES’ THEN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE (OBJECT) THAT REQUIRE A VERBAL RESPONSE FROM THE PERSON. PAY ATTENTION TO VERBAL RESPONSE TIME, SPEED VARIATION IN SPEECH PATTERNS, AND ANY MANIFESTATIONS OF CONFUSION OR DISORIENTATION. YOUR TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON HAS ACTUALLY SHIFTED HIS / HER VIEW OF THE OBJECT. IF YOU ARE SATISFIED THAT THE PERSON HAS ACTUALLY SHIFTED THE MIND’S EYE TO THE NEW POSITION, YOU CAN GO TO THE ENDING STEP AND END OFF. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, CONTINUE… SAY: “I am going to move your finger again, I want your mind’s eye to move with your finger, OK?”


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MOVE THE FINGER AGAIN A LITTLE FARTHER AROUND THE OPEN HAND. NOTE: DO NOT move the finger more than ¼ of the distance around, above or below the open hand in an one move. ASK: “Can you see the (OBJECT) from here?” WHEN YES, AGAIN ASK QUESTIONS LOOKING FOR INDICATIONS THAT THE PERSON HAS ACTUALLY MOVED THE MIND’S EYE. REPEAT THIS PROCESS OF MOVING THE MIND’S EYE AND QUESTIONING UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED THE MIND’S EYE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN MOVED.

4. ENDING SEQUENCE:

SAY: “I want you to put your mind’s eye back in the place where it was when we first started. I want you to get your original view of the (OBJECT).” SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY MOVE THE FINGER TOWARD THE EYE ON THE HANDEDNESS SIDE OF THE PERSON’S BODY. WHEN WITHIN A COUPLE INCHES OF THE EYE, STOP THE FINGER. SAY: “Take your mind’s eye out of your finger and get your original view of the (OBJECT) – like from your eyes.” WAIT SEVERAL SECONDS, AND ASK: “Do you have your original view?” WHEN YES, MOVE THE FINGER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LAP AND RELEASE THE FINGER. SAY: “Make the (OBJECT) go away, and tell me when its gone.” WHEN GONE, SAY: “Put another (OBJECT) here in your hand (TOUCH THE PALM OF THE OPEN HAND), and tell me when you have it.” WHEN THERE, SAY: “Make this (OBJECT) go away and when it is gone open your eyes.” WHEN THEIR EYES OPEN, MOVE THE OPEN HAND TOWARD THE LAP AND RELEASE IT.

5. AS APPROPRIATE, EXPLAIN YOUR FINDINGS.

Copyright © 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990 by Ronald Dell Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Background Data Dyslexia and Davis Orientation Counseling ®

Dyslexia is an invisible handicap in that its symptoms are not readily seen. Most adult sufferers have learned to cope with it and can successfully hide it. Most of us who know about dyslexia know it as a reading problem… “Johnny just can’t learn how to read, he has dyslexia…” But the reading problem is only one symptom of dyslexia. The other symptoms include visual distortions in sequencing, spacing, orientation, and recognition; as well as audio or hearing distortion; and vertigo or distortion in the sense of balance and movement. These distortions in turn can affect the ability to speak and write. Not all dyslexia sufferers have or manifest all of the symptoms. In fact, to find all the symptoms at the same time in any one case would be very rare. The number and intensity of the dyslexia symptoms can also vary with the stress and upsets of day-to-day living. Dyslexia can best be understood as simply a distortion in one or more of the sensory perceptions of sight, sound, or motion. In fact, all of the dyslexia symptoms can be artificially produced in a non-dyslexic patient by feeding wrong information into one or more of these sensory perception systems. Sensory perception distortions can occur when there is actual damage to the sensory organs, nerve channels, or in the brain where the information from the organs is received and interpreted, or it can occur when the information from one or more of the sensory channels is misinterpreted. We have all experienced sensory perception distortions. If you have ever seen a spinning disk with a spiral painted on it, and while you were looking at it spin you felt as if you were moving into it, you have experienced a sensory perception distortion. Or, if you have ever felt dizzy after a ride on a merry-go-round, you have experienced a sensory perception distortion. Both of these are distortions caused by misinterpretation. What is happening is the mind is attempting to resolve a conflict of information. One sense says one thing and another says something else. The mind will not accept this conflict. So what occurs is that the mind superimposes a compromise on both of the conflicting senses. With the spinning disk, the mind makes the eyes see less movement and the inner ear (vestibular organ) feels some movement. With the merry-go-round dizziness, the mind makes the inner ear feel less movement and the eye to see some movement. The artificially induced sensory perception distortions occur naturally and are natural functions of the mind. With the dyslexic the perception distortions occur without apparent cause and simply must be endured. What has been delineated here is the basic character of dyslexia. Through understanding it we can understand how to correct it.


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BACKGROUND DATA – Continued. The points that were addressed in the development of Davis Orientation Counseling are these: 1. The number of symptoms and the degree of intensity can and do vary in accordance to the

environment, naturally. This lack of consistency indicated that change can occur. 2. The physiology involved is the mind and one or more of the senses of sight, sound, and

movement.

3. The mind is senior to the sensory perception channels, and can superimpose compromises on them. This indicated that the control mechanism already exists and is functioning.

4. It is possible to exert some degree of control over the mind as evidenced by the artificially

produced sensory perception distortions. A positive control should be possible.

What actually occurs in Davis Orientation Counseling is that the dyslexia individual gains a measure of positive control over that part of the mind which interprets the visual perceptions. This brings about control or influence over that part of the mind which can superimpose compromises in the other sensory channels. Through this procedure the dyslexic individual can experience the same sensory perceptions that the non-dyslexic experiences naturally. This may sound difficult or far- fetched, but in actual practice it is easier to do than to conceptually understand. It can be learned, in most cases, in less than an hour, and some degree of proficiency can be attained with about thirty hours of practice. The significance of this procedure in practice is that regardless of the pin-point source of the dyslexia symptoms, whether it is the organs, the nerves, or the brain, a degree of control can be developed and practice, and the symptoms of the dyslexia will either be non-existent or diminished. What makes Davis Orientation Counseling truly new and unique is that its procedure brings about a knowing and willful control over a specific mind function by the individual for his or her own betterment. Copyright © 1982 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Davis Orientation Counseling ® Session Procedure

Please note, the Davis Orientation Counseling Session Procedure is not a rote process. This is written only to serve as a guideline for training. Trainees are encouraged to use their own words and wording when using this process. 1. GREETING AND INTRODUCTION:

Greet the person and establish a rapport. As appropriate, explain the goal and objective of the procedure.

2. CONCEPT CLARIFICATION:

NOTE: If you do not have access to the notes made during the assessment, you must establish the handedness of the person, and an object he / she can imagine easily. EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF ORIENTATION AS “PUTTING ONESELF IN THE PROPER POSITION IN RELATION TO THE TRUE FACTS AND CONDITIONS.” EXPLAIN THAT DISORIENTATION IS A CONDITION IN WHICH THE BRAIN IS NOT RECEIVING WHAT THE EYES SEE OR WHAT THE EARS HEAR; THE BALANCE AND MOVEMENT SENSE IS ALTERED AND THE TIME SENSE IS EITHER SPED-UP OR SLOWED-DOWN. EXPLAIN THE PROCESS THEY ARE ABOUT TO GO THROUGH: SAY: “Before we start the session, I am going to go over everything we are going to do. I will show you on paper first then we’ll do it step-by-step, OK?” GET A PIECE OF PAPER AND HAVE THE STUDENT SIT SO THE PAPER CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN. WRITE THE STUDENT’S NAME, YOUR NAME, THE DATE, THE NAME OF THE PROCESS, THE OBJECT TO BE USED IN VISUALIZATION, AND THE HANDEDNESS OF THE STUDENT ON THE PAPER. SAY: “There are two reasons why we are going over this first. One is to let you know what will be happening so there won’t be any surprises. The other is to make sure you understand what I will be asking you to do. OK so far?” SAY: “I do request that you not do any of the process while I’m showing you on the paper. That would only create confusion. Just watch and listen. If you have a question, ask. After we finish going over it on the paper, I will walk you through it step-by-step, OK?”


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DRAW TWO CIRCLES ON THE PAPER. MAKE ONE CIRCLE A “TOP VIEW” OF A HEAD. MAKE THE OTHER CIRCLE A “SIDE VIEW” OF A HEAD. EXPLAIN THAT THE TWO VIEWS ARE TWO VIEWS OF THE SAME HEAD DRAW THE OBJECT TO BE VISUALIZED IN FRONT OF BOTH VIEWS. NOTE: ON THE SIDE VIEW THE OBJECT SHOULD BE BELOW EYE LEVEL ON ABOUT A 45° ANGLE FROM THE LINE OF SIGHT. SAY: “Just like we did in the testing, we will have you shift your imagination and put your mind’s eye in your finger, off to the side and have you look at the (OBJECT) from here.” PUT AN “X” ON THE SIDE OF THE TOP VIEW TO INDICATE THE POSITION OF THE MINDS EYE. SAY: “Once your mind’s eye is in your finger, we will have you image a line that goes from the (OBJECT) straight through your head.” DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM THE OBJECT THROUGH THE TIP VIEW. EXTEND THE LINE WELL PAST THE BACK OF THE HEAD.


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SAY: “The line will go from the (OBJECT) into your nose, through your head, and will stick up about a foot or so above and behind your head.” ON THE SIDE VIEW, DRAW A STRAIGHT LINE FROM THE OBJECT, THROUGH THE END OF THE NOSE, THROUGH THE HEAD, AND EXTEND THE LINE WELL PAST THE TOP BACK OF THE HEAD. SAY: “After you have drawn that line in, we will have you move your mind’s eye around so it’s a few inches above and behind your head and we’ll have you position it on the line. OK?” MAKE AN “X” ON EACH OF THE LINES GOING THROUGH THE HEADS. ASK: “Do you know how an anchor for a boat works?” SAY: “You have a heavy weight, and you attach a line or a chain to it. You attach the line to the boat and throw the anchor into the water. The anchor sinks into the mud or hooks on a rock, or something, and when the line is pulled tight it keeps the boat from moving, Right?” SAY: “We are going to use the same idea as an anchor. When your mind’s eye is in the right place on the line above and behind your head, we are going to have you put an anchor line down to the top of each of your ears, and anchor it in. Then we’ll have you put a third line down the top of each or your ears, and anchor it in also. Then we’ll have you pull the three anchor lines tight and attach them together right where your mind’s eye is.”


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DRAW THE THREE ANCHOR LINES ON THE PAPER AS YOU EXPLAIN IT. ASK: “Any questions so far?” SAY: “Once the three anchor lines are drawn in, we won’t need the line that goes down to the (OBJECT) any more, so you’ll erase it out and it will be gone. We won’t need the (OBJECT) any more either so we’ll have you erase that out also.” TO SIMULATE ERASING, DRAW A WAVY LINE OVER ONE OF THE LONG LINES, AND THE OBJECT AT ITS END. DRAW THREE LINES COMING TOGETHER, SEPARATELY ON ANOTHER PART OF THE PAPER. DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THE INTERSECTING POINT.


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SAY: “What you will have left are three anchor lines that come together and make a point above and behind your head.” SAY: “We are going to call the place where the lines come together an ORIENTATION POINT. It is the PLACE where the lines end. We call the lines anchor lines, not to anchor the mind’s eye there, which you can’t do anyways, but to anchor this place there so it is in the same place all the time.” ASK: “Any questions so far?” SAY: “What we are really after is a group of brain cells down in the middle of the brain, that are responsible for disorientation. When those brain cells are turned off, our brain gets exactly what our eyes see, as our eyes are seeing it and exactly what our ears hear, as our ears are hearing it. Our balance and movement sense is accurate and our sense of time is accurate.” SAY: “When those brain cells are turned on, our brain doesn’t get what our eyes see; it gets what we think our eyes are seeing. Our brain doesn’t get what our ears here, it gets what we think our ears are hearing. Our balance and movement sense changes and our internal sense of time can either speed up or slow down.” Say: “What we really need is the OFF-SWITCH for those brain cells. That’s what that orientation point is. It’s the Off-switch for disorientation.” SAY: “The way we switch off these cells is by simply putting the mind’s eye on that orientation point and those brain cells are turned off.” DRAW AN “X” INSIDE THE CIRCLE, WHERE THE THREE SEPARATE LINES COME TOGETHER. DRAW THREE ADDITIONAL LINES COMING TOGETHER, AND PUT AN “X” ON THE POINT. SAY: “If our mind’s eye is sitting in this spot, the brain cells are turned off. But, if something happens that can cause disorientation, the mind’s eye doesn’t stay there, it moves.”


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DRAW AN ARROW FROM THE POINT GOING OFF TO THE SIDE. SAY: “So it takes off, and we are disoriented. In the past, if we waited long enough, or if we went for a walk, or did something other than what we were doing that caused the disorientation, eventually our mind’s eye would come back, and we would be all right again; until something else caused another disorientation.” SAY: “When we have an orientation point, we can deliberately bring the mind’s eye back, put it on the point, and end the disorientation. We don’t have to wait, or do something else, or torture ourselves. Simply putting the mind’s eye back in that place turns off the disorientation. It also turns off the feeling of confusion, and the mistakes.” DRAW A LINE BACK TO THE POINT AND RETRACE THE “X” ASK: “Any questions so far?” DRAW THREE MORE LINES THAT COME TOGETHER, THEY SHOULD BE LONGER AND BOLDER THAN THE OTHERS. USING SOME SMALL OBJECT, HOLD THE OBJECT SO THE PERSON CAN SEE IT. SAY: “Of course, we can’t see the mind’s eye. In fact, it can’t even see itself in a mirror. It Is invisible. So we’ll just imagine for a moment that this thing is a mind’s eye. OK?” SAY: “When we get to the part of the session where you have put the three anchor lines in, your mind’s eye will be sitting right where they come together.” POSITION THE OBJECT RIGHT WHERE THE THREE LINES COME TOGETHER ON THE DRAWING. SAY: “For the first time in your life, you will have deliberately turned off the brain cells that cause disorientation. The problem is we don’t learn very much from doing something only once.”


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SAY: “So when we have your mind’s eye sitting on that point, we are going to find some real life thing that can cause your mind’s eye to jump off the point, and disorient you.” (KNOCK THE OBJECT OFF THE POINT WITH YOUR FINGER) “When that happens, I’ll stop you from looking at the thing that made it jump, and have you simply put your mind’s eye back on the point.” (PUT THE OBJECT BACK ON THE POINT) “That will turn off the disorientation. The confusion will go away. Then I’ll show you what made it happen.” SAY: “Then we’ll find another thing that will make it jump.” (KNOCK THE OBJECT OFF THE POINT, AND PUT IT BACK AGAIN) “You’ll put your mind’s eye back, I’ll show you what made it jump, and then we’ll do it again. We’ll do it again and again, until you are an expert at putting your mind’s eye back on your orientation point. You will be able to do it quickly, easily, and know that you have done it.” SAY: “What you will have then is the ability to turn off a disorientation. It won’t matter what turned it on, the action of simply putting your mind’s eye on your orientation point, will turn it off.” ASK: “Any questions?” SAY: “There is one more point we need to make.” POINT TO ONE OF THE ANCHOR LINES ON THE DRAWING. SAY: “We call this a line, because it has length to it.” PICK UP YOUR PEN OR PENCIL. SAY: “Just like this pen / pencil has length to it.” POINT TO THE END OF THE PEN / PENCIL TOWARD THE EYES OF THE PERSON. ASK: “But what about when we are looking down the length of it? It doesn’t look long at all, does it? It looks like a do doesn’t it?” POINT TO A PLACE ON THE DRAWING WHERE THE THREE LINES COME TOGETHER. SAY: “If the mind’s eye were sitting right here, it wouldn’t see the three lines as lines at all would it? It would see them as three dots, or one dot if they were pushed together. Do you agree?” DRAW ONE DOT, AND ALSO THREE DOTS TOUCHING EACH OTHER.


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ASK: “Do you have any questions about what we are going to do?”

SAY: “If you don’t have an (more) questions, let’s do it!”

3. PROCESS SEQUENCE:

HAVE THE PERSON SIT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU, CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD REACH OVER AND TOUCH THEIR FOREHEAD WITHOUT GETTING OUT OF YOUR CHAIR. NOTE: YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SO CLOSE THAT YOU MAKE THE OTHER PERSON FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. ASK: “Is it all right if I tough your hands in what we are going to do?” Get consent. SAY: “We are going to use both of your hands, so I need you to keep them available for me.” TAKE THE PERSON’S OPPOSITE-TO-HANDEDNESS HAND (if right-handed take their left hand if left handed, take their right). POSITION THE HAND, PALM UP, AT THE APPROXIMATE PLACE WHERE A BOOK WOULD BE HELD FOR READING. SAY: “Let’s imagine a/an (OBJECT EARLIER DETERMINED) is sitting right here in your hand. Tell me when you’ve got it.” WHEN THERE, IF EYES ARE NOT CLOSED, SAY: “Close your eyes.” SAY: “I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them, OK?” TAKE THE INDEX FINGER TO A POINT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE FOREHEAD ON EYE LEVEL. SAY: “I want you to shift your imagination and put your mind’s eye here, (TAP THE INDEX FINGER TO A POINT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE FOREHEAD ON EYE LEVEL. SAY: “I want you to shift your imagination and put your mind’s eye here, (TAP THE INDEX FINGER WITH YOUR INDEX FINGER) where you finger is, and look at the (OBJECT) from here.” SAY: “It’s just like you lean over and look from here.” (TAP THE FINGER AGAIN)

WAIT SEVERAL SECONDS, AND ASK: “Can you see the (OBJECT) from here?” (TAP THE FINGER) WHEN YES, GO TO THE NEXT STEP.

SAY: “Imagine a straight line that goes from the (OBJECT) into your nose, through your head, and stick up about a foot behind you. Draw a line in, and tell me when you have it there.”

WHEN THERE SAY: “I am going to move your finger, I want your mind’s eye to move with it, OK?”


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NOTE: DO NOT MOVE THE FINGER WHILE GIVING INSTRUCTIONS OR TALKING TO THE PERSON. FINISH MAKING YOUR STATEMENT BEFORE STARTING TO MOVE THE FINGER AND STOP MOVING THE FINGER BEFORE YOU BEGIN TALKING AGAIN. SAY: “I want to put your mind’s eye on the line above and behind your head, so let me move your finger. Let your mind’s eye move with it.” YOU WILL NEED TO STAND UP TO REACH ABOVE AND BEHIND THE PERSON’S HEAD. DO SO QUIETLY AND GENTLY. AVOID MAKING THE PERSON AWARE THAT YOU ARE STANDING OVER THEM. MOVE THE FINGER SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE MIDLINE OF THE BODY ABOVE AND BEHIND THE HEAD. NOTE: IF THE ELBOW IS STICKING OUT TO THE SIDE OF THE BODY, YOU MAY NEED TO TURN THE SHOULDER SO THE ELBOW POINTS FORWARD. THIS WAY THE HAND CAN EASILY REACH ABOVE AND BEHIND THE HEAD. SAY: “I can’t see the line, only you can see it, so I need you to make the fine adjustment to get the mind’s eye right on it.” LOOSEN YOUR GRIP ON THE INDEX FINGER, AND ALLOW THE PERSON TO MOVE THE FINGER FREELY. IT MAY TAKE THE PERSON SEVERAL SECONDS TO FIND THE EXACT SPOT. WHEN THE PERSON STOPS MOVING THE FINGER, RE-GRASP IT. LOOK TO SEE THAT THE FINGER IS ON WHAT WOULD BE THE MIDLINE OF THE BODY. (IT SELDOM IS.) IF IT IS ON THE MIDLINE GO TO THE NEXT STEP. IF NOT, SAY: “It seems to be a bit off to the side, is it alright if I move it just a bit?” WITHOUT CHANGING THE DISTANCE FROM THE HEAD, MOVE THE FINGER TO MIDLINE AND SAY: “Pull the line to come to here, (TAP THE FINGER) and tell me when you’ve got it.” ASK: “Can you see your ears from here?” (TAP THE FINGER) “You can see right through your hair.” IF YES, GO TO THE NEXT STEP. IF NO, HAVE THE PERSON “FEEL” WHERE THE EARS WOULD BE. IF NECESSARY, HAVE THEM FEEL THE EARS WITH THEIR HAND (USE THE HAND HOLDING THE IMAGINARY OBJECT). IF FEELING THEM DOES NOT BRING ABOUT SEEING THEM, HAVE THE PERSON IMAGINE WHERE THEY WOULD BE AND MAKE A PICTURE OF THEM. SAY: “Put anchor lines down to the top of each ear, anchor them in, and pull them tight to here.” (TAP THE FINGER) WHEN DONE, SAY: “Put another anchor line down to the top of your head, anchor it in, and pull it tight to here, as well.” (TAP THE FINGER)


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WHEN DONE, SAY: “Attach the three lines together.” WHEN DONE, SAY: “I want to move your finger, but I don’t want your mind’s eye to come with it this time. As I move your finger, leave your mind’s eye on the lines. OK?” MOVE THE FINGER TO THE SIDE A FEW INCHES, AND ASK: “Did your mind’s eye stay on the lines?” IF YES, GO TO THE NEXT STEP. IF NO, TAKE THE FINGER BACK TO THE POSITION ON THE LINES, AND SAY: “Take your mind’s eye out of your finger and leave it on the lines when I move your finger.” REPEAT THIS STEP UNTIL THE MIND’S EYE REMAINS ON THE LINES. MOVE THE FINGER OVER THE SHOULDER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LAP AND RELEASE IT. SIT DOWN. SAY: “We don’t need the line that goes down to the (OBJECT) anymore so erase it our and tell me when it is gone.” SAY: “We don’t need the (OBJECT) anymore so erase it out and tell me when it is gone.” ASK: “What color are the three anchor lines you just put in?” MAKE ANOTHER NOTE FOR YOUR REFERENCE. SAY: “Move your mind’s eye to the place where the three (COLOR) lines come together. Tell me when it is there.” ASK: “Do you see three dots, or one?” MAKE A NOTE. “Are they the same color as the lines?” MAKE A NOTE: SAY: “What your mind’s eye sees right now is what it should see when it is on the orientation point. Any time you want to, you can look with your mind’s eye. If it sees what it sees right now, you it is on the orientation point. If it doesn’t see what it sees right now, you would know that it isn’t on the orientation point and you would have to move it to the point to see what it sees now. Any questions?” SAY: “Open your eyes.” ASK: “Did it move when you opened your eyes?” IF NO, GO TO THE NEXT STEP. IF YES, SAY: “Put it back.” IF, I KNOW DON’T KNOW, SAY: “Close your eyes and look.”

4. EXPLANATION:

SAY: “I can’t see your mind’s eye. I can’t see your anchor lines. If I hadn’t been here while you were doing this, I wouldn’t even know that you have them.” SAY: “If I can’t tell, nobody else can tell either, so only you know for sure. You don’t have to be concerned that anybody will think you are weird or that you are doing something that they can’t do.” WAVE YOUR HAND ABOVE AND BEHIND YOUR HEAD.


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SAY: “You can’t touch a mind’s eye, nothing can. You don’t have to worry about anything hitting it; or knocking it into a wall, a door, or anything else. You don’t have to worry about catching it in the car door. It goes right through things, like they aren’t even there.” SAY: “When you mind’s eye is sitting on the point, it is located by the lines that go to your ears and the top of your head. You can’t move fast enough to lose it. You can’t turn your head fast enough to knock it off. It just sits there and goes where your head and ears go. Any questions?” ASK: “Do you know what the word ‘responsibility’ means?” SAY: “Let me give you a simple / simpler definition.” “RESPONSIBILITY IS THE ABILITY, AND THE WILLINGNESS TO CONTROL SOMETHING. CONTROL IN ITS SIMPLEST FORM IS THE ABILITY TO CAUSE SOMETHING TO CHANGE, OR TO CAUSE T NOT TO CHANGE.” SAY: “Because I can reach over and move you hand, I am changing something about your body. That change is happening, and you’re not doing it. I am responsible for that change, you aren’t, because you didn’t do it. Right?” SAY: “But I can’t reach over and move your mind’s eye. No one can. There isn’t a person, animal, machine, or anything on the earth that can move your mind’s eye one billionth of an inch. But you can put it anywhere you want to. That means that you have TOTAL CONTROL, which also means that you have TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY for where your mind’s eye is and what it does. Do you agree?” SAY: “That also means that when it jumps, when you get disoriented, you are the one that made it jump. When you were very young, you set it up so that whenever you were confused enough, your mind’s eye would automatically go off and try to get rid of the confusion. But it won’t work with a symbol, and all words are symbols, so it won’t work with words. It just creates more confusion.” SAY: “Now you have a problem, your mind’s eye jumps every time you get confused, and you don’t want it to do that any more. The problem is, it is still going to jump. If you try to hold it on the point to keep it from jumping, while at the same time you are automatically trying to make it jump, you are going to get a headache.” SAY: “The only solution I know is to go ahead and let it jump, and when it does, simply bring it back. That will be your job, your responsibility, whenever it jumps, you put it back. Do you have any questions?” ASK: “Is your mind’s eye still sitting on your orientation point?” IF YES, GO TO THE NEXT STEP. IF NO, SAY: “Put it back on the point.” SAY: “For the first little while after we get an orientation point, our mind’s eye just floats around it. It doesn’t just sit there. This happens to everyone. We call it ‘drifting.’ As soon as you get used to controlling your mind’s eye, putting it and leaving it on the orientation point, the drifting will stop. Then when you put your mind’s eye there it will just sit there.”


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SAY: “Don’t try to hold your mind’s eye there, just let it drift. Every one in a while, move it back to the point and let go of it. If you try to hold it there you are just prolonging the drifting phase. Any questions?”

5. PRACTICING USING ORIENTATION: BASED ON THE DISORIENTATION HISTORY, SELECT AN ACTIVITY SUCH AS READING, WHICH WILL DISORIENT THE PERSON. BE ALERT FOR INDICATIONS OF DISORIENTATION. WHEN A DISORIENTATION OR MISTAKE OCCURS, STOP THE ACTIVITY AND SAY: “Did your mind’s eye move?” IF NO, CONTINUE THE ACTIVITY UNTIL IT DOES. IF “I DON’T KNOW”, SAY: “Look with your mind’s eye and see if it sees the dot/dots.” WHEN IT HAS MOVED, SAY: “Put it back.” THEN POINT OUT THE STIMULI THAT TRIGGERED THE DISORIENTATION. CONTINUE IN THIS FASHION UNTIL THE PERSON CAN QUICKLY AND EASILY PUT THE MIND’S EYE ON THE ORIENTATION POINT, AND SEES THAT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN PERCEPTION AND PERFORMANCE. WHEN THE PERSON CAN QUICKLY AND EASILY PUT THE MIND’S EYE ON THE ORIENTATION POINT< AND KNOWS THAT HE OR SHE HAS DONE SO, THE ORIENTATION SESSION IS COMPLETE. Copyright © 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990 by Ronald Dell Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Detecting Disorientations in Others

For a while after the ignition Orientation session, a person will need assistance in catching disorientations as they occur. The counselor or helper must be alert for any signs of disorientation. At each instance, one should request that the orientation be checked and, if needed, corrected. Eventually the person will notice the changes in perception that accompany every disorientation. Information that is imparted while a person is disoriented will be mis-seen, mis-heard, or misinterpreted. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The following are the most noticeable signs that a disorientation has occurred. The trigger or stimulus for the disorientation will be found just before or right at the point these occur. Omits a letter, number or word Alters a sequence of letters, numbers or words

Skips a line Stops or hesitates Speeds up or sows down Frowns or looks confused Effort or concentration intensifies Voice tone becomes monotonous or changes pitch Eyes go dull, vacant, or drift Skin tone dulls or changes Starts rocking or tapping a foot Jerks a body part Loses balance or becomes clumsy Changes size of written letters Writing goes way off horizontal

WHAT TO DO: Stop or back off from the task at and for a moment. Ask the person to check orientation with a phrase such as “Check if you’re on point” or “Check your orientation” or “Check your balance” or some other suck phrase. Find out what distracted or confused them PRIOR to the disorientation. If it was environmental, acknowledge it, and remove or resolve it if needed. If it was a word or symbol, clarify it using pictures, demonstrations, examples, or Symbol Mastery. Make a note of words, letters, or other symbols that repeatedly cause disorientation. These should be mastered using Symbol Mastery. IMPORTANT NOTE: Not every mistake or change means there was a disorientation or that a word or symbol caused it. There could have been a thought, a distraction, a total unfamiliarity, or attention put on something else. So always ASK a person to check their orientation, NEVER ACCUSE someone of being disoriented or ORDER them to get oriented. Simply check to see if they are oriented, and then repeat or return to the activity. Copyright © 1991 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Davis Orientation Counseling ® Release Procedure

After the Orientation Counseling Session, as clients are gaining experience controlling disorientations, they will become aware that whenever their mind’s eye moves they disorient. After their mind’s eye moves they either make a mistake or some “old solution” automatically turns on. The natural tendency then, is to hold the mind’s eye on the orientation point to prevent mistakes or stop “old solutions” from occurring. We call this “holding” and even though it makes sense it doesn’t work very well because it will cause a person to have a headache. The longer the person is holding, the more severe the headache will become. Simply telling the person not to hold their mind’s eye on the Orientation Point does not work. It’s like telling them not to think about an elephant. It will cause it to happen as opposed to preventing it and the more they try not to hold, the stronger the holding becomes. Instead of planting the seed of a NOT DO it is better to watch for the signs that the person is holding and then giving them something TO DO which terminates and prevents it. The Release Procedure is the answer. Signs of Holding:

1. The person will say they have a headache. 2. The person will run or touch the back of their neck. 3. The skin tone will pale. 4. The brow will wrinkle 5. The person will begin to look stressed or distressed.

Release Procedure: MAKE A LOOSE FIST, NOT TOO TIGHT JUST LET YOUR FINGERS CURL INTO YOUR PALM. NOW THINK THE THOUGHT “OPEN HAND”, BUT MAKE THE FIST TIGHTER. THINK THE THOUGHT AGAIN “OPEN HAND”, AND MAKE THE FIST EVEN TIGHTER. AGAIN THINK THE THOUGHT “OPEN HAND” AND MAKE THE FIST REALLY TIGHT, REALLY REALLY TIGHT, TIGHT ALL THE WAY UP TO YOUR ELBOW. NOW WITHOUT THOUGHT SIMPLY LET YOUR HAND RELEASE, LET YOUR ENTIRE HAND GO, LET YOUR FINGERS FIND THEIR NATURAL PLACE. FEEL THE FEELING THAT GOES DOWN YOUR ARM, THROUGH YOUR HAND ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS. THAT FEELING IS THE FEELING OF “RELEASE.” WHEN THE WORD “RELEASE” IS USED THAT FEELING IS WHAT IS MEANT. THE FEELING OF RELEASE IS THE SAME FEELING AS THE FEELING OF A SIGH.


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DO A SIGH. BREATH IN HOLD IT FOR A SECOND OR TWO. THEN LET THE AIR RUSH OUT YOUR MOUTH, WITH A “HUNNNN” SOUND COMING FROM YOUR THROAT AND CHEST. A LITTLE SIGH PUTS THE FEELING OF RELEASE IN YOUR UPPER CHEST. A GREAT BIG SIGH CAN PUT THAT FEELING ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS AND TOES. DO A GREAT BIG SIGH, GET THAT FEELING ALL THROUGH YOUR BODY. NOW LET THAT FEELING LINGER, LET THAT FEELING REMAIN IN YOUR BODY. NOW LET YOUR MIND’S EYE HAVE THAT FEELING. BY SIMPLY WANTING IT TO YOUR MIND’S EYE CAN HAVE THAT FEELING. THAT’S WHAT YOUR MIND’S EYE SHOULD FEEL LIKE. NOW HAVE YOUR MIND’S EYE PUT THAT FEELING DOWN INTO YOUR HEAD AND NECK. YOU’LL FEEL YOUR NECK MUSCLES LETTING GO. YOU’LL FEEL IT GET LOOSE. NOW AVE YOUR MIND’S EYE PUT THAT FEELING RIGHT INSIDE THE HEADACHE. HAVE YOUR MIND’S EYE FILL UP THE HEADACHE WITH THE FEELING OR RELEASE. HAVE YOUR MIND’S EYE CONTINUE FILLING UP THE HEADACHE UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY CONE. IN THE FUTURE, WHENEVER YOU HAVE TO PUT YOUR MIND’S EYE BACK ON THE POINT, AFTER YOU’VE GOT IT THERE LET IT GO. TURN LOOSE OF IT. IT WON’T GO ANYWHERE, IT’LL JUST SIT THERE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO HOLD IT. EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR MIND’S EYE BACK LET IT HAVE THAT FEELING OF RELEASE AND YOU WONT HAVE THE HEADACHES OR THE OLD SOLUTIONS HAPPENING ANY MORE. After the person has learned what release is and how to do it, one does not go through the whole procedure again. Simply ask or remind the person to “do release” whenever you notice them holding, concentrating, tensing up or efforting.


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Davis Orientation Counseling ® Review Procedure

Between the initial Orientation session and Fine-Tuning session, Orientation Reviews should be done daily or as needed to ensure the Orientation point is properly positioned. REVIEW PROCEDURE: THERE ARE THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN REVIEWS:

1. IS THE ORIENTATION POINT ON MIDLINE OF THE BODY? 2. IS IT ON AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 45° ABOVE AND BEHIND THE HEAD? 3. IS IT BETWEEN THREE AND TWELVE INCHES FROM THE HEAD?

WITH THE PERSON SITTING OR STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF YOU: SAY: “In the Orientation session you got something that we call an orientation point. It is simply a place in space that is above and behind your head. It is located by three anchor lines that come together and make a point of either one or three dots. Can you put your finger where that orientation point it?” IF THE PERSON PUTS THEIR FINGER IN A SPOT BETWEEN THREE AND TWELVE INCHES FROM THE HEAD, ON MIDLINE, AND ON AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 45° FROM THE HEAD: SAY: “That is perfect, keep using that point, and everything will be fine.” IF THE PERSON PUTS THEIR FINGER OFF MIDLINE: SAY: “It seems to have slipped over a bit. Can I do a fine adjustment?” TAKE THEIR INDEX FINGER BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER AND SLOWLY BRING THE FINGER TO THE MIDLINE OF THE BODY. IF THE DISTANCE FROM THE HEAD WAS CORRECT, DO NOT CHANCE THE DISTANCE. IF THE ANGLE WAS CORRECT, DO NOT CHANGE THE ANGLE. WHEN THERE, SAY: “Pull the lines to come together here.” (TAP THE FINGER) “Keep the point here and everything will be all right.” NOTE: OFTEN THE PERSON WILL SAY THAT WHEN IT IS ON MIDLINE IT FEELS LIKE IT IS OFF TO THE SIDE. IF SO, SAY: “Your previous orientation was off to the other side. Now that you are putting your mind’s eye on the midline, it will feel like it is off until you get used to it.”


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IF THE PERSON PUTS THEIR FINGER OFF ANGLE, TOO FAR FORWARD OR TOO LOW: TOO FAR FORWARD, SAY: “It seems that it has come forward a bit. If it comes too far forward you will get reversals and you won’t be able to tell right from left. Is it all right if I adjust it back just a bit?” TAKE THE INDEX FINGER BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER AND SLOWLY TAKE THE FINGER BACK TO THE PROPER ANGLE. WHEN THERE, SAY: “Pull the lines to come together here.” (TAP THE FINGER) “Keep the point here and everything will be all right.” TOO LOW, SAY: “It seems to have slipped down just a bit, if it get too low you’ll get clumsy, and you’ll clomp when you walk. Is it all right if I adjust it up just a bit?” TAKE THE INDEX FINGER BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER AND SLOWLY TAKE THE FINGER BACK UP TO THE PROPER ANGLE. WHEN THERE, SAY: “Pull the lines to come together here.” (TAP THE FINGER) “Keep the point here and everything will be all right.” IF THE PERSON PUTS THEIR FINGER TOO CLOSE OR TOO FAR AWAY: TOO CLOSE, SAY: “It seems to have come in just a bit. If it gets too close you’ll get clumsy, and your time sense will be too slow. Is it all right if I adjust it out just a bit?” TAKE THE INDEX FINGER BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER AND SLOWLY TAKE THE FINGER BACK TO AT LEAST 3 INCHES. WHEN THERE, SAY: “Pull the lines to come together here.” (TAP THE FINGER) “Keep the point here and everything will be all right.” TOO FAR AWAY, SAY: “It seems to have slipped back a bit. If it gets too far back you’ll be walking around on your heels and your time sense will be too fast. Is it all right if I adjust it in just a bit?” TAKE THE INDEX FINGER BETWEEN YOUR THUMB AND MIDDLE FINGER AND SLOWLY BRING THE FINGER DOWN TO NOT MORE THAN 12 INCHES. WHEN THERE, SAY: “Pull the lines to come together here.” (TAP THE FINGER) “Keep the point here and everything will be all right.” NOTE: YOU MAY NEED TO USE MORE THAN ONE OF THE ABOVE, IF SO COMBINE THE EXPLANATIONS AND MAKE A SINGLE ADJUSTMENT. Copyright © 1982, 1988 by Ronald Dell Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Davis Orientation Counseling ® Fine-Tuning Procedure

In the Orientation session and Review sessions you have determined the orientation point for the individual. In the Fine-Tuning session the individual selects his / her own optimum orientation point. There should be at least 8 hours of supervised practice controlling disorientation before Fine-Tuning is done. We have found that whenever an individual is experiencing a distortion in one of the senses of sight, sound, balance / movement, or time, the other three senses also distort. We have also found that the distortions are proportional. A slight distortion in one will have with it a slight distortion in all. A gross distortion in one will have with it a gross distortion in all. There is also a range of distortion, from imperceptible to total sensory shut-down. In theory, there must be an optimum orientation point: one point where this is no distortion whatever of the senses of sight, sound, balance / movement, and time. But how can anyone tell if the senses are accurate? For the senses of sight, sound, and time there is no way to prove to one self that the sensory data is accurate. However, the balance / movement sense can be self-gauged. Theoretically, if the sense of balance / movement were optimum, an individual should be able to balance on one foot, with no movement in the foot, ankle, knee, hips or torso; and the individual should be able to hold that motionless position for as long as the muscles could hold that position. We can use the idea of optimum balance to find the optimum orientation point. Observable phenomena are:

a) If the mind’s eye is left of midline, the body is out of balance to the left. b) If the mind’s eye is right of midline, the body is out of balance to the right. c) If the mind’s eye is too far back, even if on midline, the body is out of balance in the

backward direction. d) If the mind’s eye is too far forward, even if on midline, the body is out of balance in the

forward direction. e) If the mind’s eye is too low, the body is out of balance in the backward direction. f) If the mind’s eye is too high, the body is out of balance in the forward direction. g) If the mind’s eye is forward of the center of gravity line, all of the above will reverse.

Another phenomenon which is experienced by the individual when the mind’s eye is in the

position where the balance is optimum is a FEELING, an emotional experience that can only be described as WELL BEING. That feeling only occurs when the mind’s eye is in that exact location. Using the above information, the individual can find the optimum orientation point. The technique is similar to tuning a radio. You turn the knob until the station comes in. What actua lly happens is you turn the knob in one direction and the station comes in better and better, then gets worse and worse, so you turn the knob back the other direction, until it get worse again. You keep going back and forth, with the movements getting smaller and smaller, until you are satisfied that it is the best it can be. We call this FINE TUNING.


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The individual does the procedure by moving the mind’s eye around in the general area of the existing orientation point until the balance comes in perfect. There are some minor differences, as follows:

a) The mind’s eye can be moved in 360°, and on more than one plane. b) As long as the mind’s eye is moving the body will be out of balance, so the action

must be MOVE, STOP MOVEMENT, then CHECK. c) When the optimum orientation point is found, it can be recognized by the FEELING

the individual experiences. STEP BY STEP:

USING YOUR OWN WORDS, EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF FINE-TUNING A RADIO AND HOW IT CAN APPLY TO FINDING OPTIMUM ORIENTATION. FIND A LOCATION WHERE THERE IS A VIEW THAT EXTENDS A LONG WAY. HAVE THE PERSON STAND FACING THE VIEW. STAND NEXT TO THE PERSON, AND POINT OUT A PARTICULAR SPOT OR POINT IN THE VISTA. THE SPOT OR POINT SHOULD NOT BE BELOW EYE LEVEL. HAVE THE PERSON CHECK TO SEE THAT THE MIND’S EYE IS ON THE ORIENTATION POINT, AND SAY: “With your eyes looking at the (SPOT IN THE DISTANCE), balance on one foot.” GENTLY GRASP THE PERSON BY THE SHOULDERS, THEN RELEASE THE GRASP WITHOUT MOVING YOUR HANDS FAR FROM THE SHOULDERS, AND SAY: “Push your mind’s eye off your point in my direction and see what it does to your balance. I won’t let you fall.” IF THE PERSON DOESN’T LEAN INTO YOU, SAY: “Give it a good push, I won’t let you fall.” IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE PERSON SEE THE BODY GOES OUT OF BALANCE IN THE DIRECTION THE MIND’S EYE MOVES. THE PERSON MUST KEEP THEIR EYES OPEN. SAY: “Put your mind’s eye back on point, and put your foot down.” LOCATE A SPOT OR POINT THAT IS CLOSER, ABOUT 45° BELOW THE LINE OF SIGHT. DIRECT THE PERSON’S ATTENTION TO THE SPOT / POINT AND SAY: “Tip your head forward, and look directly at the (SPOT) now balance on one foot.” WHEN DONE, SAY: “Now, just like fine-tuning a radio, move your mind’s eye around and find the place where you body is in perfect balance. Remember, while your mind’s eye is moving your balance is out, move it just a bit, stop it, and then check. You’ll know when you’ve got it by the feeling that it has.” IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH FOOT THE BALANCE ON. THEY CAN SWITCH FEET IF THEY WISH.


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NOTE: THIS PROCESS TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES. THE PERSON MAY NOT FIND OPTIMUM ORIENTATION ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. DON’T LET THEM END UNLESS THEY ARE VERY VERY CLOSE TO OR HAVE ACTUALLY FOUND THE OPTIMUM ORIENTATION POINT. WHEN THE PERSON HAS FOUND OPTIMUM ORIENTATION, OR IS GETTING TIRED AND IS VERY VERY CLOSE, END THE PROCESS. SAY: “Hold your mind’s eye right where it is, and put your foot down.” SAY: “Hold your mind’s eye right where it is, and pull your dot / dots to where your mind’s eye is. You’re not moving the mind’s eye, you’re moving the point.” WHEN DONE, SAY: “Let your anchor lines set up and get hard right where they are, just like concrete sets up and gets hard. That way your point will be right where it should be and won’t be moving around.” EXPLAIN THAT THE PERSON SHOULD USE THIS PROCEDURE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY TO MAKE SURE THE ORIENTATION POINT IS OPTIMUM. EXPLAIN THAT FROM TIME TO TIME THE OPTIMUM POINT CHANGES LOCATION FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, AND THE PERSON MUST ADAPT TO THAT CHANGE USING THIS PROCEDURE. NOTE: AFTER THE FINE-TUNING PROCESS IS COMPLETED, DO NOT HAVE THE PERSON TRY TO PUT THEIR FINGER WHERE THE POINT IS. THEY PROBABLY WON’T BE ABLE TO FIND IT, AND ASKING THEM TO DO SO WILL ONLY CREATE CONFUSION. FUTURE ORIENTATION REVIEW IS DONE BY SIMPLY HAVING THE PERSON LOOK DOWN AND BALANCE ON ONE FOOT. SHOWING YOU THAT THE BALANCE IS THERE. NOTE: THERE IS ONLY ONE OPTIMUM ORIENTATION POINT WHERE ALL SENSORY DATA IS ACCURATE. HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER ORIENTATION LOCATIONS, ONE OR MORE FOR EACH OF THE SENSES, WHERE THAT SENSE WILL BE VERY ACUTE. THE ONE FOR BALANCE IS TWO FEET OR MORE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE HEAD AND SLIGHTLY FORWARD OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY. WHEN WORKING WITH ATHLETES, DANCERS, ET AL (PEOPLE WITH EXCELLENT BALANCE), MAKE SURE THEY ARE ORIENTING ABOVE AND BEHIND THE HEAD AND NOT DIRECTLY ABOVE IT. HAVING THE PERSON LOOK DOWN WHILE CHECKING USUALLY ENSURES THIS. Copyright © 1982, 1988 by Ronald Dell Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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What is Symbol Mastery?

At first, Orientation by itself was thought to be a cure for dyslexia. Individuals felt better, read better, and performed better. We thought that correcting dyslexia merely consisted of showing individuals how to correct and detect disorientations, and then teaching them how to read, write, spell, or compute. In this process, we discovered several things:

1. Certain symbols such as words, letters, punctuation marks, etc. consistently triggered disorientations in most dyslexic individuals;

2. These individuals had either no concepts for these symbols, inaccurate concepts, incomplete

concepts, or made-up concepts;

3. Sometimes the sounds represented by these symbols were unclear, confused or unknown;

4. While attempting to learn, individuals would automatically and unconsciously begin to use various coping procedures, mental tricks, avoidance behaviors, and methods of figuring things out which either prevented actually learning something altogether, or made it very tedious and laborious; and

5. the older these individuals were, the more of these behaviors there were.

We had isolated the fact that confusion about any one of the elements that compose full

knowledge of a word or symbol: Its meaning(s) Its sound, and Its written representation

could trigger disorientations. Without a fluent and accurate association between these three elements, the symbol would continue to trigger disorientations and cause mistakes, or require a compulsive solution for dealing with its confusion. We were left with the questions: “How do we quickly and easily bring about an understanding and association of the sound, sight, and concepts of a symbol?” “How do we eliminate the need for using compulsive solution or creating additional ones?” In trying different traditional teaching methods, we found limited results. The individual would usually try to memorize or parrot what was being taught and the compulsive solutions would be reinforced and used even more. Generally we found they required a lot of repetition, were time-consuming, did not significantly address the meanings or concepts of a symbol, and had the potential of creating additional compulsive solutions.


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Getting the Point About “Being On Point”

A PERSON WHO CAN DISORIENT, DISORIENTS AS A REACTION TO CONFUSION. Being on point stops the disorientation, but the confusion that just triggered the disorientation is still there. Being on point makes the person feel less confused, but in actual fact, the confusion that caused the disorientation to occur remains unchanged. A person that is simply correcting the disorientation by being on point and leaves the triggering confusion unchanged will eventually lose the ability to be on point. The reason for this is a simple one: the person is forcing himself / herself deeper and deeper into a larger confusion – separate individual confusions are accumulating and becoming larger confusions which can no longer be endured or relieved simply by “being on point.” The only logical solution is to eliminate the triggering confusions – immediate confusion so that the “culprit” (the word or symbol) that just triggered the disorientation can be confronted. Then it is our responsibility to confront the culprit and eliminate its confusion. If this is done each time disorientation is triggered, disorientation will become a thing of the past. If it is not done, the opportunity to eliminate disorientation will eventually be lost. Copyright © 1985 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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By looking more closely at the factors which were still presenting problems for the dyslexics we were working with, we became aware that:

A. Symbols for which dyslexics do not have a pictorial conceptualization (mental picture) caused disorientations.

B. The most basic symbols and concepts encountered in reading, were the ones that dyslexics were

missing meanings for. These symbols were almost always words that were a part of the vocabulary by the age of five.

C. The conceptualizations that the dyslexics did have for these symbols often contained or were

associated with false sensory perceptions.

D. Non-creative or passive methods used to teach or learn all three elements of a symbol such as explanations, recitations, and demonstrations failed to consistently stop the symbol from causing disorientations and mistakes. They also provided no relief in eliminating compulsive solutions.

Based on these observations, and principles, we created a procedure that satisfied the remaining

needs for dyslexia correction. The answer was to HAVE THE PERSON OBJECTIVELY CREATE THE ELEMENTS OF A SYMBOL AS THEIR OWN.

We found that when individuals were asked to create an objective representation of the meaning

of a symbol (in agreement with a dictionary definition), they could not do so by using a compulsive solution. They were put in the position of having to formulate their own conceptualization of the symbol, and demonstrate that they had accurately done so.

By also having them create at the same time the written representation of the symbol, and then

naming these and the objective representation out loud with the spoken sound they represent, they were actively creating and experiencing an association of all three elements of that symbol.

At this point, the symbol, when seen or heard representing the concept created, would no longer

be confusing, trigger a disorientation, or require a compulsive solution. As more and more of the confusion symbols were mastered this way, disorientations ceased to

occur and the compulsive solutions began to disappear. The above principles and procedures for preventing disorientations and eliminating compulsive

solutions are what we call SYMBOL MASTERY.


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Why Clay?

For the dyslexic, creativity is an essential part of the learning process. Mastery requires creativity.

We (dyslexics) only learn those things which we, ourselves create. If we create something in the

form of memorization, that is what we have – something memorized. If we create something in the form of understanding, that’s what we have – understanding. But if we create something in the form of mastery it becomes a part of us, it becomes a part of our intellect. When something is mastered it becomes a part of our thinking process.

When we memorize something, or when we understand something, we have created it mentally.

In other words we have created mental pictures or mental sounds for the thing. When something is mastered, it isn’t just created mentally; it must also be created in the real world. Creating mentally, inside ourselves, the best we can come up with is understanding; it requires creating it outside of ourselves to master it.

The question is, how can we master a word? We can’t get n it and ride it around. But we can

create it in the real world. WHEN WE MAKE THE CONCEPT OF THE WORD IN CLAY, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS

CREATING THAT CONCEPT IN THE REAL WORLD. WHEN WE CREATE THE CONCEPT OF THE WORD IN CLAY, AND THEN ADD WHAT

THE WORD LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE WORD SOUNDS LIKE, WE HAVE CREATED THE WORD IN THE REAL WORLD. THAT WORD IS MASTERED.



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Davis Symbol Mastery Procedure This procedure is the key to preventing disorientations and eliminating compulsive solutions. Any symbol that triggers disorientation should be worked through these steps. Any letter, word, number, or other symbol that is confusing and often misspelled, mispronounced, misused, altered, or omitted should be suspected of triggering disorientations. This is also an excellent method for learning vocabulary or spelling words, and studying for tests. Any concept or idea, whether explained by one word or a whole chapter, can be created in clay. Ideally, Symbol Mastery should be done with a helper, so that inaccuracies or errors can be corrected as the occur. However, it can also be done alone. Any creations that one is unsure of can be saved and checked later by another for accuracy. Symbol Mastery should be a fun and enlightening process. It is a way to play with words and other symbols, make discoveries about them, and master them. PROCEDURE STEPS:

1. HAVE A WRITTEN EXAMPLE OF THE WORD OR SYMBOL TO BE MASTERED CLOSE AT HAND. It may be in a book or on a list.

2. LOOK UP THE WORD IN A DICTIONARY OR GLOSSARY.

3. IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE WORD, FIND OUT.

4. READ THE FIRST DEFINITION OUT LOUD ALONG WITH ANY EXAMPLE

SENTENCES. If the word you are looking up is in the context of something you are reading, find the definition that applies to that context, and master it first.

5. ESTABLISH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEFINITION. DISCUSS IT. MAKE

UP SENTENCES OR PHASES WITH THE WORD MEANING THIS DEFINITION. Do this until you can picture this definition in your mind.

6. MAKE A MODEL OF THE CONCEPT DESCRIBED BY THE DEFINITION USING CLAY

(see attached illustrations for examples).

7. MAKE THE WORD OR SYMBOL WITH CLAY (see illustrations). Make sure the word is spelled correctly. Letters should be in lower case unless the word is a proper noun.

8. SAY OUT LOUD TO THE MODEL OF THE CONCEPT: “This is (WORD) meaning

(DEFINITION).” Example: “This is tall meaning of more than normal height.”

9. SAY OUT LOUD TO THE WORD OR SYMBOL: “This says (WORD).” Examples: “This says tall.” “This says 2.” “This says dollar($).”

10. IF THE WORD HAS MORE THAN ONE DEFINITION, DO STEPS 4-9 WITH THE OTHER

DEFINITIONS


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ADDITIONAL EXERCISES: These are optional. A. Make up more sentences and phrases until you can do so easily. Be sure the sentence or phrase

matches the definition you just made. B. Touch and say the letters of the word.

C. Write the word.

D. Copy the definition.

E. Learn its part of speech.

F. Learn its origin or derivation.

NOTES: If you are doing several definitions of a single word, do only 2-3 definitions at one time. If you are doing just one definition each of a list of words, you can do more. If it gets hard or confusing, TAKE A BREAK, CHECK ORIENTATION, OR GET HELP.

Copyright © 1984 by Reading Research Council. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Getting Started with Symbol Mastery on Words

EXERCISE ONE: To establish the idea that a word is made up of what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what It means, start with this simple exercise. 1. Make something in clay that is totally your own invention or fantasy. It could be a machine, and

idea, and action, a description, a strange animal, anything. (concept) 2. Give it a name that is a made up name. (sound symbol)

3. Make that name in clay with the letters of the English alphabet; you can spell it any way you

like. (letter symbol)

You have just created a word, a sound symbol, and a written symbol that means the thing you first made in clay. You have mastered it, because you know what it means, what it sounds like, and what it’s supposed to look like.

Of course only you know what it means and how to say it properly, and how it’s supposed to be

spelled. Now, what if you wanted to teach the word to someone else? Just saying it to the or showing them the written word wouldn’t be enough, would it? For them to really understand it they would need to know what letters and sounds you are using mean or represent, right?

Every language is composed of words that somebody made up. Just like you did in this exercise,

they started with an idea or image that was in their mind, made a sound for it, and then created symbols that represented that sound. When a lot of people learned and agreed to have that sound and those symbols always mean the same thing, they could communicate verbally and in writing.

In English, we have words that already have sounds and letters that everybody has agreed upon.

Their meanings and sounds are in the dictionary. With symbol Mastery, you get to “create” for yourself what those words mean, what they sound like, and what they look like. When you do this with words you have had difficulty using, spelling, reading, writing, or understanding, you will know and understand them the same way you know and understand your own made up word.


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EXERCISE TWO: To get familiar with the steps of Symbol Mastery, do this exercise with some easy words that only have one or two definitions.

1. Pick a word that is the name of something (a noun) such as dog, cat, umbrella, etc. 2. Do each step of symbol mastery with that word.

a) Look it up in a dictionary b) Read the first definition aloud along with any example sentences c) Make up some sentences or phrases using the word with that definition d) Establish a mental image or concept of that definition e) Make that mental image or concept as simply as possible with clay – three dimensionally f) Make the letters of the word in clay in lower case letters g) Say to the clay model “This is (WORD) meaning (DEFINITION).” h) Say to the clay letters “This says (WORD).” i) Use the word with the definition you just made in some more sentences and phrases until

you feel comfortable you know it and can use it.

3. If the word you picked has more than one definition, do the steps with each of the other definitions.

4. Pick a word that is descriptive such as fast, slow, big, small, good, bad, etc. (an adjective or

adverb)

5. Do the Symbol Mastery steps on its definition(s). NOTE: to make these concepts you may have to make two or three objects to show contrast or comparison, e.g. something small next to something big; several things that are usually red; a happy face next to a sad face

6. Pick and action word like jump, hop, dive, walk, sit, etc. (a verb) with only one or two

definitions.

7. Do the Symbol Mastery steps on its definition(s). NOTE: to make these concepts you may need to show a series or sequence of steps, e.g. someone standing next to a chair and then someone seated to show “sit”; someone on a diving board, then someone breaking the surface of the water to show “dive”

You will notice that big words and words that have only one definition are fairly easy to picture mentally and make in clay. Copyright © 1991 by Reading Research Council. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Symbol Mastery Procedure Steps

1. Look up the word in a dictionary or glossary. 2. If you don’t know how to pronounce it, find out.

3. Read the definition and example sentences out loud.

4. Establish a clear understanding of the definit ion.

Discuss it. Make up sentences or phrases using the word with that definition. Do this until you can picture this definition in your mind.

5. Make a clay model of the concept described by the definition

6. Make the word or symbol with clay.

Make sure the word is spelled correctly. Make lower case letters unless the word is normally capitalized.

7. Say out loud to the model:

“This is (word) meaning (definition).” Example: “This is tall meaning of more than normal height.”

8. Say out loud to the word or symbol:

“This says (word).” Examples: “This says tall.” “This says 2.” “This says dollar ($).”

ADDITIONAL EXERCISES: These are optional.

A. Make up more sentences and phrases until you can do so easily. Be sure the usage of the word matches the definition you just made.

B. Touch and say the letters of the word.

C. Write the word.



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The Key to Correcting Dyslexia, Preventing Disorientations, and Eliminating “Old Solutions”:

The Small Words

During an individualized Orientation Counseling Program, numerous Symbol Mastery exercises and activities which address the basics of language are done. They provide experience and practice with: Detecting and correcting disorientations; Locating triggers for disorientations; Removing confusions from symbols and words; Lessening the confusions from symbols and words; Lessening the compulsive force in “old solutions”; and Developing or remediating basic skills. After the Program, the task of remediating specific language skills remains to be done. Also, the majority of words which can still trigger disorientations need to be mastered. These are listed as The Small Words. This list was compiled by several participants in the early research and development of Orientation Counseling and Symbol Mastery. These participants were asked to keep a record of the words that they found to consistently trigger disorientations while reading. When matched up, these lists uniformly contained the same “everyday small words” of the English language. All of these words were already part of each person’s speaking vocabulary by the time they were age 5. What was missing was a picture or conceptualization for the meanings of words for which they have no concept or picture cannot easily be thought with. Thus these words continued to cause disorientations and mistakes; and act as barriers to improving reading, writing, or speech. This is why it is of vital importance that these words be mastered on a regular basis along with any other needed remediation. Immediately following the Program, a schedule should be established for getting through this list of words. This time could be:

a) Fifteen minutes of daily home study b) Fifteen minutes of a regular tutoring or therapy session c) A classroom activity for a period of the day d) Part of a workbook tutorial program e) Part of remedial reading or English class. Ideally, the small words should be done with a tutor or helper. Breaks should be taken often,

especially after a success.


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Materials needed are: 1-2 pounds of plastelina clay per person a flat easy-to-wash surface (Formica or Masonite) dictionary plastic knife for cutting or shaping the clay paper pencil paper towels or diaper wipes for cleaning up grammar book, workbooks, glossaries, etc. for reference To begin, select any word from the list. Step-by-step, follow the instructions in Davis Symbol Mastery Procedure for the first or most common definition of that word. Then select another word and do the same. At first, only do 3-4 definitions in any one session. Over time, do the above with the first or major definition of all the words on the list. If additional words repeatedly trigger disorientations, add them to the list. Then go back through the list mastering the rest of the definitions of each word. If it becomes confusing, difficult, or disorienting, a break from the activity is a mast. It is a sure indication that there is either an environmental, physical, or emotional stimulus present; or an earlier disorientation was overlooked. Be sure to find out which and remedy the cause before continuing. Also refer to Symbol Master Hints for the Small Words for helpful suggestions. The role of the helper is to make sure the student formulates an accurate concept of the definition that is being worked on. This is done by seeing that clay model shows the definition and that made up phrases and sentences match the definition. The helper can facilitate this process by doing the mastery steps along with the student, taking turns making up sentences, and having the student “instruct” the helper on the definition just covered. In a classroom or group setting, some suggestions are: Pace instructions to the speed of the slowest student.

Have the faster students assist the slower ones. Helpers do mastery steps along with the students as an example. Take turns reading definitions and making up sentences. Have each person explain his or her model of the same definition Never compare one student’s work to another’s Copyright © 1989 by Reading Research Council. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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The Small Words The Key Triggers for Disorientation

a

about

after

again

ago

all

almost

also

always

an

and

another

any

anyhow

anyway

as

at

away

back

be

am

are

is

was

were

being

been

because

become

became

becoming

becomes

before

between

but

by

can

could

can’t

cannot

come

came

comes

coming

do

did

does

doing

done

don’t

doesn’t

down

each

either

else

even

ever

every

everything

for

from

front

full

get

gets

getting

got

go

goes

going

gone

went

have

had

has

having

he

he’s

her

hers

here

him

his

how

I

if

in

into

isn’t

it

its

it’s

just

last

leave

leaves

leaving

left

least

less

let

lets

let’s

letting

like

liked

likes

liking


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make

made

makes

making

many

may

maybe

me

mine

more

most

much

my

neither

never

no

none

nor

not

now

of

off

on

one

onto

or

other

others

otherwise

our

ours

out

over

put

puts

putting

run

ran

running

runs

same

see

saw

seen

sees

she

she’s

shall

should

so

some

soon

stand

standing

stands

stood

such

sure

take

takes

taking

took

than

that

that’s

the

their

theirs

them

then

there

there’s

these

they

they’re

this

those

through

to

too

two

unless

until

up

upon

us

very

we

we’re

what

when

where

where’s

whether

which

while

who

who’s

whose

why

will

with

within

without

won’t

would

yet

you

you’re

yours

Copyright © 1984 by RRC.


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Symbol Mastery Hints for the Small Words.

The small words on the trigger list are the ones that most often cause confusion and disorientation when reading, writing, or communication. They are confusing because:

1) a person does not have a mental image of what the word means or represents, 2) these words usually have multiple meanings, and 3) these meaning change depending on the context the words are being used in.

Here are some suggestions to make mastering them easier.

1. Use a dictionary that gives example sentences or phrases along with each definition. 2. Substitute the words of a definition for the word itself in a phrase or sentence to clarify its meaning

or to check it you are using it correctly. For example:

The word “a” can mean “one” or “for each.” If you are doing the first definition where it means “one” and you make up a sentence such as “Eggs are $1.00 a dozen” you can substitute the words “one” for the word “a” in your sentence “Eggs are $1.00 one dozen” and see that it doesn’t sound right or make sense. If you were doing the other definition, “for each,” the substitution would be “Eggs are $1.00 for each dozen,” which does sound right and makes sense.

3. Keep making up example sentences and phrases with a particular definition until you are sure you’ve

got it and are comfortable using it with that definition. 4. Go ahead and look at the other definitions and example sentences of a word to make sure you are not

getting them mixed up. 5. Start with words that have on a few definitions. These include: “a” and “the.” Pronouns: I, you, me,

we, him, her, etc. 6. Master the first or major definition of each word doing only do 2-4 definitions each session. Doing

too many at once will cause them to get confusing. When you have finished the list for the first or major definition of each word, begin the list again doing the rest of the definitions for each word.

7. If you hit a definition that you can’t make sense out of there is probably a word in the definition you

don’t understand or have a meaning for. You can look up those words or look in another dictionary to see if it explains that definition more clearly

8. You will notice that the words on the trigger list are often used in the definitions of each other. If this

becomes too confusing, just do the definitions you can understand, and mark them with a check mark. After you have done the entire list this way, go back and do the definitions that you skipped.


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9. The more of these definitions you master, the easier it will get. Just stick with it. After you have mastered about six or seven of the small words, the subtle difference between different definitions will become more apparent and easier to figure out.

10. The word “be” and its other forms (is, was, are, etc.) are the most difficult words on this list to

master. Do them towards the end of the list. 11. Make sure your clay figures and models are “realistic.” This does not mean they have to be

extremely artistic or exactly life- like. It means they should be three-dimensions; represent physical reality in a recognizable way, and not be overly abstract or symbolic. A blob of clay cannot be representative of a car, the blob should at least have four wheels.

12. A clay model of a person can be made to look like a stick figure, but it should be large enough and

sturdy enough to stand on its own. When you need to show action or emotion, it should have arms and legs that can be positioned and a head which can have facial expressions carved into it.

13. Use clay arrows to show directions or sequence 14. Make a clay “rope” into a “cartoon bubble” that is attached to a person’s head to show that

something is an idea or in the mind; and show what is happening in the mind within the borders of the “bubble.”

15. Make the clay letters of the words in lower case “printed” form, the way they most often appear in

books. Only “I” is always capitalized. Check to see that you have spelled the word correctly after you’ve made it in clay.

16. Some of the words are grouped with their different tenses and forms. You may need to refer to a

grammar book to fully understand them. This is an opportunity to learn and master what happens to a word when you add different endings to it such as “-ed,” “-s,” and “- ing,” and also how words can change depending on if you are talking about the present, the past, or the future.

17. As you progress through the words, you may start to notice that the definitions of each word are

grouped according to what kind of word they are (parts of speech: noun, adjective, adverb, verb, pronoun, conjunction, and preposition). Looking in a grammar book and learning what these are can help make the differences between the definitions clearer.

18. If a definition seems hard or confusing, take a brief break. Look out a window, stand up for a

minute, or just stretch your arms. 19. Whether you are doing Symbol Mastery by yourself or helping someone else with it, make it a

learning experience. Make it all right to make mistakes and get things wrong sometimes. Mistakes are one of the best ways to learn things. Very few people have already studied or know the definitions of these words.

20. Make Symbol mastery a playful, fun, and game-like activity. These words are like little puzzles, and

each definition is like a piece or clue to that puzzle. Copyright © 1991 by Ronald D. Davis. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Symbol Mastery Examples for Definitions of “into”

Copyright © 1990 by Ronald D. Davis.


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Reading Research Council’s Recommended References

Dictionaries

The American Heritage Children’s Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Co. The dictionary is excellent for children and adults. It contains clear example sentences for every definition, and is printed in a large typeface.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English. Oxford University Press. Although you might need a magnifying glass, when it comes to the Queen’s English, there is no better reference. This is where you will find literary or obscure definitions for a word.

Corbeil, Jean-Claude The Macmillan Visual Dictionary. Macmillan Publishing Co. A dyslexic’s dream come true in full color. Once they open it, the can’t put it down.

Hirsch, E.D., Jr. A First Dictionary of Cultural Literacy. Houghton Mifflin Co. Contains 21 glossaries and covers every K-12 subject. Mastering all the terms will either make someone a trivia expert or earn them high SAT scores.

Thorndike, E.L. and Barnhart, Clarence L. Beginning Dictionary. Intermediate Dictionary. Advanced Dictionary, Doubleday edition. Scott Foresman and Co. Current versions of the red dictionaries we used in school. For the small words, the Beginning version often doesn’t give a definition, only example sentences.

Webster’s New Word Dictionary for Young Readers, Simon and Shuster. Clear and distinct definitions for all the small words. Ron Davis’s favorite dictionary.

The World Book Dictionary. World Book-Childcraft International, Inc. For the person who gets addicted to Symbol Mastery or learns to love words, this two-volume dictionary is one of the best.

Grammar Books

Warriner, John E.; Whitten, Mary E.: and Griffith, Frances. Warriner’s English Grammar and Compositions. First – Fifth Course. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. The ultimate reference for grammar, punctuation and correct English usage. Contain excellent explanatory sections, examples, and exercises. The index makes specific subjects easy to find.

Sebranek, Patrick; Kemper, Dave; and Meyer, Verne. Write Source 2000. D.C. Heath. Illustrated and printed in large type, this is a very good handbook for elementary age children on parts of speech, composition, and punctuation.

Sebranek, Patrick and Meyer, Verne. Writer’s Express. D.C. Heath. The student handbook you should have been given in high school and college. Offers clear explanations and examples of grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and usage.

Writing Improvement

Evers, James L. The Hate to Write But Have to Writer’s Guide. James L. Evers Associates An easy to read 72-page training program that teaches the steps of planning, drafting, revising, and editing. Utilizes the effective principles of mind-mapping.


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Recorded Books

Recordings for the Blind, Inc., 215 E. 58th St., New York, NY 10022 National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, D.C. 20542 (202) 882-5500. Recorded Books, Inc. 270 Skipjack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 (800) 638-1304 Your local library. Workbooks

School Zone, 1819 Industrial Dr., P.O. Box 692, Grand Haven, MI 49417. Math reading, phonics and handwriting workbooks for grades K-6. Available in many grocery or drug stores. Hall, Nancy and Price, Rena. Explode the Code. Phonics workbook series K-6. Educator’s Publishing Service, Inc., 75 Moulton St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (800) 225-5750. Reading Comprehension. Continental Press, Inc., Elizabethtown, PA 17022 (717 367-1836. Spectrum Math, 3rd edition. Glencoe/Macmillan. Grades 1-8 math workbooks. Family Math. Lawrence Hall of Science. Full of fun math exercises for ages 5-12. Look in your Yellow Pages under School Supplies for a local teacher supply store. Books on Learning Disabilities and Education

Rogers, Carl. Freedom to Learn for the Eighties. Charles E. Merrill, 1983. Smith, Joan. You Don’t Have to Be Dyslexic. Learning Time Products, 1991. Grinder, Michael. Righting the Educational Conveyor Belt. Metamorphous Press, 1989. Coles, Gerald. A Critical Look at “Learning Disabilities”. Pantheon Books, 1987. Rose, Colin. Accelerated Learning. Dell Publishing Co., 1985. Hartmann, Thom. Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception. Underwood-Miller, 1993. Licensed Davis Orientation Counseling Program Providers

Charlotte and William Foster. Multivariant Learning Systems, P.O. Box 224, Masking Ridge, NJ 07920 (908) 766-5399. Reading Research Council, 1601 Old Bayshore Hwy., Suite 260, Burlingame, CA 94010 (415) 692-8990 or (800) 729-8990

The Gift of Dyslexia - How to Learn2. “Gift of Dyslexia” Video Course (TED 7614) for 4.5 quarter ( 3 Semester ) units of credit. Please send me the fill in booklet I will use as

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