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An Introduction to Dyslexia for Parents and Professionals
Alan M Hulquist,
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
ISBN 184310833X,
£12.99

STAR RATING: 2/5

Being a social worker for the past 23 years, a special educational needs school governor and having been diagnosed with dyslexia five years ago, I was eagerly anticipating this book, writes Mike Lane.

Within its 100 pages, Alan M Hultquist has crowded the book with practical examples and dramatic details of dyslexia and how this complex disability can impact on children and also adults.

The 13 chapters and three appendices are aimed at giving an introduction, explanations of its causes and descriptions of its various forms, discussion about diagnosis, legislation and then onto practical help from organisations useful books and day to day advice on classroom management.

Clearly the author knows his subject, but for me it is unfortunate that this book has been written predominantly for an American audience, with only a very basic attempt at editing the book for British readers. The teaching and other resources section echo this, with all but half a page of the 11 pages being US focused.

Obviously dyslexia is international, but with the author’s examples using wholly American terminology and phraseology such as “educational diagnostician” and this combined with the American spelling and language, meant that I struggled to feel that this book held much relevance for me; and I fear many UK based parents and professional will feel the same too.

Mike Lane is the care leavers’ accommodation social worker, Bournemouth Council