Promoting Academic Readiness for African American Males with Dyslexia

"""While we know much more about literacy than we did several decades ago, we continue to miss the mark on the impact of race. Consequently, we are failing millions of kids and widening the racial achievement gap. In this text, Shawn Robinson and Corey Thompson continue their relentless work to change how we perceive, diagnose, and teach African American children with dyslexia. More importantly, they insist that we rethink our approach to and investment in research related to the intersectionality of reading, disability, and race. Both teachers and researchers should take note!"" Timothy Dohrer is Director of the Master of Science in Education Program, Northwestern University, USA. ""Dr. Shawn Robinson has compiled an impressive collection of work by distinguished researchers on the subject of African American boys with dyslexia. This perennially underserved population in far too many ways. Our institutional failure to ensure early identification and appropriate instruction diminishes opportunities for individuals to reach their full potential to often tragic results. This volume is a welcome addition to the scarce resources on the subject, and offers the hope that its lessons will improve individual lives, as well as the health of our communities."" Cheri Rae is Author of DyslexiaLand: A Guide for Parents of Children with Dyslexia and Director of The Dyslexia Project, Santa Barbara, USA. ""This highly readable book addresses two of the most pressing issues in education – the inequities of achievement gaps and the importance of early reading as the gateway to education. The authors are authoritative experts who share important ideas, findings, and practical steps that can be taken to help all children learn to read."" John D.E. Gabrieli is Grover Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Cognitive Neuroscience at Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. ""Drs. Robinson and Thompson’s book sheds needed light on the lingering problem of high illiteracy rates among African American students, especially boys. The book does far more than identify the problem. The authors of the well-chosen articles, offer solid suggestions for changes in the way we educate students to provide instruction that can close the persistent achievement gap that leaves to many African American boys with few educational and employment opportunities upon leaving the Pk-12 public school system. Their book is is a must read for educational administrators, policy makers, and teachers."" William Kitz is Associate Director, Project Success, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, USA."