Reversed: A Memoir - From "Dyslexic" to Ph.D. Oxford

15 Aug 2018 · 2 min

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Nicholas Letchford couldn't read ten words at age six and was labeled low-IQ. His mother rejected that diagnosis, taught him with phonics-based books and a strengths-focused approach, and he went on to earn a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Oxford. He credits capitalizing on strengths rather than fixing weaknesses.

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When my son was 6 years old, he failed first grade. He couldn't read. Usually students have 1,000 words. He could read 10 words, and we were told that he has a low IQ. You can't do anything, the child is slow. I decided to take Nicholas on myself. I'm going to try it at home and work from home. I had these books called Success for All, Phonics-Based Decoding, and it was a disaster. I made learning fun. You throw away what he can't do. Once we got that, you have a different child.
For the degree Doctor of Philosophy, Christchurch, Nicholas Letchford.
I'm graduating from I'm from the University of Oxford with a DPhil in applied mathematics.
I became the reading specialist teaching children who had failed all reading programs.
As opposed to focusing on the weaknesses, capitalise on your strengths. I wouldn't have got to Oxford if it wasn't because of my dreams and aspirations.
Labelling is the worst thing we do to children. Believe in your child. Then they can achieve whatever they like.