Aaargh! Another Woo "Cure" for Dyslexia!

A man named Gary Craig is making a stupendous claim for a treatment he has developed (Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT):

EFT provides impressive results for Dyslexia. In many cases the ability to read and process information normally are restored within one session of EFT. Also, repeated applications of EFT often eliminate the problem completely.

No data.  No pre-treatment test scores.  No post-treatment test scores.  Just claims and anecdotes.

And for bonus points, he claims Einsteinian validation.  EFT

draws its power from (1) time-honored Eastern discoveries that have been around for over 5,000 years and (2) Albert Einstein, who told us back in the 1920's that everything (including our bodies) is composed of energy.

Run!  Run!  Run the other way!  Fortunately, one of his "students" gives pause.

One of his acolytes, Steve Wells from Australia, offers at least a glimmer of reality:

I feel it is important to realize that whilst the tapping therapy will enable the person to be in the right state for learning, clear away any blocks, maybe even allow them to tap into the right areas of their brain and to take the information in better, they still most often require appropriate instruction on how our language system works.  I have used EFT recently with a couple of kids in conjunction with appropriate instruction with great success.

Again,  no data.  No pre-treatment test scores.  No post-treatment test scores.  This time, no control group to answer the question: do the kids improve more with EFT + effective remediation,  with EFT alone, or with effective remediation alone?  Just claims and anecdotes.

One of his "proofs" that EFT "works" for dyslexia was the following passage:

When she mentioned to me she had dyslexia I asked her how it manifested itself (I was looking for a way to test the result after applying EFT to the problem). She said she couldn't spell the world "myself" on a typewriter without transposing the letters so that it came out "myslef."

Oh, where to begin?  Dyslexia isn't "transposed letters".  The "proof" of dyslexia this woman offers is laughable, and Craig's gullibility of this as proof is pathetic.   This woman has just learned a faulty motor pattern to type the word "myself".   I am sure that many people have problems like this -- I know I have had to retrain myself out of a couple ("thier" and "becuase" being two of them).

Mr. Craig, ever the optimist, prattles on with:

the proper treatment of learning disabilities is virgin territory for EFT. Hardly anyone is using EFT to address the problem even though schools, parents, etc. spend substantial funds in comparatively futile efforts to gain relief. Resolving dyslexia and other learning disabilities is an instant key to personal self image enhancement. Often, you can literally shift the quality of someone's life in one or two brief sessions. Perhaps someday we can establish an arm of EFT that specializes in just this problem. Please let us hear from anyone else who has experience using EFT regarding learning disabilities.

It all would be funny if it weren't so pathetic.   I can hardly wait to see EFT invade the classroom as a "cure" -- as Irlen has in Massachussetts.

Our children deserve better.  Dyslexic kids (and other kids at-risk for reading failure)  already struggle in school because teachers don't know how to teach reading effectively, and muddle along with disastrous "whole language" or "balanced literacy programs".    At the level of teacher training, the same "whole language" or "balanced literacy" disinformation is taught, while effective instruction -- such as Direct Instruction -- is ridiculed and/or demonized.

In the meantime, purveyors of woo -- often for profit -- advertise on.

My personal hall of shame for dyslexia woo?  No links on purpose.  Except to shame.

• Dore -- claims to "cure" dyslexia for lots of money.  No evidence whatsoever.  Well, at least they tried to do "studies" but were laughed out of the world of peer review.
• Davis Dyslexia Treatment -- claims to "cure" dyslexia; promises never-delivered research.  (A clue: if you hear a claim that dyslexics "think in pictures" you have run across a Davis acolyte.  There is exactly zero evidence that people with dyslexia "think in pictures".)
• Harold Levinson -- theories disproved, continues to market to beat the band.
• Irlen -- claims "46% " of individuals with reading difficulties can be helped by specially colored lenses or overlays on reading material.  No data.

And now, the Special Lifetime Woo Achievement Awards:

• A Special Lifetime Achievement Award for the Department of Education and Skills, UK Government, for according recognition for any one claiming to have a cure or treatment for dyslexia without the slightest regard for treatment validity or effectiveness.
• A Special Lifetime Achievement Award for Ken and Yetta Goodman, for their work in blighting the lives of   millions of children--especially low-income children-- through the doctrine of whole language. 100% woo.

But what to do that is effective?  You could do worse than to start here:  The Schwab Learning guide to helping struggling readers.

Update June 1 2008: Dore seems to be out of business, world-wide.  See this summary post.  My sympathies to those families who prepaid and have no economic recourse.

Comments

[Andrew Houvouras]

The word "cure" should automatically make critical thinkers think, "Something is amiss." Snake oil salesmen are alive and well. They just are smart enough to arm themselves with testimonials and doctorate credentials.

[mcewen]

No doubt his fee is 'appropriate.'
Best wishes

[Kerry]

Interesting reading does any one that has commented here have dyslexia,? My son does and I was the one that discovered it when he was seven, he was under so much stress at that time with what life was presenting him he was on the verge of depression, I would however like to point out that nearly four years later, emotionally and as a person he is a completely different little boy thanks to if I may say alternative therapies helping him to be able to release his stress levels, I would be interested in knowing whether anyone has actually tried EFT I have and sorry to have to disappoint everyone but I have to say it does work providing you obviously have a therapist that knows what they are doing! Isnt it worth actually trying it before you comment!

[Liz Ditz]

hank you for your comment.

My daughter is dyslexic. We flailed around with a few alternative therapies--wasting my daughter's precious time, and of course money, before her successful remediation using Orton Gillingham, specific, direct, multisensory instruction.

http://www.ortonacademy.org/

The Orton-Gillingham approach is language-based, multisensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, cognitive, and flexible. Its breadth, perspective, and flexibility prompt use of the term approach instead of method.

Language-based. The Orton-Gillingham approach is based on a technique of studying and teaching language, understanding the nature of human language, the mechanisms involved in learning, and the language-learning processes in individuals.

Multisensory. Orton-Gillingham teaching sessions are action oriented with auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements reinforcing each other for optimal learning. The student learns spelling simultaneously with reading

Structured, Sequential, Cumulative. The Orton-Gillingham teacher introduces the elements of the language systematically. Students begin by reading and writing sounds in isolation. Then they blend the sounds into syllables and words. Students learn the elements of language, e.g., consonants, vowels, digraphs, blends, and diphthongs, in an orderly fashion. They then proceed to advanced structural elements such as syllable types, roots, and affixes. As students learn new material, they continue to review old material to the level of automaticity. The teacher addresses vocabulary, sentence structure, composition, and reading comprehension in a similar structured, sequential, and cumulative manner.

Cognitive. Students learn about the history of the English language and study the many generalizations and rules that govern its structure. They also learn how best they can learn and apply the language knowledge necessary for achieving reading and writing competencies.

Flexible. At best, Orton-Gillingham teaching is diagnostic-prescriptive in nature. Always the teacher seeks to understand how an individual learns and to devise appropriate teaching strategies.

Emotionally Sound. In every lesson, the student experiences a high degree of success and gains confidence as well as skill. Learning becomes a rewarding and happy experience.

She is college-bound this year, reads with comprehension above grade level, and is a happy and self-assured person.

I am happy for your son that he is doing better. I would be curious to know if he is reading at an age-appropriate level, and what methods of teaching him to read were used.

[Cindy Magnuson]

EFT works. It is a shame you all don't use it for your own personal unresolved issues...

[Janet Confer]

Dear Sir-

I must assume your statements are NOT based on RESEARCH because if they were you would have not written that the Davis Method claims to CURE dyslexia. You are wrong. Dyslexia is not a disease, therefore how could it be CURED. You are also mistaken when you write the the Davis Dyslexia Association has no "research" visit the website and you can find the link. You are also incorrect when you say there is not evidence that dyslexics are visual spatial thinkers.... i.e. picture thinkers. Nearly ALL reaserch points to this thinking modality. Please get the facts straight before you attempt to shed light on a subject you obviously know very little about!
Good Day

[Jim Nilzon]

In my research I have found that you can read any type of text faster without compromising on quality. How you approach the material is, of course, important. But with practice even a law student can increase their physical reading rate by at least three times. However, before even attempting to go faster, it is important to get familiar with the vocabulary of the subject. If you don't "get it" you cannot read faster at any rate.

[big bill]

i think its a shame that dyslexia is not looked on more positivley rather than somfhing to be cured it should be embraced. i am dyslexic and my life has been enhanced by it. i dont want to be cured i just want people to realise that all people cant be the same. it wud b a sad planet if we were all the same. the positives are great 2. i can think in 3d i can see maps in 3d i am an artist. i dont need a lable thank you.

[Kathryn]

Hope that you will be able to assist on the OG qualification recognition in Australia.
Is it recognize in Australia?
What are the job opportunites available with achieving the OG qualification?

[debbie]

Have you even tried EFT? Let the results speak for themselves! It's truly unfortunate that you are not even open to the possibility of EFT helping children with dyslexia. It's such a simple solution and tool that anyone can use. So is it better to stick to old tradition outworn methods that don't work? I wonder why people are seaching desperately for an answer to problems such as dyslexia but when a possible tool or solution is put in front of them it is criticized and called quakery. Stop asking for solutions unless you're willing to have an open mind for new treatments ( actually EFT is based on ancient chinese medicine)

[Julie]

EFT has worked for me and for my family in an astonishing number of areas. It is simple to learn and use and costs nothing. Why be so cynical about a technique that you know nothing about?

[Maureen Cram]

I used EFT some years ago to help my numerical dyslexia. It worked. It still works. I also used it to help me differentiate between right and left. That also worked and still works. Try EFT before you call it quackery.