Review of "The Word Gobblers: A Guide to Understanding and Identifying Irlen Syndrome," by Catherine Matthias

 Review of

The Word Gobblers: A Guide to Understanding and Identifying Irlen Syndrome, by Catherine Matthias ISBN 9780757005022

Five out of five stars

Should be read by all elementary school teachers

 With all of the reading that I have done and the fact that I retain a great deal, it is a rare occasion when I read a book containing something I have never heard of. That happened here and what is great about it is that the subject is extremely important, children that have difficulty reading. This book is about Irlen syndrome, a cause of reading difficulties.

There is a good news/bad news aspect to it. The bad news is that Irlen syndrome is a specific cause of reading difficulties, the good news is that it is often very easy to solve the problem. It is caused by the brain having difficulty processing specific wavelengths of light. What is amazing is that the problem can often be solved by placing a specific colored filter over the material to be read. If the proper color is placed over the text, the problem goes away, and the person can read. The specific filter varies from person to person.

 This book is an explanation of the syndrome, the prevalence, how to test for it and how to determine which filter the person should use. Unlike so many other problems that arise with learning difficulties, the solution to Irlen syndrome is inexpensive and can be tested for by someone with minimal training. Therefore, all people in elementary schools that deal with learning difficulties should read this book.