Press Release 2009
Changing backwards thinking: the advantages of dyslexia
New book challenges cultural attitude on learning disabilities
ATHENS, Ga.—What do Whoopi Goldberg, Vince Vaughn, Charles Schwab, William Hewlett, and Nelson Rockefeller have in common? All possess talent, respect and the inability to easily read or write.
These icons, along with 15-20 percent of the American population, as reported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, have been challenged by a language-based disability. Author Robert Langston, a functionally illiterate dyslexic himself, believes this population to be among the most influential in the nation. In his new book, The Power of Dyslexic Thinking: How a Learning Disability Shaped Six Successful Careers (Bridgeway Books, October 2009, 978-1934454343, $19.95) Langston reveals the many ways learning-disabled students are well-suited for entrepreneurial success. By profiling renowned figures, such as Charles Schwab, Kinkos founder Paul Orfalea and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Mike Peters, Langston shows that the dyslexic mind is actually an asset, not a hindrance, when it comes to achieving a leadership role.
The Power of Dyslexic Thinking closely examines the stigma placed on dyslexic children and how the term “learning-disabled” can cause serious emotional damage and limitations on a child. Langston discusses how students who are seen to struggle with reading and writing are not actually less capable than their classmates, but rather learn better when taught in a different manner.
“It is incredibly hard to feel self-worth in a classroom when success and ability are measured by reading and writing,” Langston says. “Both reading and writing are human inventions, which means that our minds are not necessarily wired for them. Dyslexics excel in spatial and conceptual thinking. They can see the big picture quicker and more creatively than their non-dyslexic counterparts.”
Langston draws important lessons for dyslexics from each case study he presents. He explains how Paul Smith, former president of Kroger’s Atlanta division, relied on the heightened social skills his dyslexia produced to understand his company’s organizational relationships. Langston describes how dyslexics can recognize opportunities quickly by sharing the example of Kinko’s Orfalea, who immediately saw the need for public printing services. These and other stories seek to inspire and educate about the impressive capabilities of dyslexic minds.
In an interview Langston can discuss:
· The dyslexic perspective: The life of a dyslexic in America
· Changing backwards thinking: The need to end the stigma of dyslexia
· An underrated learning ability: The many benefits of dyslexic thinking
· Dyslexia and commerce: The contributions of dyslexics to the business community
· Stopping the confusion: How to help your dyslexic child/student
· For dyslexics: Ways to capitalize on your learning ability
ROBERT LANGSTON is an award-winning advocate for learning-disabled children. He is the president of the Langston Company, Inc., and founder of For the Children Foundation. Langston is partnered with The Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation and the Professor Garfield Foundation and has traveled over 100,000 miles annually to educate students and teachers about overcoming learning challenges. He is also a distinguished speaker in the business realm, as a resource consultant to Vistage, an internationally elite organization of CEOs. Rob is a graduate of the University of West Georgia, a twice-published author and an inspiration for the learning disabled. To learn more, please visit www.robertlangston.com.
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To request a copy of The Power of Dyslexic Thinking, or to set up an interview with Rob Langston,
please contact Kelly Stonebock at (512) 478-2028 ext.215 or kstonebock@phenixpublicity.com.
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About Robert W. Langston
Author of The Power of Dyslexic Thinking
Everyone remembers an embarrassing moment from their school days—feeling their face get hot, hearing their peers laughing and having the sudden urge to run. Rob Langston, author of The Power of Dyslexic Learning: How a Learning Disability Shaped Six Successful Careers (Bridgeway Books, October 2009, 978-1934454343, $19.95) remembers this feeling particularly well. As a dyslexic child, school felt like one battle after another. His learning disorder went undetected until the second grade, when reading became a greater focus in the classroom and he could no longer pass unnoticed by memorizing the material. When his mother forced him to read aloud one night, he was caught.
For Rob, the subsequent school years meant frustration, alienation and the humbling experience of being tutored in a janitor’s-closet-turned-classroom for the learning impaired. Rob managed to suffer through, eventually receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of West Georgia.
His one saving grace was the unfailing support of his family, particularly his mother who championed his education by informing teachers and other members of the community about learning disorders. While in college, Rob began paying her kindness forward, speaking to high school students about his university’s program for learning challenged kids. Twenty years, two books and a self-started non-profit, the For the Children Foundation, later, Robert Langston is a well-respected advocate for people dealing with learning challenges. He focuses on repositioning the idea of dyslexia in the minds of parents and educators of learning-disabled students.
“Family and teachers make the difference in whether a child with [learning disabilities] survives or not,” Langston says.
Langston has now spread messages of hope to over 400,000 children in the United States. Through his many speaking seminars, appearances on radio and television, and his two books, Langston has motivated hundreds of thousands of learning-challenged people to see their dyslexia positively, and even as an advantage.
When Langston launched his advocacy into the professional realm, many executives approached him to share their story about working through dyslexia. His second book, The Power of Dyslexic Thinking, was born from these stories. Langston hopes it will help many find the attitude he maintains: “If they can do it, I can do it.”
Langston is the president of The Langston Company, Inc., and is also founder of the For the Children Foundation, which strives to help children with learning challenges understand their potential rather than limitations. He has joined with The Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation and the Professor Garfield Foundation to positively impact more students. He is also a distinguished speaker in the business world, as a resource consultant to Vistage, an international organization of CEO’s that represents more than 1.1 million employees.
Langston currently lives in Athens, Ga. with his wife, Jeannette, and two children. For more information, please visit www.robertlangston.com.
To request a copy of The Power of Dyslexic Thinking, or to set up an interview with Rob Langston,
please contact Kelly Stonebock at (512) 478-2028 ext.215 or kstonebock@phenixpublicity.com.