Testimonials

“Students who work with Cinda Osterman and then follow the program she has prepared for them to use, show a marked improvement in their classroom demeanor as well as their academic achievement. These students are able to focus on verbal instruction as well as apply themselves to learning and completing their assignments. Cinda has the ability to use many different techniques to help a variety of unique learning needs. Cinda will work with the child and their family, and she will work with the child’s teacher(s) to help them know how to teach the student in a way that will work for that student.” Judy – Principal/Teacher

4^th grader, Age 10
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

     “My son had a difficult time with reading and writing. He also started working this same year with a speech therapist at his school for the “r” sound.
     After an assessment with Cinda, we chose to commit to the program available in the spring. The week my son came back from program, he had confidence in his learning, tools he uses at school, his writing looks amazing, and his speech improved so much that his speech therapist called me immediately in amazement.
     With the speech improvements, my son didn’t qualify for speech therapy the following school year and he graduated out with a celebration. His speech therapist said she has never experienced a success story like this before in her 22+ years working.
     My son still has claying to do. He understands that if he works on clay his reading will improve as much as his speech did. I am proud of him for the improvement he has done.
     He applied for the robotics class the following school year of 2019-20. He made the team! He relates to others who may struggle and is an encouragement because of what he has learned with Cinda.
     As a parent, I am proud of him. Seeing him understand his brain, being more confident with his education, and understand his tools and his ability to continue to grow is worth a week in this program! And I loved learning and watching the process.” – Monica

5^th Grader
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®/Math and grammar tutoring

     Several years ago, I worked with a mother who had two daughters. One of her daughters was going into 5th grade, but her reading level was 2.2 (second grade/second month). At the end of the week program, the teacher retested her. The girl had advanced to a 3.8 reading level which was a 1 ½ year increase in reading.
     I continued the rest of the summer working with her and doing the follow-up work for the Davis® Program. By the time she started 5th grade, she was around a 4th grade reading level. The school personnel met with her parents and me to discuss placing her in special education because she had been so behind the previous years. I asked that they wait since she just started reading.
     The committee decided to wait until Christmas. By Christmas, the girl was very close to grade level, and by March she had passed grade level. The school counselor said she had never seen such progress in such a short time.
     During her 5^th year, I continued tutoring her in subject areas she had fallen behind because of her inability to read. I did not work with her in 6^th grade, but she continued using her Davis tools. For 7^th grade, not only was she performing at grade level with all A’s, but she was also placed in pre-algebra class.
     Mother told me that she continues to read on her own which makes her very happy. Before the program, the girl never picked up a book to read for fun. Also, her mother had to read all her school books to her. Now, the mother has to ask her to stop reading so she can get to bed. The mother was so excited about the success of the program that she brought her younger daughter (a 2nd grader) to me to go through the same program.

Letter from their mother:

     Cinda: Our family cannot begin to thank you enough for the help that you have given T. We have watched her grow from a little girl that wanted to learn but was met with challenge after challenge with every new thing that she encountered. T never gave up hope because we always told her that we would find the help that she needed at some point. Well, we found what she needed in you.
     With the program that you have been using with T, she has gained new confidence in everything she does. She has become more independent in everything she does in school and every day chores at home. I still remember the second day that she had worked with you and how that night when she went to bed I could hear something from her room. When I got to her door, I could hear her reading on her own—the little girl who would cry when it came to doing homework and reading by herself. I didn’t have to beg her to read and she was actually enjoying it!!!! I still get tears in my eyes when I think of that moment and the joy of knowing we had found someone with the ability to help our daughter get over a hurdle in her life.
     At this point, T has increased her knowledge in math to where she needs to be in fifth grade and is increasing at a rate that we cannot believe. She looks forward to doing her math assignments from school and the extra assignments that we give her at home. It no longer takes the whole night do her homework. I am amazed at how fast she can do math now. T is also learning correct grammar, something that a lot of adults do not even understand. We have also implemented using clay to spell out her vocabulary words as you had showed us. She is not at 100% yet but compared to how she used to do she is doing wonderful!
     The math program that you have been using with T we have also started using with her sister in second grade. L’s math skills were always good but they are amazing now. Since we have started using the same strategies that you had taught us to use with T’s reading with L, we have seen an improvement in her reading also.
     You have not only helped T but our whole family. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!!!!–Patti

7^th Grader, Age 13
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

“My son did not enjoy reading before he came and now loves it. He also had a lot of issues with anger because of his learning issues, but that seldom happens now.”

Update: “My son participated in the Davis^® Dyslexia Program about 5 years ago when he was in 7^th grade. He is now doing wonderfully and just graduated from high school. He is working on starting his own mobile welding business. He spent a year at the local career center learning welding skills. One particularly awesome moment was when his teacher used Ike’s writing as an example for the rest of the class. He will probably never love to read, but he can if he needs to. He also is not nervous anymore if he gets called on to read from the Bible in Sunday School. One really amazing result of the Davis® Program was that Ike learned to write in beautiful cursive in ONE WEEK!! He now is writing 3-4 page letters to a friend every two weeks or so IN CURSIVE. Cinda and the Davis Dyslexia Correction^® Program were huge blessings from the Lord in Ike’s life.” –Katie

2nd grader, Age 7
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

As an educator and grandmother of my seven-year-old grandson, it was heartbreaking to see the frustration he experienced when it came to reading and writing. He was in a reading program at school, and I worked with him at home, all phonics based. Even with all this support, he became more frustrated and threw tantrums at home when he had to do anything with reading.
After reading the Gift of Dyslexia and taking the 5-day Gift of Dyslexia workshop online, I knew what my grandson needed. He recently completed the Davis Dyslexia Correction^® Program with Davis Facilitator, Cinda Osterman. I continue to work with him using the Clay technique (his favorite part of the lesson) to complete his trigger words, the Koosh ball activity to develop crossing midline, and a writing lesson. It is a joy to see how far he has come in a short amount of time. He is confident, and he sees himself as a reader. He looks forward each week to going to the library with his classmate to choose whatever book HE wants to read and share with his family. The Davis^® Program is an excellent program that I would strongly recommend to anyone with dyslexia.-Proud Gramma

1^st grader, Age 7
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

Elsie came to me when she was 7. She wrote this for one of her high school assignments and sent to me.

Once Upon a Time

     When I was younger, I would never want the possession I have in my pocket now, to be in there. Actually, I would just never use it. What would be discovered in my pocket, would be a thin, plastic, seemingly useless, card, but very valuable card to me, a library card. I cherish my library card, I use it often and would relish having more than one library card.
     I adore reading, knowledge takes you on adventures you can only imagine. You could be on the front lines of World War II, fighting, for the freedom of all. You could be hiding a Jew in your attic, hoping and praying, that the Germans occupying your own village, won’t disrupt your home to hunt them down. You could experience the joy of victory, the anguish of losing a loved one or a close friend, or even the puzzlement of a missing piece in a mystery, you are demanding to find the answers too, along with the character of the book. When reading you become a part of the book, you have favorite characters, characters you resent, and maybe even a character you fall in love with.
     Reading is a marvelous part of my life now, but I didn’t always see it that way. It used to be a boring and irritating, requirement. Words would jump, letters would play tag, or switch spots. It was as if I was telling a bunch of toddlers they can’t move. At all! Which is basically impossible.
     Dyslexia was a huge obstacle when learning how to read. I didn’t know I had dyslexia until I was 7 years old. Discovering I had dyslexia at that tender age was good for me, I was young enough to be taught how to read properly. Fortunately, I had the privilege of having the extraordinary teacher, Mrs. Osterman, or as I know her Mrs. O.
     When I discovered I had dyslexia I still lived up in northern Michigan, in a small town called Alpena. My teacher lived in Charlotte, by Lansing which is a long trip of about, three and a half hours. We were not about to drive that much for someone to help me with my dyslexia, though my parents really wanted me to get the tutoring. Instead of driving three and a half hours, my mom and I stayed with some friends that lived in Lansing. My mom would drop me off to see her (Mrs. O) every day for a week, so that she could tutor me.
     I learned a lot over that week. I learned what dyslexia is, and how I could get better at reading so that the words would stay still. I was taught that I have a point in my head and that I need to stay on point so that I can read properly. When I went home I sculpted words with clay, discovering what they meant, and making a mental picture of what the words mean. I believe the one thing that helped me the most, was reading aloud with a voice recorder. When I would mess up I would go back until I got it right and then I would listen to what I had read. It took a lot of patience. I got intensely upset sometimes. But finally, after many tears, much prompting, embarrassing moments, and discouragement…I got it.
     Reading became enjoyable. Once I understood it, reading was a wonderful oasis I could go to when I got annoyed with my brothers, or while we were moving, which was an especially hard time for me. When we moved, it was hard because I didn’t want to leave the library where I had lived. There were so many books I hadn’t read. That is how much my attitude changed toward reading. The library we go to currently, I have enjoyed reading all the good books and have reread many of them. I have borrowed my fair share of books from people, too. Reading became wonderful instead of boring and irritating, it became the wonderful adventures that had sat there waiting for me to read, that I hadn’t seen when I had the difficulty of dyslexia. Now I have a passion for books, and I have incredible friends that share my passion. – Elsie

12^th Grade
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

     I did a program with a student when he was 16. He had been homeschooled, but he really wanted to attend a Christian boarding academy. However, he knew the learning would be too hard. He struggled with reading, comprehending, and grammar. I assessed him before starting a program. He did not test above 2^nd grade. At the end, he was reading and comprehending above the 9^th grade. My assessment only tested to 9^th. However, he was able to read and comprehend college level books at the end of the week.
     During the program, we worked on his grammar using Symbol Mastery. In an hour or two, he mastered grammar. Later that summer, he was telling me how he was picking out the parts of speech while his brother was talking to him. He was so excited. Not only was he able to go to a high school boarding academy the following year, but he went on to college and did very well.
     This young man was a blast to work with. He knew exactly what was going on in his mind and shared everything with me. I learned so much about that “right-brain thinker”. Two years after his program, I did a presentation on learning issues. He shared his testimony on how the program helped him. He shared this program with whoever had reading issues.
     This was his comment at the end of his program:
     “Well, basically, I really like thinking, analyzing, and processing a lot of information at once. I can do that in my brain and with the world around me. But I found that I could not do that with reading at all. It is like so why read because I do not get information out of this. It is not fun. I do not learn anything new. But now orientated and reading, I get everything that is in the reading. When I have finished reading, I have gotten a huge block of information all at once from the reading that I can then process, put away, work with, and remember it. And it is really a fulfilling feeling to be able to do that. There is actually a really good reason to read; because, I can actually get enough information that is actually fun. Beforehand, I just wouldn’t do it because there wasn’t enough information that I got out of it. I always felt not quite as smart, even though, I had the capabilities to do a lot more processing.”-JT

Age 51
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

Cinda, I will never forget how you opened my eyes and taught me how to read and retain.

FYI: I graduated from Andrews (University) with a masters degree in May, with honors, and I want to thank you. I think the work you are doing is valuable and has given those who are visual a chance to see…The mind’s eye is a technique that works, but I rarely think about it today–It just happens. . . QP

10^th Grader
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

     A 10th grader came to me for help. She was having such a difficult time with math and reading. When testing her comprehension, she wasn’t even at 1st grade reading level. At the end of the week, she was at 9th grade reading level. (She may have been higher, but the testing I used only tested to 9th grade.) This was an increase of eight grades.
     Before coming, she was not doing well in school. Her mother said now she was getting all A’s except in Math. She is still struggling with that, but getting B’s. She may need a correction for dyscalculia. (It is not uncommon for a client to struggle with more than one issue–dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (math), dysgraphia (writing), ADD/ADHD (focusing). If the child is dyslexic, I first do a correction for that. Sometimes the others issues clear up. Sometimes, I have to go in and do additional programs.
      I think the greatest success was how she felt about herself. Before coming to me, she thought she was stupid. Once she received her orientation point, she was so excited. As she put it, “I now have two brains.” The point allowed her to see her letters in 2-D rather than 3-D, thus making reading easier. She cried when she first found out she was dyslexic, but by the end of the program she was so thankful for her “gift”. She even gave a class presentation on her “gift”.

8^th grader, Age 14
Program: Davis^® Attention Mastery

The mother was very excited about the program. She said she is already seeing great results since we finished the program. Her son had two main goals: to remember things and to be able to organize his spaces (room, his life, and his mind). Those goals were accomplished.

12^th grader
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

     The young man was struggling with reading. He told his parents he wanted to go to college, and he needed help. He knew he was smart, but school was such a struggle. The parents talked with the guidance counselor at their school. He gave them my brochure.
     The student tested at 2^nd grade reading comprehension before the program. Afterwards, he was at 9^th grade and above. (My assessment only tested to 9^th. He was able to read and comprehend college level books at the end.) He did great in school and loved his tools. He now has time for other things in his life besides homework.
     His mother saw so much improvement in him that she sent her younger son to me as well. The mother was very diligent in doing the follow-up. She did not find the claying hard but very enjoyable.

12^th grader
Program: Davis Dyslexia Correction^®

A mother took two children through the program. They were in high school. Her daughter struggled with school the most. She tested at 2nd grade comprehension. At first, she had no interest in coming for the program. However, the school let her know that if her grades did not improve by Christmas she would not be graduating. I asked her what she had to lose in trying the program. At the end of the week, she was comprehending college level reading materials.
She was so dedicated to doing this program that she had more than half her words clayed in the three weeks after the program and before school started. (There are 219 words to clay.) I went and worked with the staff at her boarding academy to do the follow-up with her. The school continued the claying with her. She still came for visual math and visual Latin tutoring when home on breaks. She had passed the school requires and graduated with A’s. She was even accepted into the college of her choice.

Professional services described as Davis®, including Davis Dyslexia Correction®, Davis Symbol Mastery®, Davis Orientation Counseling®, Davis® Attention Mastery, Davis® Math Mastery, and Davis® Reading Program for Young Learners may only be provided by persons who are trained and licensed as Davis Facilitators or Specialists by Davis Dyslexia Association International.