Elisheva Schwartz grew up knowing she was a different learner. In Part I of our interview, she describes her early journey with dyslexia and how the internet—in a very short amount of time—has changed our understanding of this learning difference for the better.
In Part II, Elisheva discusses one of her first sources of inspiration on the internet that prompted her to learn more about dyslexia and its social, biological, psychological and cognitive parameters. Project Eye to Eye began in 1998 as a program at Brown University that paired LD and ADHD college students with elementary children from an elementary school in Providence, RI. The Brown students acted as mentors to the children who had similar diagnoses to their own. This mentor/mentee program focused on helping the children, guided by their older peers, to develop creative solutions to assist in their learning—with an emphasis on viewing their learning disabilities as strengths, not weaknesses.
To learn more about Jonathan Mooney, one of the founding members of Project Eye to Eye, check out: http://www.jonathanmooney.com/
And to learn more about the types of assistive technologies available for dyslexics and others with learning differences, Elisheva offers a free guide on her web site, available here: http://www.elishevaschwartz.com/freeguide
In Part III, Elisheva discusses her process of selecting interviewees and one of her favorite interviews. Over the last two years, Elisheva has talked to a number of leading experts and researchers, including Dr. Brock Eide, author of The Dyslexia Advantage and Dr. Mark Leary, director of Duke University’s Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center, to name a few.
Finally, Elisheva talks about what’s next in her personal dyslexia quest.