10. Dean Bragonier and Noticeability: The man, the model and the need
Angela Fawcett1* and Dean Bragonier2
1 Editor in Chief, Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, Singapore
2 Executive Dyslexic, NoticeAblility, USA
Preface
In preparing this article, as first author I am conscious that it may not fit with some people’s definition of an academic article, because only positive assessments of Noticeability are provided here. Let me fill you in on the background. Dean Bragonier was invited to present his work in this journal but was unable to deal with the quantity of writing because of his dyslexia, and opted to give the journal an interview instead. This approach instantiates that adopted by his company NoticeAbility, which deliberately moves young adolescents away from reading and writing, where they struggle, to a workshop format working on projects in small groups, where they can show leadership, teamwork and demonstrate their strengths. This type of research approach is proving remarkably successful these days with an emphasis on the whole child, executive function, including self-control, selective attention, cognitive inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility, (Diamond, 2013) as well as self-esteem, providing an environment where they can challenge themselves and show their strengths, with interventions targeting self-image in order to release the potential for success that may be hidden in these children. NoticeAbility works by including teaching staff as observers of the program, and involving parents, who may all be surprised by the confidence, motivation and effectiveness revealed. It is an approach that could be easily adopted by others, and evaluated more formally within a research setting. The article itself is designed to inspire further research of this type, as well as to offer an alternative to the many articles reflecting failure in this group. As such, it is intended to inspire the reader to consider the strengths in dyslexia, rather than focusing on dyslexia as a deficit, and provides justification from the research literature for the approach adopted.
Abstract
In this article the authors report an interview between Dean Bragonier, Executive Dyslexic of NoticeAbility, USA and Angela Fawcett, international researcher into dyslexia, and explore the research literature on strengths and weaknesses in dyslexia. The interview was motivated by a series of conversations between the authors, and proposed by Fawcett in order to explore the underlying motivation and rationale for the work of the NoticeAbility group in designing and delivering entrepreneurial curricula for middle school children with dyslexia, in order to highlight their strengths in this area. Inspired by the highly successful keynote presentation by Bragonier at Unite SpLD, 2021, incorporating his research, the article attempts to provide a vehicle to escape any perceived ongoing constraints of dyslexia on academic self-expression from Bragonier, showcasing his motivation and the success of the approach he has been able to adopt in improving the motivation and self-esteem of dyslexic children, and the impact of these programmes on their parents and teachers. His approach is illustrated by the work of his son Bodhi in the recent Magellan Campaign visit to the UK, analysing the impact of positive role models in dyslexia. The article concludes with a review of the Positive dyslexia movement and its impact on dyslexia support.