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The book
THE MISSION BEYOND WORDS
Autobiography By Michael Zarchin
Letters of Recommendation for Michael Zarchin's Autobiography
In his letter of recommendation for Michael Zarchin's autobiographical book, “The Mission Beyond Words”, former Israeli Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau comments “...Your rich experience is expressed in the book. I was primarily impressed with the professional approach that you developed." (complete letter)
In her letter of recommendation, Dr. Orna Ariel Lenchner comments “...Michael's history of reading and learning difficulties remained a secret, known only to his close family.... Only in the past decade of his life did he begin to actualize his life mission, to help youngsters like him. Recently, he took upon himself the courageous act of telling his personal story in the book: A Mission Beyond Words... Reading the book was heartbreaking, uplifting and astonishing. As a practitioner in the field of learning disabilities, several axioms in the field of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities were shattered....In his book, he reveals heart-tugging anecdotes about ingenious tricks he used to mask his disability and avoid being discovered....When I was first introduced to Michael he had been working as a Dyslexia specialist for seven years and was rapidly quickly gaining national and international recognition. After reading his book I was determined to see how he works...."
In her letter of recommendation, Dr. Varda Sharoni, Director of the Assessment Center Beit Beryl College comments:
“…Based on his personal experience, his therapy, and certainly his sensitivity, wisdom and wide ranging intelligence, developed his approach - Systematic Improvisation…”
Introduction from the book:
Dyslexia, from which I suffered for many years, and which I have overcome, has always occupied and interested me, but for a long time I ignored and repressed it. I cannot forget a young girl who approached me in the street and asked whether I was willing to donate money to Nitzan. She explained that this was an organization that supports children who suffer from incurable dyslexia, and therefore it was a Mitzvah to help them accept themselves and live with their difficulties. Of course I did not tell her that my mother was the founder of Nitzan. The girl's words permeated my heart. I looked at her young face and asked myself: How can I continue? Shouldn't I do something?
Dr Abelman, the renowned expert on learning disabilities from the USA, who had treated me with such devotion, also kept asking me why I did not reach out and treat children who suffered from dyslexia. I thought, inside myself, that the fact that I was dyslexic until adulthood did not mean that I had the knowledge and ability to help others. Dr Abelman disagreed, and believed that the required insights were hidden within me, and that one day I would discover them.
Over the years, I became connected to my faith, and during the eighties was fortunate to become close to the Lubavitcher Rebbi and his Habad doctrine. I became deeply attached to him, and corresponded with him on various issues related to my life. Among other things, I told him of my suffering in my youth when I was diagnosed as having a learning disability. In one of his letters, the Rabbi told me I had to put my story in writing, and even gave me his blessing. Unfortunately, I did nothing about this.
The shift in my approach took place when I happened to meet Oshi, a talented artist and stage performer, who told me about his difficulties as a dyslexic. After we got to know each other, I told him I was able to help him. Oshi laughed, saying: “How are you better than all the other experts who have tried to help me, without any success?” I wondered: Maybe Oshi was right and I was just wasting my time? Perhaps my secret, which I had managed to hide for decades, would be revealed? So I added: “I don't care who has tried to help you and how. I know I can help you. Try me”. Oshi accepted the challenge.
This was the first time I treated someone other than myself. I felt, in my entire soul, that my whole experience from early childhood, alongside the expertise of Dr Abelman, who had helped me so much, would one day merge into an activity full of satisfaction and emotional power. Taking measured steps, I started helping another young man as well. Thus I found myself doing therapy.
As the days went by, I remembered meeting the volunteer from Nitzan. The Lubavitcher Rabbi's blessing also gave me no rest. I decided to tell my life story. Then I understood that if any of my readers would find healing and strength, even from one detail in the book – that would be my reward. This was the mission beyond words.
In light of the American law, and various studies about learning disabilities in general and dyslexia in particular, the Israeli Education system's circulars were updated. However, as Amala Einat, an expert on diagnosing and treating learning disabilities, says: “The latest circular on this subject (September 1996, Special Circular D, 5757) rather than contributing to a solution, added to the lack of clarity, confusion and hesitation regarding the disability itself. Its main sections were devoted, in principle, to the formal need for distinguishing diagnosis, and on the concrete level – to restricting the requests for accommodations in exams and the permits for this”.
The pressure of parents' associations, members of Knesset, professionals and media people, led, for the first time, at the end of 1997, to the establishment of an academic committee to examine this subject. In its conclusions, the committee stated that “there is a need for systematic follow-up of this phenomenon in general, especially in academia, and educators should be trained to treat it, to determine criteria for its diagnosis, and budgets should be devoted to these issues”.
However, unfortunately, the treatment of dyslexia is not satisfactory at all. Moreover, many believe that the restrictions of the disability must be accepted, since they cannot disappear, cannot change and cannot improve over time.
This opinion does not accord with my approach, with my difficult personal experience of overcoming my own disability, and with the extensive experience I have acquired in treating dyslexia,. I believe that it is possible to find a suitable cure for those who suffer from this disability.
I found assistance and support for my approach in Dr G.N. Getman, and his student, Dr Stanley Abelman, who helped me very much and devoted most of their time and energy to providing a root solution for their patients who suffered from dyslexia. Dr Getman created the Sight and Vision theory, whose main focus is the importance of vision in the child's cognitive development. Following his theory, he developed, already during the sixties, an innovative approach to diagnosing and treating learning disabilities in general, and dyslexia in particular. Dr Abelman, who at first worked together with Dr Getman, was able to implement his teacher's multifaceted treatment methods.
Professor Reuven Feuerstein also helps support my approach regarding the good chances of overcoming dyslexia. He developed the Mediating Learning Theory, whose center is a theory regarding people's cognitive-structural changing ability. In his book, Man as a Changing Entity, Professor Feuerstein states that: “Man is capable of acquiring not only quantities of knowledge or skills, but also new cognitive structures, through which areas that were not previously part of his knowledge and skills open up to him. This unique ability of man to change himself exists as an option. To realize it, an investment of effort and resources is required. But the option exists for any person, even when it is blocked by barriers that delay its realization”.
In fact, Professor Feuerstein adds, “Mediating Learning happens when between the learner and the world there is a figure with knowledge, experience and willingness, who mediates the world for him, makes it easier for him to understand and endows it with significance…”.
In this way, believes Professor Feuerstein, with the quality intervention of a human mediator, a significant change occurs: “A person who was considered unable to study, who was not able to speak, read, recognize things or use his intelligence, gradually acquires these abilities and becomes skillful”.
The book "The Mission Beyond Words" can be found at selective bookstores or be purchased directly from the author (to order click here)
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