We are really excited to be working towards achieving the New Zealand Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark (DFQM) as we recognise the importance of meeting the needs of learners with neurodiverse needs such as dyslexia.

The DFQM initiative was developed by Ako Aotearoa, a government-funded organisation which supports tertiary sector teachers, trainers, and educators. There are several standards to meet to achieve the DFQM including policies and procedures, but most importantly the organisation needs to have a learning environment that clearly welcomes dyslexic learners.

Dyslexia is a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but does not affect general intelligence. Dyslexic people are often highly creative and excel in many diverse areas. Famous actors - Robin Williams, Daniel Radcliff and Michael J Fox to name just a few, inventors such as Albert Einstein, Alexander Bell, and entrepreneurs – think Jamie Oliver, Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, all have dyslexia.

At Hagley Adult Literacy Centre we work alongside our learners to build on their strengths and to find ways to aid learning. One such tool is to use a coloured overlay when reading – simple but effective for many learners.

We’ll keep you up to date when we get our Quality Mark later this year!