We are committed to driving action and meaningful change for the estimated one in ten New Zealanders with dyslexia. Dyslexia’s greatest difficulty is self-esteem – it only becomes a disability if not appropriately addressed. On the flipside, dyslexia can deliver great creative gifts, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Dyslexic individuals tend to think in pictures rather than words, receiving and retrieving information in a different part of the brain to neurotypical, word-based thinkers. Dyslexia can also affect more than words alone, impacting skills such as auditory and information processing, planning and organising, motor skills, short-term memory and concentration.

Successfully addressing dyslexia is based on recognition, understanding and action, and DFNZ’s work is focused in these areas.