We proudly present
Our
amazing
speakers
Thomas West
Author (English)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st – 20.30 CET
We are very happy that Thomas G. West is one of our speakers this year. He is the author of the bestsellers ‘In the Mind’s Eye’ and ‘Thinking Like Einstein’. West’s first book came out 25 years ago, he was way ahead of his time.
His recently published book, ‘Seeing What Others Cannot See’, is also very inspiring and not only describes the extraordinary achievements of dyslexic people (and people with other labels), but also reveals their enormous potential. So essential in the new digital age, where traditional and academic skills are becoming less and less important, while the ability to visualize, recognize patterns and have a creative and problem-solving ability is rapidly increasing in value in the global economic marketplace. Thomas West will elaborate on this during his lecture ‘A new world shaped by dyslexics’.
Mark Mieras
Science journalist, author,
speaker and dyslexic (Dutch)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1st – 19.00 CET
Mark Mieras is dyslexic and a science journalist and best known as the author of ‘Is That Me?’ and ‘Love’. These widely read books give a revealing and at the same time recognizable image of our flexible brain. Mieras graduated cum laude in theoretical physics and is an enthusiastic and much sought-after speaker. During the WEEK OF DYSLEXIA Mark will guide his online audience into his findings on the fascinating dyslexic brain with its challenges and skills.
dr. Sally Shaywitz
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd – 19.00 CET
Sally E. Shaywitz, M.D. is the Audrey G. Ratner Professor in Learning Development at Yale University and Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. She is a world renowned scientist and dedicated, compassionate physician who is devoted to bringing ground-breaking scientific advances to benefit dyslexic children and adults.
Dr. Shaywitz is the author of the award-winning, best-selling book Overcoming Dyslexia which has just been released as a completely revised and updated second edition (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2020).
The first edition of Overcoming Dyslexia has sold over 400,000 copies and has helped tens of thousands understand their dyslexia and know they can be dyslexic and very smart. This new second edition of Overcoming Dyslexia is filled with compassion and empathy while sharing with the reader the latest cutting edge 21st century scientific advances in dyslexia and providing very practical approaches and specific interventions for parents and educators. Dr. Shaywitz’s will tell us more about some of the topics included such as: ground-breaking screening for and diagnosing dyslexia; turning struggling readers into proficient readers; choosing a school; details about the treatments for common comorbid, highly impactful conditions (anxiety and ADHD); and finally, the personal stories of highly accomplished dyslexic adults and how they did it.
Carolien Poels
Teacher English, dyslexia expert (Dutch)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2nd – 20.30 CET
Carolien Poels is an English language coach and tutors dyslexic high school and university students from her office, the Dyslexia Academy. Her own struggles at school and her fascination with the English language are the reasons that Carolien became a language coach, in particular for dyslexic children.
She created an innovative method that enables her to offer these children the English language and its grammar in a way that suits their learning style.
Last year Carolien gave a very successful presentation during Dyslexia Day, with which she inspired and gave hope to many parents, teachers and dyslectics. That is why we think it is important to invite her again this year during Dyslexia Week to reach even more people with her message: ‘You can really learn English if you’re dyslexic, with the right tools and step-by-step plans. My students prove this time and again!
Nel Hofmeester
Dyslexia expert, author (Dutch)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4th – 19.00 CET
Nel Hofmeester is the ‘founding-mother’ of the Week of Dyslexia. Immediately after graduating in Dutch Language and Literature at the University of Amsterdam (1983), Nel specialized in dyslexia and functional illiteracy. Dyslexia occurs frequently in her family. Not Nel though and so she was able to help many family members. She realized early on that every dyslectic is different and needs his or her own learning style. Over the years, Nel has developed major education curricula for students and educational staff alike, in addition to supervising dyslexic students at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her goal is to help people discover what their qualities are and how they can best use them in their studies.
At the end of last year Nel, in collaboration with Irene Besnard-van Baaren and Kees van den Bos, translated and edited the book Positive Dyslexia by Prof. Roderick Nicolson. It was published under the title: ‘Dyslexie360 – Een totaalplaatje’ (Dyslexia360 – A total picture), containing scientific evidence that dyslexia is a talent diversity with weaknesses as well as strengths. ‘Dyslexie360 – De Praktijk’ is scheduled to be published in 2021. In this publication, Nel and her team look at the meaning of talent diversity at the various stages of life, from infancy to the time one starts to learn, study, work, enter into relationships and perhaps have children.
Exclusively for Dyslexia Week, Nel will update you on the contents of this book, including for each chapter: a typical feature of the stage of life in question, what you encounter when you are dyslexic, the dos and don’ts and good practice.
drs. Linda Peperkoorn
Relations- en behavior expert (Dutch)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4th – 20.30 CET
Linda Peperkoorn, founder of Met Peper Graag Kids, is a relationship and behavioral expert and the imperfect mother of a bilingual family. For years she has been supporting families and especially parents in improving the relationship with their child.
In this way she teaches parents how best to address each child without that pressure, resistance or conflict. Through talent-oriented communication and systems thinking she teaches families how to discuss problems and frustrations together and how to make use of talent. To build strong, loving bridges to each other. Because as she says: “the other is not difficult. That other person is different from you and that is difficult”.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 5th
TOGETHER FOR
EMPOWERMENT
by: Balans, Impuls & Woortblind and HOI Foundation
TOGETHER FOR EMPOWERMENT
Marc Lammers is dyslexic and an innovative coach. With a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics he achieved his greatest sporting success as national coach of the Dutch women’s hockey team.
In business, Marc is best known for his innovative way of thinking and his statements, the most famous perhaps being: “where there is a crisis, there is an opportunity”.
In his presentations Marc often speaks of his dyslexia as giving him a unique perspective on things. On Monday the 5th of October he will open the special free event that HOI, Balans and Impuls & Woortblind are organizing together, with a power talk as only a top coach can!
PROGRAM
19.00 Marc Lammers (DUTCH)
20.30 Start Breakout sessie 1
21.00 Start Breakout sessie 2
Mariska Cornelissen
communication scientist, coach and author (Dutch)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6th – 19.00 CET
Mariska Cornelissen is a communication scientist, coach and author. As a mother of two dyslexic children, she knows first-hand what the emotional challenges are for dyslectics.
Mariska is one of the first in the Netherlands to be certified by Professor Brené Brown as trainer of the coaching programs Daring Way™ and Dare to lead™. Brené Brown’s TED Talk
with 50 million views, is one of the most watched TED Talks ever. Worth taking a look!
Mariska is the author of the book ‘Still Standing’, published last year. A book about how to stay on your feet when you’re close to burn-out. To learn more about her activities visit her website www.indemoedmetmaris.nl
In this special online session Mariska deals with issues such as courage, vulnerability, belonging, shame and empathy in the light of living and learning to live with dyslexia. A presentation not to be missed
dr. Maryanne Wolf
Director of the newly created Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice, University van California (English)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6th – 20.30 CET
The wonderful Maryanne Wolf is an internationally recognized teacher, researcher, and author of over 130 publications, such as the book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain. Dr. Maryanne Wolf has dedicated her entire professional career to children with learning challenges. scholar, a teacher and an advocate for children and literacy around the world.
She is the Director of the newly created Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Previously she was the John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service and Director of the Center for Reading and Language Research in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University.
In her presentation during the Week of Dyslexia she will give you an inside in the complexity of the reading brain and the fascinating brain of dyslexic people.
Dean Bragonier
Founder NoticeAbility and ‘Executive Dyslexic’ (English)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7th – 19.00 CET
We’re glad Dean Bragonier is joining us again this year. Dean is dyslexic, entrepreneur and founder of the non-profit organization NoticeAbility (no-disability of notice-ability). With universities such as Harvard and Boston University, NoticeAbility is developing unique educational programs, the first of which (with the theme ‘entrepreneurship and innovation’) is now also being introduced in the Netherlands by HOI Foundation.
The teaching programs do not focus on learning to read and write, but rather on discovering the dyslexic powers in order to strengthen self-confidence.
“People with dyslexia are a unique tribe of talented, compassionate people. But because it is impossible to determine who has dyslexia by appearance alone, we must come together to identify our tribal members. WEEK OF DYSLEXIA conference will provide each of us with the opportunity to rejoice in our strengths and companionship.”
Chiquita Welmerink
Trainer/coach (Dutch)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7th – 20.30 CET
Chiquita Welmerink, originally a lawyer, is specialized as a trainer, coach and mediator in helping to solve conflicts. And with no settlement, but solutions with which you are truly satisfied. Chiquita is known for the fact that she knows how to share and convey her expertise and passion in an inspiring way.
She will show you how to take the sting out of it, to create room for a real solution. And you don’t need the other party there, even though you think you do.
Parents and teachers want the best for their child/student. Each in his or her own way. Sometimes it goes very well and you get results. Your child enjoys going to school. And sometimes it doesn’t work, you feel it doesn’t flow anymore. Something is going on. Chiquita shows you during this lecture you can open up the lines of communication between you as a parent and your child’s teacher and achieve the best for your child.
WEEK OF
DYSLEXIA
BUSINESS
EVENT
OCTOBER 8th | hosted by
ABN AMRO
HOI Foundation
WEEK OF DYSLEXIA
BUSINESS EVENT
October 8th | 16:00 CET
The power of thinking
out-of-the-box
Organized by HOI Foundation and ABN AMRO
Represented by Hella Hueck Journalist FD
Opening by the talented and dyslexic poet laureate
Gershwin Bonevacia
Geust.
Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten Entrepreneur, owner TNW
Hennie van der Most Entrepreneur
Sabine Content Directer Corporate, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)
