Dyslexic Advantage Leadership and Educational Talks

Dyslexic Advantage organizes one-of-a-kind cross-disciplinary conferences that bring together accomplished adult dyslexics, and non-dyslexic educators, researchers, and non-profit organization leaders to share ideas, information, and resources, and foster collaborations that will fundamentally change programs and researchers for the entire field. At our first Conference on Dyslexia and Talent in Norwalk CT, over 70% of the attendees were dyslexic. It created an amazingly positive and supportive environment. It contrasted with most other dyslexia conferences where non-dyslexic professionals dominate, and the disability framework dominates. The list of accomplishments from this conferences is long and growing: collaborative researcher projects, and researchers who found new funders, a New York Times opinion editorial written by a young attendee (Defining My Dyslexia), videos of speakers from the conference that have been seen by over 60,000 people, organization leaders that initiated new collaborations or intiatives to emphasize the positive side of dyslexia, a new teachers series to teach poetry and personas to teachers of dyslexic students, and non-profit organizations who recruited new board members and supporters. Most importantly, lives were changed. Many individuals wrote of a new sense of confidence, self-acceptance, and self-understanding. Many also made new dedications to help the greater dyslexic community in their own ways. Professional members of Dyslexic Advantage also give talks to parents, teachers, students, and professionals about dyslexia and dyslexic talents and abilities. They have given keynote and symposium talks for groups such as the Learning Disabilities Association (National Meeting), International Dyslexia Association Annual Meeting, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists, and teacher training and inservices for groups like the Stanford Graduate School of Education.