Reading and writing is effortless for many people. But for Sanne de Wit (21) from Roden, words regularly form a jumble of letters. She has dyslexia and although that sets her challenges every day, she cannot be stopped. In the meantime she is even a language ambassador and she shares her experiences to help others.
“If you have dyslexia, your brain works slightly differently. It doesn’t mean you are less smart,” Sanne immediately emphasizes. According to her, there are still many persistent misunderstandings about this. “Dyslexia is not about intelligence, but about how your brain deals with language. It makes it difficult to read and spell words technically well.”
Sanne was diagnosed at a young age. “My parents realized it early. I think I was in group 4. After that it was actually found that I have dyslexia.” She received guidance, but he didn’t always match what she needed. “I did not think it was always good. It was difficult at school. The teacher cannot be with you one-on-one all the time. I understand that, but that often did not go well.”
The impact of dyslexia is still felt in her daily life. “If someone asks me to read something, I am already swallowing three times. It often doesn’t come out smoothly. I find that annoying. Sometimes I am ashamed, because at my age it is expected that all goes without saying.” Even simple things like Klokking are sometimes a challenge. “I can’t read the time on an analog clock, only on a digital one.”
Sanne has recently received support at the Taalhuis in the Roden library. It is a place where people work on their language skills, regardless of their level or background. “My mother saw an article in the newspaper and then I contacted. I now get a kind of tutoring. That one-on-one help is very pleasant. The focus is entirely on you and where you want help.”
Personal guidance has noticeably improved her reading skills. “First I read on one piece, without breaks. The points and commas were always difficult. That is going much better now.” What started as a help for herself, grew into a new role: language ambassador. “I’m going to companies to share my life experience. How I experience dyslexia, and how I deal with it in society.” By sharing her personal story, she also helps others to take the first step.
She does this during the week of reading and writing, in which attention is required for people with limited language skills. “Dyslexia is not something you have to be ashamed of. It happens to you, but you can really do something about it if you want. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of people who feel that they are being weird. That is why it is great that there is more attention now. I am happy that I can help people.”
Sanne gets inspiration from famous people who also live with dyslexia. “Not everyone knows it, but a big name like Albert Einstein had dyslexia, as well as Walt Disney.” Although dyslexia does not ‘pass’, practicing Sanne is essential. “I will always keep trouble with it, but it is important to maintain your language skills. If I don’t do that, I will notice that things are going less.”
Her message is clear: “Don’t let it stop. You just have to find your own way of dealing with dyslexia. And with the right help you can do much more than you think.”