Dyslexia Support South

Meet the team members and read about their experiences and expertise below.

Chris Cole – Learning Differences Advisor

Current Employment: Manages the programmes, Dyslexia Support South and Growing Stars, that are run by Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust. Chris also is a Learning Differences Specialist with her own business, Unique Minds. In all her roles she provides support to parents, caregivers and organisations with understanding and information on learning differences. This includes providing professional development workshops for organisations on understanding and managing learning differences and difficulties and completing assessments for indicators of learning strengths and weaknesses in literacy and numeracy using Lucid software.

Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce, SPELD Certificate in Specific Learning Disabilities (Level 5) and the National Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education, Vocational (Level 5). Chris is on the dyslexic spectrum herself and a mother of four boys, two of whom have been diagnosed with dyslexia, Irlen’s Syndrome and Auditory Processing Disorder.

Skills: Empathy and a unique insight to the difficulties faced by these learners, “having ‘been’ there I can support adults, parents, caregivers and children and advise Educators around ‘specific learning difficulties’.”

Co-founding member of what was ‘Learning with Difficulties’ (now renamed as Dyslexia Support South) support group in 2010.

Adele Hibbs – Consultant

Current Employment: Business owner - The Reading Room, Clinics, Coaching and Tutoring for all ages

Qualifications: Qualified in Kiwi Phonics and Irlens Screener and holds a NZIM Certificate in Business

Parent of two boys, one being Dyslexic and Grandmother of dyslexic grandchildren.

“As a consultant my goal is to try and help dyslexic adults, parents, children, educators and anyone else associated with learning avenues navigate through the developing awareness of dyslexia in Southland.”

Skills: Passionate campaigner for Disadvantaged Learners e.g Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, ADHD etc.

Co-founding member of what was ‘Learning with Difficulties’ (now renamed as Dyslexia Support South) support group 2010

Debra Hilborn - Consultant

Current employment: New Zealand Registered Occupational Therapist with a special interest in neurological and brain injury rehabilitation, cognition and sensory integration.

Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) mediator (FIE is a cognitive based programme that is designed to enhance the learning and thinking of all individuals.)
Mum to 3 children; one is hearing impaired, one is on the Autism Spectrum.

Skills: Assist with advocacy, particularly for parents trying to navigate health and/or educational supports for family members.

Kiri Scott – Consultant

Diploma in Illustration and Design and Practicing Artist

Certified mediator in Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE), basic (level 1 - ages 4-8)and standard (levels 1 - 3 - ages 9 – adults). FIE is a cognitive based programme that is designed to enhance the learning and thinking of all individuals.

I am also dyslexic myself and a mother of two dyslexic boys.

Skills: My passion is to help dyslexic children and those with different learning challenges access learning, so they can become independent learners and achieve to the best of their ability.