ABOUT ME
Yolanda Gani
My journey into this field is deeply personal and transformative.
I am a passionate Dyslexia and Learning Support Specialist , currently pursuing my doctorate specializing in early identification and correction of Dyslexia.
I am a survivor of misdiagnosed dyslexia, ADD, and ASD. At the age of 39, I was finally diagnosed with dyslexia—something I discovered while searching for the right school and support for my daughter, who was also struggling in her early school years.
In Grade R, she was not ready to progress and only managed to move forward with additional support. A similar situation occurred in Grade 1—the same year I received my own diagnosis.
Suddenly, everything started to make sense. I began to understand how my brain processes information, and more importantly, how to help my daughter navigate her learning journey.
By the age of 8, she had undergone three full Psycho-Educational Assessments. One early (and incorrect) diagnosis claimed she had a low IQ and recommended she be placed in a special needs school. But I knew something didn’t add up. I kept her in mainstream education and continued with additional support (additional reading, occupational and speech therapy).
In Grade 3, we finally found a dyslexia specialist who diagnosed her accurately. A specialized IQ test for learners with dyslexia revealed a highly superior intellect—completely contradicting her earlier assessments. With the right support and tailored methods of learning, she flourished.
From Grade 4, she began achieving academic awards and ranked in the Top 3 of her mainstream class of 144 students, maintaining an average above 90%—all while living with dyslexia.