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Breaking Barriers: Grundtvig Learning Program

Valk&Uil: Dutch partner in European project (2010-2012)





Breaking Barriers wanted to break mental barriers to learning caused by negative experiences dyslectic adults have often had in their schooling, break barriers raised by conventional notions of learning, break barriers between learners and teachers (who are also learners), and lift the group members to an equal level, learning from each other.

The project aimed also to diversify the understanding of dyslexia as a problem into seeing also the possibilities it carries with a different way of processing information.

Problems caused by dyslexia are commonly acknowledged especially among school children. But among adults there are today often overlooked groups with hindrances in learning due to dyslexia.

The project Breaking Barriers has seeked to:


 - spread information about dylexia and diversity in ways of learning, also among adults,

 - spread information on the method, practices and results achieved with peer learning       groups,

 - assist teachers and other educational staff as well as the educational authorities and       administration in education, implementing and promoting the idea of peer learning groups       in their areas of work.

Cooperation Valk&Uil and DJI prison education

High incidence of dyslexia in prison


In the last decenium, Dutch adult education has been marginized and shattered. Formal education institutes don't have the capacity to cooperate in an European project.
But..... literature tells that maybe more than 50% of English prisoners are dyslexic (Dyslexia in Adults; Gavin Reid); Why not try to find our place in prison?
Mrs. Annet Bakker, (Dutch prison educator) runs into Jan van Nuland (Valk&Uil) at a dyslexia conference: The Dutch prison authority (DJI) accepts a cooperation.


Start of the project:
Den Bosch: September 30th and October 14th 2010


50 Dutch prison educators and librarians do particpate in a Valk&Uil workshop about the hidden possibilities of dyslexic detainees: Dyslexia has been known about its problems, but dyslexics also have unreiveiled qualities. How to support to flourish them?

Peer learning 2010-2012: 20 teachers from 8 prisons involved


The Valk&Uil team (Mr. Jan van Nuland and Mrs. Jolanda van den Bergh) visits eight prisons and organizes three central meetings. Dutch prison educators and librarians are employed by the prison organisation but there is no central regime. Mrs. Annet Bakker acts as a go between: the prison education contact person. Mrs. Manja ter Horst is the librarians contact person. Both do support the project very much.

The Breaking Barriers Dutch Regional Seminar: April 3rd 2012


The DJI has agreed to support the project regional seminar. In this time Dutch prison policy introduces a new regime: the managing director of this innovation (Rutger Krabbendam) invites Valk&Uil to introduce a structural approach to support dyslexics: a 6 lessons course to empower the literacy of dyslexic detainees. Three prisons and 8 prison educators and 4 librarians are involved. The secretary general of Justice and Prisons: mrs Dineke ten Hoorn Boer is present at the Breaking Barriers seminar to signal the start the Dutch dyslexia pilot.

Breaking Barriers Regional Seminar presentations

Nieuwersluis - DJI vergadercentrum - the Netherlands



The start of the pilot project was formally confirmed by a speech of Mrs. Dineke ten Hoorn Boer: the Director-General Youth and Sanction Application of the Dutch Ministery of Justice.

The Breaking Barriers program aimed at dyslexic adults in general. Prison education only was the focus point of the Dutch participation. But, by coincidence, the Finish partner FINDER introduced the results of 3 year Helsinki prison investigation for learning difficulties during the first regional seminar in Helsinki. Also the Estonian partner, Pedagogic department of the University of Talinn, had tight connections with prison education. During the third regional seminar in Talinn, we have visited the old (sovjet based) Talinn prison. In doing research, Jan van Nuland came in contact with Jacky Hewitt Main. She happened to be a dyslexic volunteer in an English prison. She just had finished a remarkable 1 1/2 year project.

(Please find the information on the speeches under the subject titles:)

Seminartitle: "Dyslexia in detention" ,
9:30 Program and Announcements
Thea van Kemenade (Chair)
9:35 Opening speech and start of Dutch Dyslexia Pilot 2012 - 2013
Dineke ten Hoorn Boer, Director-General Youth and Sanction Application
9:50 Project Breaking Barriers
Eeva Siirala (projectleader)
10:00 Dutch initiative to support dyslectic prisoners
Annet Bakker, Education Coordinator
10:20 Incidence of dyslexia in detention
Jan van Nuland (Valk&Uil)

11:00 Coffee break

11:15 Free from learning difficulties
Mirva Gullman, The Probation Foundation Helsinki Finland
12:00 Dyslexia screening
Eeva Siirala, Finish Diverse Learners' Association FINDER


12:30 Lunch

13:30 Juggling experiment
Wichert van Bethlehem prison educator
13:50 Chelmsford Prison experiences
Jacky Hewitt-Main, English dyslexia specialist
14:50 SIBL: ICT tools for learning in the cell
Cees Bak, ICT in prison specialist
15:20 Pear Learning for dyslectics: examples of a training method
Giacomo Cutrera, Italian dyslexia specialist
15:50 Closure
Eeva Siirala and Jan van Nuland


16:00 Music and drinks