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Dyslexia Text Styles

For the Dyslexic the ability to read, understand and then learn from printed information is sometimes adversely influenced by the manner or so called “style” in which that information is displayed on the page.

If you are Teacher, a Training Manager or working in Personnel or Human Resources, or even dealing with the public in Sales it’s worth remembering when circulating information to your target group that up to 10% could be Dyslexic.

If you want your message to get through you will need to consider the best way to allow Dyslexics to access that information. Here are few recommendations:

Basics

  • Font use Arial
  • Size, 12 to 14 point
  • Use lower case and avoid unecessary use of capitals
  • Paper, use a coloured paper cream or off white
  • Use matt paper to reduce glare back
  • Don’t use flimsy paper that allows text from over the page to show
         through

    Presentation

  • Don’t use over long sentences
  • Don’t use long paragraphs
  • Break the text into short readable blocks
  • Don’t start a new sentence at the very end of a line as this causes
         problems for the Dyslexic reader.
  • Use a minimum of 1.5 or 2 line spaces within the body of the text this will
         help the Dyslexic reader to scan the page more easily
  • Use Margins and Headings
  • Use Bold Print rather than Italic or Underline because these can blur text
         for the Dyslexic reader
  • Alternatively highlight important parts of the text by putting it in a Box
  • Use Bullet Points or Numbers in long text items to draw important items
         to the Dyslexic’s attention
  • Don’t use un-necessary hyphenation
  • Justify the text from the left as this again will help the Dyslexic scan the
         text more easily

    Writing Style

    We all have our individual style but here again for success in getting your message across the best rule to adopt is to keep it short and simple. Try to picture your Dyslexic reader sitting across the desk from you and then pitch and shape the words of your message accordingly as if communicating face to face. That visualisation should help you achieve the desired level of simplicity in your writing.

    Remember to avoid any room for error make all the instructions given in your text as clear as possible. If there are any complicated issues consider preparing a printed “hand out” summarising the points for Dyslexic readers.

    If you are teaching or lecturing then a pre-prepared lecture “hand out” will prove invaluable to the Dyslexic Student, even more so if the style embodies the principles already outlined.

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