Teaching the dyslexic
If your teaching materials are helpful to dyslexics, then they are most likely to be helpful to all those you teach.
Dyslexia friendly printed presentations
Dealing with the printed word is a nightmare for dyslexics. Many have great difficulties reading what is on the page, and when faced with surmounting academic texts presented in many diverse ways, this problem becomes even more pronounced. Poorly presented materials make the wealth of knowledge we share inaccessible to our dyslexic students.
When preparing teaching materials, therefore, it is helpful to adopt the “preferred do” found in this information sheet. If your materials are printed in-house, consider having them comb-bound. This makes it easier for individuals with manual dexterity problems to work with, and in general for scanning purposes.
Font (style)
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
Sans serif font such as - Arial - OHPs Comic Sans Verdana - OHPs |
Mix and match too many fonts Use a serif font |
| 14 point (12pt minimum) Powerpoint – 24 point OHPs – 30 point |
Smaller than 12 point |
Font (presentation)
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
| Left aligned, un-justified text |
Centred text – unless a heading or title |
| Double spacing (1.5 minimum) | Single spacing |
| Mix upper and lower case | ALL CAPITALS |
| Use boxes to emphasise or highlight important text | Bold Underline Italicise |
Colours
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
| Black print on buff (ivory) or light grey coloured paper PowerPoint slides – dark background with light text for a dark room and the reverse for a well-lit room Blue markers on white board |
Black print on white paper
PowerPoint – do not use red or green text |
| No more than two colours of font e.g. black and blue | Use lots of colour |
| Use matt finish paper | Laminated paper or use glossy finished paper |
Text presentation
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
| Meaningful chunks of 2 or 3 pieces of information Clear, consistent layout |
Continuous prose overloaded with too many words |
Headings and sub-headings Wide margin for annotation Clear line spacing between paragraphs Print on one side of the page |
Use paper less than 80grams |
Flowcharts or Mindmaps Bullet points or numbers – maximum of 6, particularly in PowerPoint slides |
Give important, notable information in continuous prose Illegible handwriting |
Language
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
| Clear, short sentences between 15-20 words; 60-70 characters | Hyphenate words to fill up line ends |
| Simple, straightforward language | Overuse of abbreviations |
| Glossary of terms, concepts and subject-specific abbreviations | New terminology in continuous prose without explanation |
Graphics
| The Preferred Do | The Preferred Don’t |
Present text and pictures separately |
Overlap text and pictures |
Diagrams, tables on separate page |
Overuse of text, pictures and diagrams on page |
| Horizontal, un-angled text, pictures or diagrams | Angled, moving or horizontal/vertical combination of text, pictures or diagrams |
Clear, visible text on diagrams or tables |
Overuse of animation |
| Present all bullet points on slide at the same time (PowerPoint) | One graphic detail dissolving into the next (PowerPoint) |
Handouts
Giving dyslexics handouts in advance of the lesson or lecture takes the
stress out of the note-taking situation. The short-term memory deficit associated
with dyslexia makes it difficult for dyslexics to listen and write at the
same time. Having handouts lets the dyslexic annotate key points, when necessary.
Key pieces of information
If possible, give your students a list containing diagrams, formulae, abbreviations,
key terminology and concepts on a separate handout. Take time to explain
this information at the beginning of the lesson, if it is a key element
of the subject being taught. Use simple, straightforward language when explaining.
Break information down into small chunks, using graphical images and/or
bullet points.
References
Copying or writing down references during lectures is almost impossible
for dyslexics. Give your students a copy of relevant references before the
lesson, presented in a clear, concise manner.
Making lessons accessible to the dyslexic, when verbally presenting
information
- Speak in a clear voice at an even pace
- Explain things clearly in simple, straightforward language, particularly when introducing new terminology
- Avoid using directional words – left, right, east, west (unless using visual aids to describe these)
- Present information in an association sequence
- Orally present information in small units – 2 or 3 pieces of information at a time, and preferably in bullet points
- Present key words, dates, names, terminology clearly
- Highlight key information at the beginning of a lecture, particularly when presenting new material
- Relate information to previous knowledge to ensure that concepts are clear, and that new information is accommodated in a learning framework
- Repeat information in different ways
- Give students time to record key information
- Try to write things in small chunks, preferably in bullet points
- Verbally explain to students as you write on the board
- Frequently provide an oral summary
- Summarise and repeat key information before the end of the lesson
If you do not like questions from students during your lessons, allow time
towards the end of the session for this purpose. The information you provide
in this slot will help all those you teach, not just those with dyslexia.
Introduction
Sub-types of Dyslexia
Common manifestations of dyslexia
Dyslexics in Education
Teaching the dyslexic