We’ve put together a selection of helpful articles from Read and Spell to give you a starting point for understanding dyslexia. These resources cover what dyslexia is, strategies for spelling, and tips for improving reading accessibility.
Dyslexia is a specific learning difference that can affect an individual’s ability to break words down into their component sounds. This, in turn, affects reading and spelling ability and may result in them needing extra time and/or classroom and workplace accommodations to achieve the same results as peers. However, dyslexia is not a measure of intelligence, it is just a different way of processing in the brain – and it is also associated with some positives!
Everyone has difficulty with spelling from time to time. You might make a mistake when you use a word infrequently, or have trouble reporting a word’s spelling verbally when you’re put on the spot. These are common issues for a few reasons. One is that spelling is something we usually do in writing - delivering this information in another modality can be awkward. Two, spelling is information that we store in the brain as procedural knowledge.
Best fonts for dyslexia - A font is a formal set of text characters, including letters, numbers, and punctuation, created by a graphic designer in a particular style. Not all fonts are equal, and some typefaces may be more or less accessible for readers with visual impairments, visual processing disorders, and dyslexia. For example:
Dyslexie – designed specifically to make letters more distinct for dyslexic readers.
OpenDyslexic – also created to support people with dyslexia by emphasizing letter shapes.
Lexend – a font designed to reduce visual stress and increase reading speed. Its spacing and letter forms help readers with dyslexia follow lines of text more easily and improve comprehension.
Other factors, such as letter spacing, word spacing, line spacing, font size, text color, and background, can also significantly impact readability and reading speed.
Dyslexia is a common learning difference that can affect reading, spelling, and writing, but with the right strategies and tools, people with dyslexia can succeed in school, work, and everyday life. Exploring resources, experimenting with accessible fonts, and using supportive techniques can make reading more comfortable and efficient.
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