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Dyslexie is a font that is altered in a way that lets people with dyslexia read better. It was developed by Netherland graphic designer Christian Boer while in college to help combat his own dyslexia. Although Dyslexie is a huge step in dyslexia research, it is not a cure for dyslexia. In Christian Boers’s words it is simply “like a wheelchair” to help dyslexics function, and it makes each letter significantly unique . The typeface of Dyslexie is created with the notion that the English twenty-six lettered alphabet is very similar, thus more confusing for people with dyslexia. Dyslexie puts more emphasis on the parts of the letter that are different from each other.

Creation

Christian Boer created Dyslexie while he was attending the University of Twente in 2008 while he was majoring in graphic design. After struggling for so long with dyslexia, he decided to design a font that would make it easier for people with dyslexia to read .

In an interview, Boer stated that he came up with the font after a hard final he was studying for. He needed a way to be able to keep the words from spinning around, a symptom often reported in dyslexics. He needed to find a way to tie them down because he saw them as three dimensional objects, and it was not something he could just stop doing. Boer related this to the way we think in words: dyslexics cannot stop seeing letters differently as non dyslexic people cannot stop thinking in words .

The Font

Dyslexie works by altering the way the letters appear. Since some people with dyslexia may see letters either moving or in three dimensions, the bottom of the letter is usually emphasized so gravity will keep it anchored . Since dyslexics tend to get b, d, p, and q mixed up, it also emphasizes a slight slant downwards on the curvature of the letters. Letters such as c or e may gape slightly more, or slump slightly in one direction. Also, in letters such as n or h, the font slightly elongates or diminishes the stem on the letters. So the letter h would have a longer line, and n would have a lower line. In addition, the font also thickens or bolds capital letters and punctuations, so as it is easier to identify when a sentence starts or ends .

There are other fonts to help dyslexics out there, including but not limited to, Gills Dyslexic and Lexia Readable . Most of these fonts are very similar to on another, but some minor differences are noticeable. Dyslexics seem to prefer Dyslexie because it has more exaggerated letters, and has more scientific research done about it .

Using Dyslexie

To help improve the results of Dyslexie, some simple accommodations can make a difference. The paper should be thick enough so as the other side does not show though. When paper is thin and print from the opposite side is visible, it can seem like there are more letters than there really is. In addition to thicker paper, matte paper rather than paper with a shiny finish can greatly help a person with dyslexia read, and one should avoid digital processing because that can make the paper shiny too. White paper should also be avoided, as it can be too “dazzling.” It would be better to use cream or a pastel color instead. Often times a person with dyslexia has their own paper color of choice, and that should be used. Underlining and Italics can also be confusing, instead try bolding what you need to emphasize .

To help dyslexics read, there are also some tendencies in writing to avoid. ALL CAPITOL BLOCK LETTERS should be avoided, as well as long narrow columns, like in newspapers. In addition to avoiding columns, paragraphs should be not be long and dense, but should instead be more broken up.

Other fonts that can help people with dyslexia read are Gill Dyslexic and Lexia Readable . These fonts have the same principles as Dyslexie, and very much similar, however Dyslexie seems to be the more favorable font by scientists and dyslexics.

In School

In school, in addition to using a special font, teachers can help students with developmental disorders such as dyslexia by simply altering a few practices .

In Class

Teachers can make sure the student knows what is going on by checking what they have written down, and keeping a visual schedule, i.e. for P.E.time, have a picture of a baseball bat. Encouraging good organizational skills is also recommended so the child with dyslexia can function better later in life. In addition to the altercations above, it is also recommended to use different colored chalk on the blackboard when writing down a lot of information. Giving out credit for effort also greatly increases a dyslexic child's self confidence .

Reading

In addition to a dyslexic font, don't ask a dyslexic child to read aloud unless they volunteer for it, s this can cause great stress for the individual. In some cases, an audiotape of the book may be appropriate to help the child fully understand the material. Lastly, don't ask the child to read anything above their reading level, as this can discourage them and regress in their learning.

Math

Since math has its own language, it can also be confusing to a child with dyslexia. When working on mathematics with a dyslexic child, make sure that the terminology is fully understood, i.e. add or subtract. Children with dyslexia may encounter problems with visual/spatial skills or short term memory. Patience and understanding is required to help the child get through the other problems they might have. Lastly, encourage the child to say out loud what they are doing, because it may help solidify the process.

Handwriting

As with any child, poor handwriting may be the effect of age or motor control, so teachers should be encouraging to any child that has difficulty with handwriting. It is also helpful to dyslexic students to keep a chart of what cursive letters look like and their corresponding print letters so the children do not get confused. In addition, improved handwriting skills can lead to improvements in self confidence.