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The tips were taken from guidance given by the British Dyslexia
Association and the Basic Skills Agency. For further details
visit www.bdadyslexia.org.uk.
These tips apply equally to making reading easier for both
dyslexics and non-dyslexics of any age.
1. Writing style
- write in short simple sentences, rather than long sentences
of explanations. Advice
on calculating a SMOG readability level
- be conscious of where sentences begin. Starting a new
sentence at the end of a line makes it harder to follow.
- try to call the reader 'you'. Imagine they are sitting
directly opposite you and you are talking to them directly.
- give instructions clearly.
- stop and think before you start writing. Be clear what
it is you want to say.
- use short words where possible.
2. Presentation
- use a sans serif font such as Arial or Comic Sans.
- use a minimum point size of 12.
- use a mixture of lower case and capitals, rather than
capitals alone.
- use coloured paper instead of white. Cream or off-white
provides a good alternative.
- matt paper, which reduces glare, is preferable to glossy.
- limit lines to 60-70 characters. Lines that are too long
or short can put strain on the eyes.
- use line spacing between paragraphs to break up text.
- use wide margins and headings.
3. Accommodating text-reading software
- use full stops after headings to make the voice pause
and drop in tone.
- use semi-colons, commas or full stops after bullet points
in order to separate each point.
- number menu items to aid navigation.
- don't write words purely in capital letters as they may
be read as single letters.
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