Original Post: April 21, 2016
I recently discovered the Dyslexie font. This font was created by Dutch designer, Cristian Boer. Boer himself is dyslexic. People with dyslexia often confuse similar letters such as h and n, f and t, etc. The dyslexie letters have exaggerated stick and tail lengths and heavy base lines. There is also more space between the letters in a word. The first letters in each sentence are slightly darker so that one can easily distinguish the beginning of a sentence. The website is www.dyslexiefont.com
Victor Widdel designed a website to show how some people with dyslexia read. Some people with dyslexia say that the letters seem to “wiggle” on the page (http://www.upworthy.com/if-you-have-dyslexia-this-website-can-show-your-friends-what-reading-is-actually-like). I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for children with this problem to learn to read.
Coincidentally, right after I heard of this font, and looked at Widdel’s website, I arrived at the home of a child that I tutor and saw that she had a book written in the dyslexie font. The book is titled Here’s Hank You Can’t Drink Meatballs Through a Straw by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver (you can google dyslexie font and find this and other books on various sites). The child’s mother said that when her daughter saw the print in the book, she said, “This is the first book that I can read.” As a matter of full disclosure, although this child is dyslexic, she does read well. Reading does not come easily for her, however. I asked her if the words “wiggle” on the page when she reads. She said yes, and then showed me, using the iPad, how letters would sometimes seem to move up the page and wind up in a different location.
I tried the font with a few of my students in my reading classes. I typed up some of their reading passages in the Dyslexie font. The first student I tried it with is a fifth grade girl who is reading two years below grade level. When she reads a third grade story (her reading level) she misses words that she knows. She will read “on” for “in.” She will read “that” for “its” and even “that” for “and.” These are all words she knows in isolation. She also skips lines and loses her place. I typed up a third grade story in the Dyslexie font. I also increased the font to 28. (I’ve increased fonts before to no avail). She read the passage with no errors. Now, do I think she could accurately read a fifth grade story in this font? No. She is still below grade level, but this font prevented those “careless” errors of words that she really does know. Preventing the misreading of little, known words can greatly enhance comprehension and fluency and enable the child to gradually increase the reading level.
I also tried with three third grade boys. They are all able to decode at grade level, but are not fluent. I explained what a font is. I asked them if they found the font to be easier, harder or the same. One boy whose reading is similar to the third grade girl (he misreads known words) said it was easier. One boy who I do not think is dyslexic said it was the same. One boy who is probably dyslexic said it was harder because there were more pages (unclear on the concept of “easy” to read). There were more pages because I increased the size a little and there is more space between letters with the dyslexie font.
I am curious to continue trying this font. I think it may be really helpful for those students who misread all those known words and who lose their place frequently. It will probably not be help for students who have problems saying and hearing (distinguishing) sounds in words. No student said it was harder to read (just “harder” to turn pages) so it cannot hurt to try.