When you read, do the letters move?

Question

Look at the letters and tell me if they are moving. If so we need to try another method of learning to read.

Answer 1

This can be a symptom of dyslexia. I have taught classes in special education in dyslexia in a pull-out program called R.I.P. I have also worked with students in regular classes with dyslexia on a consulting or tutoring basis. The overlays and rulers/cards are methods that work with many students. There are glasses that are made to help adults and children stop words from "swimming". Usually kids don't like them because they are noticeable, but a famous news broadcaster in Houston, Marvin Zindler, wore them and he couldn't say enough about how they changed his life. Other ideas are to change the color of the background on computers, tablets, Kindles, etc. I like black background/white letters, but I find students like yellow or grey backgrounds. They can also hold or tape their colored overlays onto their monitors. There are trained professionals that can help with overlays, such as colors, multiple colors or texture. Some students like 3x5 cards with a word size hole in the middle that helps isolate the word they are reading from all other words. We used to teach our students with dyslexia to write in cursive using all 4 learning modalities. They are lots of ideas out there that you can try. Hey--how about an expert tutor! Like me!

Answer 2

After working in a remedial based program for students with learning disabilities, predominantly dyslexia, I have found that remediation does not work most of the time, especially when a student is both dyslexic and also has another disability. Also, many students, not all, but many people with dyslexia are quite gifted! So seeing perfectly capable 12th graders still working in kiddie elementary level books broke my heart. They just learn differently and we need to stop trying to reform people with dyslexia to catch up with same age peers. While there are some people who found help with remediation, I do not think that it is helpful to most people in my experience. The problem is not that these students need to play catch up, the problem is that our education is teaching them all wrong to begin with.

Answer 3

Hi! Not sure if you'll see this. YES...they can move, dance, sway, and change positions. Dyslexia is neurobiological. Dyslexics think predominantly with their brain's right hemisphere. There is less activity in the left-parietal and left-occipital - temporal lobes.

Answer 4

I would increase the print size of the text as well as use a ruler placed underneath the line of the text as it is read. This helps to guide the eyes as you are reading.

Answer 5

We need to try and used a color overlays or sheets to find out what color works for the student to help the letters stay in one place. This will help in comprehension and functional parts of learning to read.