For those of you who experience dyslexia, even reading this article can be frustrating. For those of you who are attending college, or are already out in the workforce, dyslexia can prevent you from performing your job at the same pace as coworkers, or from studying as effectively as your peers. But there is some good news... while dyslexia can be frustrating and hold you back from the potential to succeed that you know you have in you, we have the ability to trick our own minds into functioning a little more effectively.
1. Use audio books. Whenever possible, and if available, use audio books to help supplement your reading for better comprehension. While different causes of dyslexia exist, most of the time it has to do with your brain tricking your eyes (to put it very unscientifically), but hearing the words helps with comprehension as well as speed. If you are dyslexic you will know how long it takes to complete an assignment where you are required to read a lengthy amount, and that's often the most difficult part. Audio books will also help with the time it takes to complete a reading. This is not to say you should replace all reading with audio books either, especially when you won't be able to have your exams read to you.
2. Use educational videos to reinforce your learning. Sometimes reading the description of something is not as helpful as you think it might be. Whether it be for history, a physical science, psychology, business, or whatever else you decide to study - ask a professor if they recommend any videos to help further explain a topic. Seeing visuals and hearing a narrative may prove to be a useful tool to help you remember your material more effectively.
3. Study in groups and vocalize questions. Another useful tool is discussing material with classmates, peers, or professors. Being able to map out material in your head rather than studying with notes written on paper, being able to remember a good discussion can be really helpful.
4. Try a "dyslexic font." Fonts created for people with dyslexia are a fairly recent tool. The idea is that each letter is formatted with slight variations from the letters it most resembles to make reading easier. I personally use the free download of Dyslexie, but there are many more available for free download. I find it to be helpful when I am writing a paper and need to edit, then prior to turning an assignment in, I change the font back to whatever the professor prefers. For more about the font please feel free to watch this TedTalk with Christian Boer, the creator of Dyslexie.
5. Don't put yourself in a dyslexic "box". It's okay to ask questions, and ask the same question a million times. Try not to get frustrated that it seems like an eon when you are reading a book. Don't feel embarrassed when your math equations come out to the wrong answer because you switched some numbers around. Don't panic when it comes to exams, ask your professors if you can have a little extra time to read your questions, most are beyond accommodating. Dyslexia poses its challenges to those who experience it, but we also get the interesting job of figuring out what helps us learn best and we most often find it in the most creative of ways!
