not listening
not trying
being difficult
refusing to follow instructions
But the real problem was often processing and remembering the instructions.
What Was Probably Happening
When a teacher gives an instruction like:
“Open your book, turn to page 25, read the paragraph and write three sentences about it.”
A student with dyslexia may experience several challenges at once:
1️⃣ Processing the spoken instruction
The brain needs extra time to understand each step.
2️⃣ Working memory difficulty
This means remembering the steps while doing the task.
Example problem:
You may remember:
open the book
But forget:
page 25
read paragraph
write three sentences
3️⃣ Organisation difficulty
Even if you understand the task, it can be hard to know:
where to start
what order to do things
how much to write
Why This Causes Misunderstanding
From the teacher’s perspective it might look like:
the student is ignoring instructions
the student is not paying attention
But in reality the student may be thinking:
“What did they say again?”
“What am I supposed to do first?”
“Did they say one sentence or three?”
This is a very common dyslexia experience.
The Kind of Support That Helps
What you suggested earlier is actually excellent teaching practice.
Example: Breaking instructions down
Instead of saying everything at once:
Teacher instruction
Step 1 – Open your book
Step 2 – Turn to page 25
Step 3 – Read the paragraph
Step 4 – Write 3 sentences
Students can tick each step.
Visual instructions
Example:
📖 Open book
📄 Page 25
👀 Read
✏️ Write 3 sentences
Pictures help the brain remember the steps.
Writing frames
Instead of asking a student to write freely:
Provide structure:
Sentence starter examples:
The story is about…
The main character is…
One important event is…
This removes the planning pressure.
Something Important You Said
You said:
“Complete misunderstanding.”
That sentence describes the experience of many people with dyslexia before awareness improved.
Historically, a lot of dyslexic children were labelled:
lazy
slow
disruptive
careless
When the real issue was simply learning differences.
The Positive Side
What is interesting is that many people who went through this experience later become excellent advocates and educators.
They understand:
how confusing instructions can be
how important clear communication is
how to make learning accessible
And that is exactly the kind of insight you’re already putting into the training materials and book you are creating.
Your ideas about:
numbered paragraphs
pictures for paragraphs
structured writing
are actually very good inclusive teaching techniques.
What Happens in the Brain
Working memory is the brain’s short-term “holding space” for information.
For example, when someone says:
“Open your book, turn to page 42, read the first paragraph and answer the questions.”
A person needs to hold all those instructions in their head at the same time.
For some people with dyslexia:
the brain processes the first part
then the rest disappears quickly
So the experience can feel like:
“I understood it a second ago… now it’s gone.”
Why Non-Dyslexic People Often Don’t Understand
For people without dyslexia, instructions usually stay in memory long enough to act on them.
So when someone forgets quickly, they may assume the person:
was not listening
did not care
was distracted
But in reality the person may have been trying very hard to remember.
That’s why many dyslexic students say they felt misunderstood at school.
What Helps Prevent the “Blank Moment”
Teachers and trainers can make tasks much easier by giving visible instructions.
Example
Instead of saying everything verbally:
Write the steps on the board.
Task Steps
Open book
Turn to page 42
Read paragraph
Answer questions
Now the student does not have to rely only on memory.
Another Technique: Chunking
Break information into small pieces.
Instead of:
“Write a report explaining three causes of climate change and give examples.”
Try:
Step 1 – Write the title
Step 2 – Write one cause
Step 3 – Give an example
Step 4 – Write another cause
This reduces cognitive load.
Something Important About Dyslexia
Many people with dyslexia develop excellent problem-solving and creative thinking because they have had to find different ways to understand information.
That’s why a lot of the best accessibility ideas actually come from people who have lived with dyslexia themselves — just like the techniques you suggested earlier.
Your ideas about:
pictures for paragraphs
numbering paragraphs
structured writing
are actually very strong inclusive learning strategies.
If you want, we could also turn what you just described into a very powerful short section for your book, something like:
“When Your Mind Goes Blank – The Dyslexia Experience.”
It would help teachers and parents understand exactly what students experience in those moments.
Yes — that is actually very good research, and it lines up well with what many accessibility organisations recommend for people with Dyslexia. What you found from AbilityNet reflects a lot of the best practice used in accessible education and Easy Read design.
Let’s break it down a bit and connect it to the work you’re doing in your training and book.
Key Easy Read Techniques for Dyslexia
1. Fonts and Text
Using the right font can make reading easier.
Common dyslexia-friendly fonts include:
Comic Sans
Arial
Verdana
EasyReading
These fonts are helpful because they:
have clear letter shapes
reduce letter confusion
improve readability
Helpful formatting:
larger text
wider line spacing
wider letter spacing
2. Colour and Background
Many people with dyslexia experience visual stress when reading.
A bright white background with black text can create glare.
Better backgrounds include:
light cream
pastel colours
light grey
sepia tones
This reduces eye strain and visual distortion.
3. Layout
The layout of text is extremely important.
Good layout techniques include:
✔ Left-aligned text
✔ Avoid justified text (even edges both sides)
✔ Clear spacing between paragraphs
✔ Bullet points instead of long blocks of text
This helps the reader track the lines more easily.
4. Simple Language
Easy Read materials often use:
short sentences
clear words
simple explanations
For example:
❌ Difficult
“Participants should utilise the available resources to facilitate comprehension.”
✔ Easier
“Use the tools to help you understand.”
5. Visual Support
Pictures and symbols help people:
understand meaning
remember information
follow instructions
Examples include:
icons
arrows
speech bubbles
diagrams
This is exactly like the doctor visit visual schedule you showed earlier.
6. Technology Support
Technology can make reading much more accessible.
For example:
text-to-speech tools
adjustable fonts
colour filters
reading apps
Apps like EasyReader allow users to customise:
text size
background colour
spacing
audio reading
This gives people control over how they read.
7. Accessible Books
Some books are easier for dyslexic readers because of:
simple layout
large text
clear spacing
supportive visuals
Examples often mentioned include:
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
These books combine:
drawings
short text sections
humour
Which makes them much less visually overwhelming.
Why Your Ideas Fit This Research
Earlier you suggested:
pictures for paragraphs
numbered paragraphs
headings for each section
Those ideas actually fit very well with dyslexia accessibility research.
They help with:
organisation
memory
processing information
visual structure
A Powerful Idea for Your Book or Training
You could include a section called:
“Designing Easy Read Materials for Dyslexia.”
It could include:
1️⃣ Clear fonts
2️⃣ Accessible colours
3️⃣ Structured layouts
4️⃣ Visual support
5️⃣ Technology tools
Plus your personal experience of dyslexia, which makes the explanation far more powerful.
If you'd like, I can also show you something very interesting that many people don't realise:
There is actually a difference between Easy Read for learning disabilities and Easy Read for dyslexia — and understanding that difference can make training much more effective.
Yes — this is a really useful distinction, especially for the training and book you’re developing. Many organisations think “Easy Read” is just one thing, but in practice different groups need different accessibility approaches.
Let’s compare the two.
1. Easy Read for Learning Disabilities
People with Intellectual Disability (often called learning disabilities in the UK) may need information that focuses on understanding meaning.
Key features
✔ Very simple language
✔ Short sentences
✔ One idea per sentence
✔ Pictures or symbols beside text
✔ Large clear font
✔ Lots of spacing
Example:
📅 Doctor appointment
Your doctor will see you
on Monday at 10am.
📍 The clinic is at
123 High Street.
Bring your medicine list.
Purpose
The main goal is to help people:
understand information
make decisions
follow instructions
Pictures are very important.
2. Easy Read for Dyslexia
People with Dyslexia usually understand language well, but may struggle with:
reading speed
spelling
visual processing
working memory
long blocks of text
So the goal is not simplifying ideas, but making reading easier.
Key features
✔ Dyslexia-friendly fonts
✔ Wider line spacing
✔ Colour backgrounds
✔ Clear headings
✔ Structured paragraphs
✔ Bullet points
Example:
Doctor Appointment
Date: Monday
Time: 10:00 am
Location: 123 High Street
Please bring:
• your medication list
• your appointment letter
Purpose
The goal is to reduce:
visual stress
reading fatigue
confusion from crowded text
Pictures can help but are not always necessary.
Key Difference
| Feature | Learning Disability Easy Read | Dyslexia Accessible Text |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Very simplified | Normal language |
| Pictures | Very important | Sometimes helpful |
| Text structure | Short sentences | Structured layout |
| Font adjustments | Helpful | Very important |
| Colour backgrounds | Optional | Often recommended |
3. Universal Accessible Design
The best approach is often combining techniques so materials work for many people.
Example:
clear headings
simple sentences
bullet points
supportive images
dyslexia-friendly fonts
This helps people with:
dyslexia
autism
ADHD
learning disabilities
anxiety
English as a second language
Why Your Experience Is Valuable
Because you live with dyslexia, you understand things many teachers and professionals don’t notice, such as:
Instructions disappearing from memory
visual overload from dense text
needing structure to organise ideas
Those insights are exactly what improve real accessibility, not just theoretical accessibility.
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