I did say that I would do a blog about dyslexia so as promised, I wanted to discuss a new technique I have found for reading. During my last set of exams for University, I found a really amazing way on how to improve my reading. It's so simple, I can't believe I didn't think of it before.
Before I explain what it is, I'm just going to provide you all with some really important background information about me and my course. I am dyslexic but I only got told at the start of my University course. Since then, even though I had a feeling all this time, I've really had to up my game and develop coping strategies on how to read. I am doing a psychology course which involves a LOT of reading. I tried recommendations such as text-to-speech software which worked on my Mac Mini at home but in terms of Windows 7, the software continuously crashed on me. Apple get +10 points for having text-to-speech software built in to their OSX systems and +5 points for it working effectively. Microsoft should have -10 points for not having it built in and another - 10 points for the "solutions" for Windows computers being completely rubbish as well. The other issue is that I use a Windows laptop for University and I have no way of affording a MacBook Pro yet. So, I'm stuck with it. I needed a better solution. And for 2.5 years, I didn't have one. But with my psychology course, most of the work was research papers which I had to print out. Very little books which helps me so much!
Until the last set of exams. The pressure was on and I had a lot of lecture reading materials. So my solution is simple and involves pretty colours!! My solution is high-lighter pens. Not a new idea but it get better. Make rainbows with them! Yes, I know - I sense the feeling of "I've gone nuts" But seriously, with every paragraph or major point in the research article, change the highlighter colour and make a rainbow on the paper. It focuses your eyes to the major points that you need to remember whilst looking pretty at the same time.
So how did it help? Well, it split up long paragraphs into short managable chucks and these small chucks would have the main points of the actual paragraph. The technique is stupidly simple which makes me wonder why I never thought of it before. But interestingly, when I showed this idea to Mr Husband (who is not dyslexic) and he said that he wouldn't be able to read from the page. For him, there was too much on the page for him to focus on reading. Whilst for me, the white paper was a distraction within itself.
But of course, the real test is if it improved my marks between the semesters. Well, on Saturday morning, my exam marks were in and my overall mark had improved. I won't know for a while if it improved individual exams. But I'm still really glad it pulled my mark up at least. But for now, I don't need to worry about it because these exams were the final exams of my Undergraduate degree. I now have my 2:2 degree and I'm super happy about it. But at least I know about this technique now and I can apply it to other areas of my life.
But for this post of my blog, there's one thing you should learn. As a dyslexic, you are always looking and finding new ways to improve your reading. For me, it is important to be pro-active in finding something that works. It might not work for everyone or I might find something else that's even better but at least I've tried a technique and given it my best shot. And I'll keep looking. For one main reason - I don't want to give up on reading.
Before I explain what it is, I'm just going to provide you all with some really important background information about me and my course. I am dyslexic but I only got told at the start of my University course. Since then, even though I had a feeling all this time, I've really had to up my game and develop coping strategies on how to read. I am doing a psychology course which involves a LOT of reading. I tried recommendations such as text-to-speech software which worked on my Mac Mini at home but in terms of Windows 7, the software continuously crashed on me. Apple get +10 points for having text-to-speech software built in to their OSX systems and +5 points for it working effectively. Microsoft should have -10 points for not having it built in and another - 10 points for the "solutions" for Windows computers being completely rubbish as well. The other issue is that I use a Windows laptop for University and I have no way of affording a MacBook Pro yet. So, I'm stuck with it. I needed a better solution. And for 2.5 years, I didn't have one. But with my psychology course, most of the work was research papers which I had to print out. Very little books which helps me so much!
Until the last set of exams. The pressure was on and I had a lot of lecture reading materials. So my solution is simple and involves pretty colours!! My solution is high-lighter pens. Not a new idea but it get better. Make rainbows with them! Yes, I know - I sense the feeling of "I've gone nuts" But seriously, with every paragraph or major point in the research article, change the highlighter colour and make a rainbow on the paper. It focuses your eyes to the major points that you need to remember whilst looking pretty at the same time.
So how did it help? Well, it split up long paragraphs into short managable chucks and these small chucks would have the main points of the actual paragraph. The technique is stupidly simple which makes me wonder why I never thought of it before. But interestingly, when I showed this idea to Mr Husband (who is not dyslexic) and he said that he wouldn't be able to read from the page. For him, there was too much on the page for him to focus on reading. Whilst for me, the white paper was a distraction within itself.
But of course, the real test is if it improved my marks between the semesters. Well, on Saturday morning, my exam marks were in and my overall mark had improved. I won't know for a while if it improved individual exams. But I'm still really glad it pulled my mark up at least. But for now, I don't need to worry about it because these exams were the final exams of my Undergraduate degree. I now have my 2:2 degree and I'm super happy about it. But at least I know about this technique now and I can apply it to other areas of my life.
But for this post of my blog, there's one thing you should learn. As a dyslexic, you are always looking and finding new ways to improve your reading. For me, it is important to be pro-active in finding something that works. It might not work for everyone or I might find something else that's even better but at least I've tried a technique and given it my best shot. And I'll keep looking. For one main reason - I don't want to give up on reading.
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