# New font should make it easier for dyslexics to read and write **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 18, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863 "2012-08-18T10:04:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/1 "2012-08-18T10:04:18Z")
From [here:](http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/design-architecture/dyslexie-font-designed-to-help-dyslexics-read-write/4110) > [@](#): > > Most of the 15 to 20 percent of people in the United States who have a language-based disability suffer from dyslexia, a condition that makes reading and comprehension difficult. Those who suffer from dyslexia often transpose or rotate letters (a b becomes a q; an n becomes and u), and they have difficulty differentiating letters that look similar, such as i and j. Those who suffer from severe dyslexia might even see the letters moving, or in three dimensions, as they try to read them. All of these factors greatly impede the speed and clarity with which they can read. > > A Dutch graphic designer and dyslexic, Christian Boer, developed a font specifically for dyslexic readers. It’s designed to make letters more distinct from each other and to keep them tied down, so to speak, so that the reader is less likely to flip them in their minds. The letters in the font are also spaced wide apart to make reading them easier. The article links to a few sites where dyslexics can test if the font makes reading easier for them. If it does, the font is for sale online. What do you think, dyslectic Dopers? Is this useful? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/2 "2012-08-18T10:13:06Z")
I’m not dyslexic (or if I am it’s such a mild dyslexia or I coped so well I never even needed to get diagnosed), but I found that font much more pleasant and easy to read than most fonts. I would not mind seeing it used as the standard in non-artistic settings (meaning academic articles, school essays, message board fonts, etc). ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/3 "2012-08-18T15:34:07Z")
It’s a really interesting idea that I never thought of. Am I imagining it, or are the letters slightly thicker at the bottom, especially the ones with stems like p’s and q’s. It almost as if the idea is that they are made with “ballast” for more stability, so they won’t flip over. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/4 "2012-08-18T15:36:39Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > It’s a really interesting idea that I never thought of. Am I imagining it, or are the letters slightly thicker at the bottom, especially the ones with stems like p’s and q’s. It almost as if the idea is that they are made with “ballast” for more stability, so they won’t flip over. Yes, that is exactly it! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/5 "2012-08-18T15:47:55Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Yes, that is exactly it! Yet another promising career path that I didn’t follow. I think that’s all of them now. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/6 "2012-08-18T16:33:55Z")
coolness ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/7 "2012-08-18T17:28:14Z")
I welcome new directions in type design, particularly if they improve readability. That said, it looks pretty ugly to me, but that’s not a big deal if it’s just used for texts, and not headings. Probably other designers will take the design innovations, and retain them in a more attractive typeface. If there were links to studies showing just how much such fonts help dyslexics I didn’t see them. (But I did follow the [Scientific American](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=new-font-helps-dyslexics-read) link, and boy is that floating Twitter palette obnoxious!) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/8 "2012-08-18T19:36:14Z")
I’m another who loves type fonts, and I think this is both a decent looking and very well-thought out new font. I’m not dyslexic, but I can certainly see where his reasoning and experience led him to make this, and I hope it proves helpful. I’m going to add Mr. Boer to one of my lists, in case I ever meet him at a party or concert or something (the “attaboy” list, not the other ones). ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/9 "2012-08-18T20:01:35Z")
MIght even be good to use this for kids learning to read… I need to ask my daughter’s therapist about this font. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/10 "2012-08-18T20:36:22Z")
Very interesting. I’ve made a few fonts before, for my own needs. I’d love to take a crack at it since, as **Baal Houtham** says, it’s not very attractive. I think someone can take the principals and apply them in a much more aesthetic way, while maintaining the necessary alterations. But I think I get the idea just from watching the vid. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/11 "2012-08-18T21:18:14Z")
The differences appear quite subtle to me, and I’m a little skeptical. If these changes are sufficient then I would be surprised if there were not already lots of fonts out there that are easier yet for dyslexics to read and type, that weren’t specifically made for them (e.g. there are plenty of fonts where no character can be mirrored, flipped or rotated to make another character). But I don’t know much about the condition, and the font seems to have some study support, so I’m braced to have my ignorance slapped. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/12 "2012-08-18T21:53:24Z")
Ran it by my 7 year old. He approves. It costs money, though, so I’m not downloading it. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/13 "2012-08-18T21:55:27Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > The differences appear quite subtle to me, and I’m a little skeptical. I find that some Hebrew fonts are easier to read than others (and they need to be large). The differences in letters are subtle already, but if you consider what dyslexia is, it makes sense to ‘weight’ the letters at the bottom. I imagine that it is easier for younger readers as well. Remember elementary-style fonts when you were in grade school? Remember not being able to read cursive at one time in your life? I think because you probably read very well it isn’t as obvious to you. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/14 "2012-08-18T23:22:54Z")
As others have said, it’s an interesting approach. Most font designers try to tie their font together by incorporating common features in different letters. Boer went the opposite way and intentionally set out to give letters distinct features that they don’t share with similar letters. Personally I have no dyslexia issues with reading so I can’t say how effective it is in addressing that problem. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/15 "2012-08-19T01:27:10Z")
I showed the article that was set in Dyslexie to my dyslexic husband without mentioning that it was a special typeface, and he asked me what I did to the computer to make the screen easier to read. So yes, it works. It doesn’t help or hinder me any, but It does look like someone left Helvetica out in the rain and it melted a bit. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/16 "2012-08-19T02:39:36Z")
Dyslexic here and boy does that font help. For me the letters don’t flip, but they do jump and move around from one line or word to another. I’m reading the samples on the site and the words just sit there, completely stationary. Supercool. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/17 "2012-08-19T02:55:18Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I showed the article that was set in Dyslexie to my dyslexic husband without mentioning that it was a special typeface, and he asked me what I did to the computer to make the screen easier to read. > > So yes, it works. It doesn’t help or hinder me any, but It does look like someone left Helvetica out in the rain and it melted a bit. I like it. Hope it works this well for everyone with reading issues. Hints of (gasp) [Comic Sans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Sans) too. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/18 "2012-08-19T08:02:11Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > I like it. Hope it works this well for everyone with reading issues. > Hints of (gasp) [Comic Sans](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Sans) too. Comic Sans is the best font for dyslexics that comes standard with modern computers, so that’s not surprising at all. In fact, this [site about why not to use Comic Sans](http://www.comicsanscriminal.com/) includes links to other dyslexic fonts, some of which are free. Oddly enough, I stumbled upon this site just the other day, I believe from following links from a Wikipedia article, where Comic Sans was featured. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/19 "2012-08-19T10:28:51Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > … other dyslexic fonts, some of which are free. Interesting. [Here is the page you mention.](http://www.dyslexic.com/fonts) ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863/20 "2012-08-19T17:16:35Z")
I agree that it’s not the most _aesthetically_ pleasing font (though mostly because the varying weights make it look more informal or casual), but since its purpose is entirely utilitarian, that doesn’t bother me at all. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the designer goes on to refine this font or create other, more elegant fonts that are built on the principles he used here. I’m not dyslexic, but I _did_ find it easier to read the article PDF (set in Dyslexie), which I found interesting. The biggest improvement, to me? It was a LOT easier to actually get and retain information when quickly skimming the text. I could see the font also useful for increasing reading speed (without sacrificing comprehension). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-font-should-make-it-easier-for-dyslexics-to-read-and-write/631863.md?page=2)