The Ultimate Dyslexia-Friendly School Supply List
Are you thinking about the new school year? When it comes to getting your classroom ready for September, it’s a lot more than just restocking the shelves. You need to ensure you are creating an inclusive space where every child, including those with dyslexia, can thrive.
If you are looking to create a perfect learning environment for the new school year, here is our ultimate dyslexia-friendly supply list for teachers and schools!
Coloured overlays, rulers and monitor filters
Visual stress is incredibly common for children with dyslexia, and it can make reading texts and computer screens a physical strain. Thankfully, coloured overlays, reading rulers and monitor filters help to reduce the glare and improve text focus, improving students’ learning and comprehension.
Consider placing a set of these in your communal resource area to allow students to trial different colours until they discover the option that suits them best. This will help the text to become clearer and easier to follow, while reading rulers ensure they can track lines with ease, reducing fatigue.
Tinted exercise books
Traditional white paper exercise books can often be bright and reflective, which could be uncomfortable for dyslexic learners. Coloured exercise books can be a complete game changer for students, providing a solution that is much kinder on the eyes thanks to reduced glare. These books are also much easier for students to follow along with the written text.
We stock a wide range of tinted exercise books designed for students with dyslexia. Coming in a variety of colours, alongside clear line spacing and optimal line spacing, they are the perfect addition to any classroom.
Writing aids
Writing is one of the biggest challenges for students with dyslexia, but having the right tools in your classroom can help you transform their writing skills. These ergonomically designed pens and pencils are much comfier to hold, reducing fatigue and making it easier for students to write neatly.
Multisensory teaching aids
Every student learns differently, so having a range of teaching aids that can engage a variety of senses, such as touch, sound and sight, can help to aid memory and boost understanding. Whether that is using counting resources, letter and number tiles, games or phoneme frames, these can all help to support learners in independent exploration and create a more welcoming and engaging space.
Organisation tools
Structure eases anxiety in students, so consider using visual prompts such as labelled trays, colour-coded folders, timetables, and visual step-by-step instructions. This will allow students to understand where everything is and what colours correspond with what subjects from the very first day of term.
When labelling your classroom, be sure to use dyslexia-friendly fonts to ensure that they are clear and readable for all students.
Assistive technology
Technology is transforming the world around us, and assistive technology can be a game changer in the classroom. Whether that be tablets, smart notepads, visualisers or even high-quality headphones, these can all support learners on their educational journey and give them the tools they need for success.
Advanced text to speech pens, like those from OrCam or Iris, are also valuable additions to your classroom for the new school year, providing a new level of support to every student.
Get set for September!
While the new school year might seem a long way off, getting your classroom ready today can make the first day of term a stress-free experience for your students. Here at The Dyslexia Shop, we have a everything you need to empower your students and create a warm, welcoming and supporting learning environment.
Want to find out how we can help your school? Get in touch today!