Simple Low-Cost Uses
It can be very helpful if teachers provide students with clear typed or word processed notes rather than handwritten ones. Type should be clear and well separated, using a minimum of size 12 or 14. Sans serif fonts are best, e.g. Arial, Comic Sans, Verdana, Helvetica, and Tahoma. Use lower case or sentence case, as using all capitals can make it harder to read.
Photocopying information or printing onto coloured paper. Some people find that they get less glare or experience less visual stress when using colours. Some individuals use coloured overlays, which they place over the textbook. It is also possible to change the font colour and background colour on the computer. Some use a coloured reading ruler, such as the ReadAssist.
Colour coding key information can aid memory; using different coloured highlighters, or colour coding in documents, should be encouraged.
Provision of visual information can be very beneficial for some learners; include pictures, diagrams, charts and mind-maps.
Some material is available on CD, audio book or digital book format, particularly English novels, drama and even some poetry. This can be accessed through most good bookshops, libraries or online. DVDs may also be available where novels or dramas have been filmed. These would all be good interactive learning tools.
Some students, who learn best by hearing, benefit from taping/recording lectures, even recording their own study notes. They can build up their own audio library which they can then use for revision. An MP3 player or iPod can be used so that the student can listen to their class or study notes while travelling on the bus. Some students may even end up doing their exams on tape.
An electronic dictionary is an in-expensive, portable tool for checking spelling, e.g. Franklin Spellmaster or Collins Electronic Dictionary and Thesaurus. As long as the individual can make a reasonable phonetic attempt, there is a good chance that the correct spelling can be identified. Some electronic dictionaries also have a thesaurus feature which can help with expanding vocabulary.
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