Treating reading difficulties with colour

Submitted by Judy Hanning on Thu, 2017-01-26 02:00
Dyslexic people have a difficult time reading due to vision and processing challenges. One “solution” has been to cover said content with colored lenses or filters to allow folks with dyslexia to be able to read with less difficulty to allow these people to read and learn in a classroom setting. However, this may not be the best solution for people with these challenges.

Although the an article from the British Medical Journal says that colored lenses can help treat dyslexia there is not significant enough evidence that this method is effective.

The British Medical Journal calls out to charities and educators alike to be mindful of how they are communicating the “tool” of using colors to read text. The impression is that all dyslexic people will benefit by using colored devices to help them read; however, the evidence that this works for all people is not enough to make wide-scale recommendations that this is a “cure all” for this challenge. To that end the BMJ is calling for restraint and mindfulness when giving their advice on this tool.
“It is concerning that so many UK dyslexia charities are giving an inaccurate account of the evidence for the use of coloured lenses and overlays for managing reading difficulties. Consensus statements from influential bodies, rigorous systematic reviews, and recent trials do not seem to have influenced the advice.
~ British Medical Journal

Key Takeaways:

1
An article in the British Journal of Medicine asks researchers to prove evidence of using colored lenses and overlays to manage reading difficulties.
2
While the use of such materials is widespread, there is no evidence to suggest that the colored approach is effective.
3
The authors of the article suggest that advice given by dyslexia organizations may contribute to the widespread use of the devices despite the lack of evidence that they work.
Read the full article here:
http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/news/treating-reading-difficulties-colour