Dyslexia is the most common form of learning disability. It is estimated that between 10 – 20% of the Australian population have mild to severe dyslexia. While it is a life-long condition, new research and technologies are helping more people to overcome this learning disability to become more confident readers. As with most things, different approaches have different results depending on the individuals. We encourage anyone who is struggling to research credible information sources and seek professional help.
Dyslexia-friendly fonts can make reading easier for those with dyslexia. These specially designed fonts help reduce some of the difficulties encountered when reading. Some popular dyslexia-friendly fonts include Dyslexie, Opendyslexic, and Gill Dyslexic, along with standard fonts like Helvetica and Arial.
At Cockburn Libraries, we have been steadily increasing our collection of books printed with dyslexia-friendly fonts, especially for younger readers. Your friendly library staff can help you locate those books.
Fun fact: all e-books available through the library apps Hoopla, Libby, and BorrowBox offer dyslexia-friendly fonts. To change the default one, just click on the Aa button and scroll to your preferred font style.
Another way of consuming books is by listening to audiobooks. If you prefer listening to books, the apps mentioned above also provide thousands of e-audiobook titles for you to enjoy. Audiobooks on CD are also available at all branches. For audiobooks and e-audiobooks, click here.
Embrace your unique journey, dyslexia may challenge you, but it can’t dim the joy of discovering new worlds through reading.
