Dyslexia affects the way your brain processes written language — not your intelligence, not your understanding, and not your ability to succeed in exams. Most standard revision advice, however, is built around reading and writing. This article is about adapting that advice so it works for you.
Access arrangements exist for a reason. If you haven't already, speak to your school's SENCO about reader/scribe access, extra time, or coloured overlays in exams. These aren't advantages — they're level playing fields.
Make text easier to read
Standard revision notes can be hard to process if dense text causes the words to 'move' or merge together. A few changes can help significantly.
- Increase font size to at least 14pt and use a clean sans-serif font (Arial, Calibri, or the free OpenDyslexic font)
- Add more space between lines — 1.5 or double spacing reduces crowding
- Use a coloured background rather than white; cream, pale yellow, or pale blue work well for many people
- Left-align text only — fully justified text creates uneven spaces that can make words blur together
- Break long paragraphs into shorter chunks with clear headings
Revise using audio and movement
Reading isn't the only way to learn. Many students with dyslexia find they retain information far better when they hear it or move while engaging with it.
- Use text-to-speech software (built into both Mac and Windows) to listen to your notes read aloud
- Record yourself summarising a topic and play it back — commutes, walks, and downtime become revision time
- Voice-note your answers to practice questions instead of writing them; transcribe them afterwards if needed
- Watch YouTube explainers or documentary clips alongside your notes — hearing concepts said out loud reinforces reading
Use colour deliberately
Colour coding is one of the most effective tools for students with dyslexia because it bypasses the need to re-read to locate information.
- Assign a colour to each subject or topic and stick to it consistently
- Highlight key terms in one colour, definitions in another, examples in a third
- Use sticky notes in different colours to group ideas spatially rather than linearly
- When annotating past papers, use a consistent colour for each type of mark (e.g. green = AO1, yellow = AO2)
This app's learning points are deliberately short and layered. If you find a concept hard to follow at Layer 1, move to Layer 2 — it explains the same thing differently. You don't have to work through all layers in order.
Practise writing under no pressure first
Many students with dyslexia avoid practice essays because the writing itself is exhausting. Try separating the thinking from the writing: plan the full answer (bullet points, mind map, or voice note) before you write a single sentence. Once the thinking is done, writing becomes a translation task rather than a creative one — which is much less cognitively draining.