Do Dyslexia Fonts Actually Help?
Two studies of fonts made for dyslexia found children read no faster or more accurately in them. The studies were by Kuster and colleagues (2018) and Wery and Diliberto (2017). Neither study found that children preferred the dyslexia font. Reading improves with reading instruction. Whatever the font, keep reading instruction going alongside it.
TL;DR
- Two studies of fonts made for dyslexia found children read no faster or more accurately in them. The studies were by Kuster and colleagues (2018) and Wery and Diliberto (2017).
- One study tested a font made for dyslexia (Kuster and colleagues, 2018). The authors wrote that the font "neither benefits nor impedes" reading. The study was of Dutch readers and one font.
- Neither font study found that children preferred the dyslexia font (Kuster and colleagues, 2018; Wery and Diliberto, 2017).
- No study we hold names a best font for dyslexia. In our view, let your child read in a clear font they like.
- Reading improves with reading instruction. Whatever the font, keep reading instruction going alongside it.
A dyslexia font is a style of print letters made for readers with dyslexia.
”Dyslexia fontWhat have studies of dyslexia fonts found?
One study tested a font made for dyslexia (Kuster and colleagues, 2018). Children with dyslexia read it no faster or more accurately than an ordinary font. The authors wrote that the font "neither benefits nor impedes" reading. The study was of Dutch readers and one font.
Wery and Diliberto (2017) tested another font made for dyslexia. Theirs was a small US study. All the children had dyslexia. They read no faster or more accurately in that font.
Neither study found that children preferred the dyslexia font. We could read only the summaries of these studies.
Is there a best font for dyslexia?
No study we hold names a best font for dyslexia. In one study, liking a font was not linked to reading it better (Kuster and colleagues, 2018). In our view, let your child read in a clear font they like.
What helps the reading?
Reading improves with reading instruction. Whatever the font, keep reading instruction going alongside it.
Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Have hearing and vision checked too. A child who cannot hear well needs that found. So does a child who cannot see the print clearly.
When to ask for help
Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.
- Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
- Reading well below what school expects.
- A teacher who raises a concern about reading.
- Extreme upset about reading.
- Complete avoidance of reading.
- Hopelessness about learning.
- Sadness or worry that lasts.
- Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
- A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.
Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.
In the classroom
If asked about a font made for dyslexia, describe the reading you see.
Check for a missed step early. Teach it again, and see what the child does with it.
Two sentences for an email home: "In class, your child reads short words well but gets stuck on long ones. I thought you would want to know."
Key Takeaways
Two studies of fonts made for dyslexia found children read no faster or more accurately in them. The studies were by Kuster and colleagues (2018) and Wery and Diliberto (2017).
Neither font study found that children preferred the dyslexia font (Kuster and colleagues, 2018; Wery and Diliberto, 2017).
No study we hold names a best font for dyslexia. In our view, let your child read in a clear font they like.
Reading improves with reading instruction. Whatever the font, keep reading instruction going alongside it.
Find which job of reading is going wrong, and work on that one. The exception is a skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
Did someone suggest a font made for dyslexia? Write down what it is meant to change. Then ask one question: was reading measured? Next, listen to your child read a short page aloud. Note which words went wrong, and what your child did when stuck.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
A set of questions you answer about what you see at home. A screener is a starting point, not a diagnosis. If your child might need formal accommodations (an IEP or 504 plan), or you suspect a vision, hearing, or medical cause, pursue a professional evaluation too — that's the only route to those supports.
A short reading and spelling practice. Each word appears letter by letter. The picture comes only once the word is complete. So guessing from the image is not available. It includes writing words from memory. That practices the spelling and the writing of a word at the same time.
Common questions from parents
Does a font made for dyslexia help reading?
Two studies of fonts made for dyslexia found children read no faster or more accurately in them. The studies were by Kuster and colleagues (2018) and Wery and Diliberto (2017). Kuster and colleagues wrote that the font they tested "neither benefits nor impedes" reading. Their study was of Dutch readers and one font. The Wery and Diliberto study was small. Reading improves with reading instruction.
Does another dyslexia font work any better?
Wery and Diliberto (2017) tested another font made for dyslexia. Theirs was a small US study. All the children had dyslexia. They read no faster or more accurately in the font. No child said they would rather read in that font. Reading improves with reading instruction.
What is the best font for dyslexia?
No study we hold names a best font for dyslexia. In one study, liking a font was not linked to reading it better (Kuster and colleagues, 2018). In our view, let your child read in a clear font they like. Reading improves with reading instruction.
My child likes a dyslexia font. Should we keep it?
In one study, liking a font was not linked to reading it better (Kuster and colleagues, 2018). In our view, let your child read in a clear font they like. Whatever the font, keep reading instruction going alongside it.