Bookworm Video

For those of you who are bookworms, you'll appreciate this video. If you aren't a bookworm but know one, this video will give you a laugh, too!

A Note to Teachers: Your Red Pen

A red pen can be a teacher’s best friend, but have you ever thought that some of your students may be unable to read your marks? I have always struggled to read the color red. I’m willing to bet I’m not the only one.

It can be especially frustrating for you, the teacher, if your student doesn’t seem to understand your corrections. A simple question like, “Can you see my marks okay?,” can bring up an important point for you and also for the student (and his or her parents). Switching colors may fix the issue immediately. If you find this works, you may want to bring it up with his/her other teachers as well as recommending Irlen testing to your student’s parents.

More reading: Here's an interesting article about the psychological debate on correction pen color, called "Teachers starting to shun red pens" from The San Diego Tribune.

Bright Idea!: Simple Adjustments to Make Everyday Life Easier

Here are some everyday items I use to help me read. They might work for you, too!

The easiest colors for me to read are:

blue, black, purple (with more blue than red), blue-green, dark green

The hardest colors for me to read are:

yellow, orange, red, purple (with more red than blue), yellow-green, brown (with a lot of yellow and red)

TIPS:

Highlighters: I use blue highlighters only. All of the other colors have too much yellow pigment. When someone uses a yellow highlighter on a document, I cannot read it. For me, they might as well have blacked out the section! (Bummer: Blue highlighters can be very difficult to purchase alone. You may have to purchase a multi-colored box of highlighters and give the other colors away—Hey, they could make great stocking stuffers!)

Pens: I mainly use blue pens; black is my second choice. You will never find me with a red pen in hand. When searching for blue pens, keep in mind that there are differing shades of blue. Some may work better for you than others. Two favorites of mine are: 1) Paper Mate’s Write Bros. ball point pen in blue and 2) Uni-Ball’s Vision Elite pen in blue/black (which provides a darker shade of blue). If you are trying to find the right pen color for you, try purchasing one pen at a time. Once you find the right pen, buy them in bulk! That way you can stash them at home, at work, at school, in your car, and in your purse.

Note Paper: Most offices purchase yellow legal note pads. For me, using a yellow paper makes the background of my writing flash like a strobe light. If this happens to you, try requesting white legal note pads white legal note pads. It’s a simple switch for the office or they can purchase them just for you (both colors are the same price). The truth is, someone without Irlen Syndrome just grabs the yellow paper, never thinking that someone else may not be able to read it. Once the point is brought up, I’ve never had an employer who was unwilling to change the paper color.

Post-its: Like the legal note pads, offices tend to purchase yellow Post-it (self-stick) note pads. Because Post-it notes often come in color-assorted packs, you may have more difficulty finding the best pack for you. Often I will purchase assorted packs with blue and purple pads and then give away the colors that don’t work for me. Sometimes you can find packs in the color that works for you, like this blue pack. Searching online can help you find what you are looking for, even if they don’t have the product in the store. Office Depot has this page where you can see the results under each color and color combination.

Printer Paper: If white paper simply makes your vision go nutty (especially under fluorescent light), you might consider purchasing colored printer paper. Office supply stores often carry many colors of paper that are often used for flyers. The nice thing about this is that you have your pick of colors!