My Specifically Designed Formatting Requirements
For Student Work Pages
As you know, my daughter and my husband are dyslexic. Therefore, I am extremely cognizant of the needed formatting requirements for practice pages for dyslexic people to maximize their success! As you also know, Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” was written with them in mind.
The following are key elements of worksheet formatting that ensures ease of learning for dyslexic learners, any learner with learning differences, ELL/ESL learners, struggling learners and really ALL learners:
First and foremost, consistency in format is vital. Dyslexic children (actually ALL children) need to be able to focus on the concept being presented.
My first consideration in designing worksheets to help children with visual perception and visual sequencing struggles was the font.
· I needed a font that is large and simple (no fancy curly-q’s).
· I needed a font that is easy to read—allowing the learner to think about the concept being presented, not trying to decipher letter symbols.
· I needed a font that is similar to the handwriting children are being taught.
· After much research, I chose the Century Gothic font for Silent Elephant “e”.
My second consideration was the size of the font.
· I used the largest size font that would fit on each page.
· On all worksheets I double-spaced all student workspace to lessen visual perception and visual sequencing confusion. (Think of my posts in the Visual Perception series concerning the jumping of letters, moving words and distortion of print experienced my several of my dyslexic students.)
· If a child needs an even larger font and triple spacing, the spiral bound format of the entire program allows you to easily copy the work pages and enlarge them.
My next consideration had to be consistency in format of the presented work. Children must not struggle trying to figure out how to “do” a work page. They lose their focus and understanding of the concept being taught.
· Children who are struggling need practice pages that utilize one consistent format.
· They become confused with practice pages that present multiple formats, such as: crossword puzzles, fill in the blank, word searches, true-false, multiple choice, fill in bubbles, choosing answers from word boxes, etc. all on a single page.
· I only used one format on a single page.
· I only used a few formats repetitively throughout Parts 3-14.
In Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e” children quickly see the pattern of instruction presented and relax into their learning of phonics. They are at ease knowing they will know how to do every page. This calm and self-confidence is beneficial for ALL children’s growth and success in their reading ability.
Not to worry—as ALL children WILL learn quickly, they also easily transfer their learning into all other formats when they are presented.
My last consideration when designing my worksheets was to ensure that learners are consistently reviewing all previously learned concepts as they move through Silent Elephant “e”. Struggling learners need to continuously connect their already learned concepts to the new concepts being learned.
In Silent Elephant “e” each phonics rule is continuously reviewed throughout each of the coming lessons to promote competency and mastery. This constant review allows the learner to feel confident in what they already know. This self-confidence in what they already have mastered allows them to be more open when learning new concepts. They continually approach the new with a feeling of “I’ve got this!” rather than hesitation and wondering if they will understand the new concept.
As I watch my students moving through Parts 3-14, I see how my diligence in creating work pages for them was well worth the hours of research and tedious formatting. Their shoulders are relaxed, their head held high, and they are not hunched over the table stressed by not being able to “get it”.
My next post post in this phonics series will share the vital importance of partner work as students complete Partner Practice Pages with you and/or another student as their learning partner.
If you have further questions about phonics or page formatting for learning differences, feel free to contact us.
Linda Katherine Smith-Jones Nina Henson