Joe Gaston Ivo Leiner
Master in Design 2018
Master in Design 2018
I wanted to approach dyslexia from a designer’s perspective and come up with a solution that is easy to use and helpful for children with dyslexia. Unlike many other projects in its field, I didn’t merely focus on learning the alphabet and its corresponding sounds; I wanted to come up with a product that showcases a new approach to the subject by involving senses other than just sight or hearing.
The most important discovery was the fact that children with dyslexia, who make up 5% to 10% of the population, have a significantly higher incidence of psychological issues. These issues include depression, anxiety, feelings of exclusion and ADHD, many of which persist into adolescence. Additionally, I found out that the most important timeframe for the development of a dyslexic child’s reading and writing abilities is from age 5 to 8, even though it’s very difficult to determine at that age whether they actually have dyslexia or not. I therefore realised that my project had to be a fun and inclusive product that could be used by all children, while, behind the scenes, gearing the project specifically towards children with this disability.
I chose to create a series of illustrated, interactive colouring books based on the alphabet that children can do together with an adult. Their job is to reinforce the sounds the different letters make and point out certain aspects of the individual exercises that stimulate the child’s memory of the alphabet and their interaction with it. In addition, the project will help to inform parents and teachers about the topic of dyslexia, how to spot it and how to proceed if a child is thought to have it.
Since dyslexia often gets diagnosed too late, we need to change the way we approach teaching by making it more inclusive and trying to prevent certain issues before they manifest themselves fully. By designing a product for a group of children with reading and writing issues, while simultaneously making it usable by everybody, I hope the project’s approach to universal design can serve as an example for schools and teachers.