Reading By The Colors
Overcoming Dyslexia and Other Reading Disabilities Through The Irlen Method
by Helen Irlen The Irlen method is the use of color filters to correct Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. People with SSS interpret colors differently, i.e. their brains see certain colors as far brighter than others. This causes extreme sensitivity to light, poor depth perception, and the inability to read black letters on white paper. Irlen was working with adults with reading difficulties when one showed improvement with a colored sheet the student had accidentally stumbled upon. Irlen started working with filters and the Irlen Method was born.
Irlen estimates that about 12% of the general population has SSS to some degree, and that 2/3rds of dyslexics have SSS. She goes over how and why SSS makes it difficult and painful to read, and how it compounds dyslexia. Finally she explains what differences the Irlen Method makes.
This book was written in 1991: currently more research has been done on the topic. I suggest taking a look at the website(link is above). An insert is included where the pages are colored, but I do not think that this would be useful to those with SSS as these pages reflect light far too well. In fact, the pages that the general text of this book is printed on has too much glare.
Happy reading.
