[SENco-forum] an explanation and sorry/ still those overlays and colour printing issues!

I am always standing with 1 foot in either camp.

As a student I work on and view my essays in 14 Arial  mid blue.  I then
have to print it in 10/12 black Ariel or Times new Roman as per University
requirements - whether or not this suits my tutors reading preference! All
students will eventually have to do this as they move up the education
ladder. Them's the rules and I, and they,  have to stick to them.  It is
lucky for Amanda that she can read in this format otherwise it is she who
would be struggling to read.

My preferred option is to email the draft to my tutor so that she can use
whatever she prefers and the final printing in 12 black is only used for 2nd
marking and archiving. This is only an option if everyone is using ICT.

Sadly there is always a gap between good practice and reality and we can
only do our best in the mean time.  Hopefully as a result of this debate
everyone now knows how to change the font, text size, text colour or
background colour on their computer or their students computers.  The final
printout in black on white or cream can still be viewed under a colour
overlay if the required paper/ink combi is not available.

It is lovely to have a perfect world -Arial 14 Mid blue for me - but until
this is possible black on cream is easier on the eye for many and is no
harder to implement, as is what Amanda has already done i.e. bigger
font/better layout.

As a parent with 4 children with dyslexia and consequently a huge range of
experience with regard to working on pre-printed homework sheets I have to
say that the layout/font issue has always been the one that causes more
problems for my children (likely APD ones or the visually disturbed ones)
than the colour issue.  We have got around this with overlays and
highlighter pens.

So, until all homework/homework sheets are banked and available on each
school website for individual download in school or at home, the issue is
one that one teacher alone is not going to be able to solve to everyone's
satisfaction. The biggest part of the battle is won if all teachers know
about this issue and how to reduce the problems and on an individual basis,
solve it.  You have addressed the 2 known SEN problems in the class , and
can only include the others as they become known.

Chin up - we are all doing the best we can with the little we have.
Sharon

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