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Dyslexia and the Dyslexia-Friendly Quality Mark

We strive to ensure all aspects of the Open Polytechnic experience is dyslexia friendly. In 2022 Open Polytechnic's Learning Delivery teams were awarded the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark (DFQM) accreditation.

This page includes information about DFQM and dyslexia.

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About dyslexia and the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark

  • Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark

    We are working with Ako Aotearoa to gain accreditation for the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark.

    Find out more about the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark

    DFQM Charter (PDF - opens new tab)

    We welcome your feedback as we progress this important work:

    Please share your feedback and experiences with us 

    Dyslexia friendly quality mark logo - 2022-2055, supporting people with dyslexia

  • About dyslexia and how we can help

     

    Dyslexia can present in different ways for different people. It can affect the way individuals process or interpret:

    • information
    • written words
    • letters and symbols.

    It does not affect general intelligence. Around 10% of the population are thought to have dyslexia.

    People with dyslexia may think and process things differently to neurotypical people. That does not mean their way is wrong, just different. This can be an important strength, as they can bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to many situations.

    If you want to learn about getting an assessment see the ‘Dyslexia assessment and screening’ section.

     

    How we can support learners 

    Our Disability and Access Services team can talk to you about your strengths, barriers you are finding with online study, and your best learning styles to offer advice around resources and tools to support your study success.

    Learn more about our Disability and Access Services team

     

  • Dyslexia assessment and screening

     

    You can get dyslexia diagnosis as an adult. If you want to investigate an assessment, there are a few options to consider.

    The Adult Dyslexia Checklist

    This can give you an indication of whether you may have dyslexic traits and if you may need further assessment. It does not do a full assessment or give a diagnosis.

    Adult Dyslexia Checklist

     

    SPELD test

    Educational psychologists can do a SPELD assessment. They may cost between $500-$1500 and the session can take up to five hours. For some people this could be emotionally tiring, but it does provide suggestions about the best ways to learn.

    Learn more about SPELD dyslexia assessments

     

    Lucid LADS Plus

    This dyslexia screening is undertaken with trained professionals. It can cost around $200, takes less than an hour and is a computer-based assessment.

     

  • Techniques, strengths and barriers

     

    Strengths

    People with dyslexia often think and perceive the world in a different way to neurotypical people. They are also often:

    • creative and artistic
    • able to think outside the box and come up with innovative ideas and solutions
    • excellent verbal communicators
    • very empathetic
    • strong with visual and spatial skills. Many can visualise things in 3D
    • logical problem-solvers and often able to jump to an answer of a complex problem
    • able to see connections, patterns and relationships that others don’t
    • good long-term memory
    • big picture thinkers and not bogged down by details
    • good at collaborating and co-operative tasks.

     

    Barriers

    See the ‘Study tips’ section on this page to learn about some tools and techniques that can help minimise barriers. You can also reach out to our Disability and Access Services team if you want to discuss options.

    Learn more about our Disability and Access Services team

     

     Some barriers dyslexic people may find with online, distance learning include difficulties with:

    • reading, processing and retaining written information
    • retaining recent information. Long-term memory is strong but short-term memory can be weaker
    • organising their time and predicting how long a task may take or did take
    • spelling and grammar getting thoughts onto paper. They may be strong verbally but struggle transferring that into written words
    • organising and structuring written information
    • interpreting written questions
    • reading black type on white background, or serif or italic fonts
    • keeping their place while reading.

     

    Techniques

    Some techniques that worked well for some of our learners with dyslexia are listed below.

    Being physical

    Practicing the task as you learn about it. For example:

    • if you are learning about creating a spreadsheet have a spreadsheet open and practice as you read the course material.
    • Some people find doing a physical task, like knitting, while reading or processing information can be helpful!

     

    Visualising

    Some learners with dyslexia take in visual representations of information best. This could be a flow chart or a spider-diagram. Mind mapping is also a great technique to help to turn written information into a more visual format.

    Learn more about mind mapping

     

    Out-loud-processing

    • Listening to information is great way to take in, process and remember new information
    • Talking about a subject or saying what you have learned out loud can help you to process and remember the information.

     

  • Study tips

     

    The tips and techniques below are some that our learners find useful. Feel free to contact our Disability and Access Services team if you want to discuss these or other support options.

    Learn more about our Disability and Access Services team

     

    Assistive technology

    There are many assistive technology tools that can aid with study and lots are free. These include:

    • screen readers
    • dictate functions
    • tools that let you change the size and style of font or background colour on web pages.

    For more information on these and links to download some free tools see our Assistive technology page.

    Assistive technology tools

     

    Helperbird 

    You can also try HelperBird, which is a browser tool made by dyslexic people for dyslexic people! It can change how a web page looks to suit your style. For more information about Helperbird and how to download it for free to use when you study with us, go to our web page:

    Helperbird free assistive technology tool

     

    Dyslexia specific tips

    Give yourself time to process information

    For example:

    • pause when you need to
    • do a passive task (such as knitting, folding laundry etc) while you think through the course content or questions.

    Listen to information

    • Screen readers can help you hear the information while you read it helping you to process and remember it.
    • Record answers, thoughts or notes into your phone so you can listen back to them rather than having to write them and read them later.
    • After reading a page or paragraph summarise what you have just read out loud, as if teaching it to someone else. This helps you process and remember the information

    Have your assignment question on hand

    Have your assignment questions near while you study and make a note of pages where you find information useful for your assignment. This way you can jump to the page when you do your assignment and don’t have to read through everything again.

    Be visual

    • Create mind-maps or flow charts to help you remember things.
    • Visualise a process or create a visual or flow chart of a process.
    • Create a visual brainstorm to plan your assignment answers.