Using “dyslexic fonts” can help improve reading comprehension and make reading more pleasant for dyslexics. These fonts reduce the confusion caused by certain letter shapes, making them easier to distinguish.
In fact, there was one time I did an experiment with my students when I was still working at the DAS. I printed two reading worksheets, one with the Times New Roman font, the other with KG Primary Penmanship. The content was identical; only the font was different.
The kids read ~60% of the Times New Roman worksheet correctly, whereas for the KG Primary Penmanship worksheet, it was ~90%.
Fonts really do matter.
In this guide, we’re going to see what makes a font dyslexic-friendly and what the best dyslexic fonts are (in my humble opinion).
Choosing a good dyslexic font
What to look out for
A good dyslexic font is one that is easy on the eyes. Here are the typical qualities to look out for:
Typeface style
Avoid serif fonts. The serif is the little line that sticks out of the strokes of a letter, and it can cause confusion.
Sans serif fonts work best. Consider using a geometric one, maybe even something closer to a child’s handwriting.
Letterform
The letterform is the shape of a letter. Make sure they are not confusing to your reader. For example:
- the letter ‘h’ must not look like the letter ‘n’;
- the letter ‘a’ must not look like the letter ‘u’ or ‘o’;
- it’s best to use a single-storey letter ‘a’ if that’s how your target audience writes it.
Let’s look at another example:
The above was written with Bradley ITC, which I think is a nice-looking but not dyslexic-friendly font. You can tell it says “Winner winner chicken dinner”, but for a dyslexic who is trying to read fast, there’s a good chance they’ll take longer to process the letter “n” (which slightly resembles a cursive “v”) and the word “chicken” (which resembles “children” if one were to read fast).
Never use a font with confusing letterforms.
Line thickness
Avoid font typefaces where their letterforms have inconsistent line thickness (modulated strokes), like Times New Roman. These can be confusing and strenuous to read.
Instead, go with ones that have consistent line thickness (unmodulated strokes). KG Primary Penmanship is a good example.
That’s not to say differing line thickness is a bad thing. Sometimes it can be done to emphasise the shape and form of a letter, like in the case of Dyslexie or OpenDyslexic. However, in longer texts, it may produce more fatigue.
One more thing about line thickness: avoid fonts whose letters’ strokes are too bold or strong. I’ve found such fonts to tire my students out more. But, also avoid with strokes that are too light as the text may appear washed out. Use the Goldilocks principle.
Spaces within letterforms
Not to be mistaken for letter spacing (see the next segment), the spaces within a typeface’s letterforms should not be too small. They need to be distinguishable at a glance. Note that this is also affected by stroke thickness.
Letter spacing
Make sure the letters of your font are evenly spaced. In the above example, there is a huge contrast in spacing between the first three letters. Fonts like this one are not dyslexic-friendly.
Baseline alignment
Letters that fly about the baseline are fun, but they are also confusing to read in multi-line texts. Use a font whose letters sit on flat, horizontal baselines.
Other considerations to take note of
Besides the font itself, there are other factors to consider:
- What type of content is it? Worksheets? Presentation? Certain fonts work better when printed on worksheets, while others work better when viewed on a screen.
- How many words are there? Some fonts like Century Gothic are less strenuous to read in longer texts.
Use the above as a rough guide
The above guide is based off my own experiences with my dyslexic students. It is not scientifically or even empirically tested. One can look at the points mentioned and fully disagree with them. Nevertheless, it should give you an idea of what fonts to look out for.
If you want to read up more on the anatomy of fonts, I strongly suggest checking out DesignModo’s typography guide. It’s an invaluable resource, especially if you’re an educator.
Also: Check Out Our Guide On How To Effectively Teach Students With Dyslexia
The 5 best dyslexia fonts
And now, let’s look at what you’ve come here for: a lovingly curated list of the best dyslexic fonts. Starting at #5, we have…
#5: LDF Comic Sans
I often hear Comic Sans being recommended as a dyslexic-friendly font but I hate it. There’s something about it that makes me want to poke my eyes out. Maybe it’s because it was used everywhere in the 90s and 2000s, often inappropriately.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who feels this way.
However, I do understand why it works for dyslexics and thankfully, there is a more aesthetically pleasing version of it: LDF Comic Sans.
LDF Comic Sans works for me, perhaps because its font metrics are more irregular without sacrificing readability, whereas the default Comic Sans was too “clean” while trying to appear comic-like.
LDF Comic Sans has a “casual” feel but can be used in various text types. You can use it for long passages, presentations, etc. It’s versatile and easy to read.
#4: Sassoon
Sassoon was developed by Dr Rosemary Sassoon, a handwriting expert, and Adrian Williams, a typeface designer. It was originally designed to be a highly legible typeface for younger learners, but it works well with dyslexics too.
What I like about Sassoon is the exaggeration of its strokes, for example of the stems, ascenders, and descenders. Its letterform style is also pleasing to the eye, resembling handwriting/script.
Overall it has a clean yet professional look, making it suitable for different types of content.
#3: Dyslexie / OpenDyslexic
I lumped Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic together because they have very similar styles. All of their letters have modulated strokes (increasing thickness) closer towards the baseline and descender line. This make it easier for readability, as it uniquely emphasises the structure of each letter while still maintaining its conventional form.
I have a softer spot for Dyslexie because it has a fancier feel. That said, if you want a font for writing longer texts, go with OpenDyslexic instead because Dyslexie does not have a traditional lowercase “q”.
#2: KG Primary Penmanship
KG Primary Penmanship is one of the best dyslexic fonts out there. What’s funny is, I hardly hear people talking about it. When you look up “best dyslexic fonts”, you won’t find Primary Penmanship in the lists. Yet, it is the most readable font I’ve come across.
In fact, my kids prefer this to Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic. This is the primary font I use in my reading worksheets and our free Orton-Gillingham flash cards.
By the way, Primary Penmanship is authored by Kimberly Geswein who has a strong presence on Teachers Pay Teachers. I strongly urge you to check out her other fonts. They’re fantastic!
Thanks so much for this wonderful font, Kimberly!
#1: Century Gothic
All hail the king of dyslexic fonts that is Century Gothic! If I were stuck on a desert island and I had to choose one font to live with, this would be it.
It’s clean, well-spaced, and easy on the eyes. Plus, it comes included with most modern OSes.
Finally, there’s something about Century Gothic that makes it very legible even in longer texts. Perhaps it’s due to the thinner strokes. In contrast, my students were less fluent with longer texts that used KG Primary Penmanship.
Nevertheless, both fonts are great, so I would still strongly suggest using both.
Finding the right dyslexic font
The above dyslexic-friendly fonts have worked very well for my kids, and I hope they do for you too. If they’re not to your target audience’s liking, well at least now you know what to look out for when browsing for a suitable one. Let me know in the comments if you have any to suggest!