Six million reasons for new dyslexia-friendly Bible

Six million reasons for new dyslexia-friendly Bible

For the first time ever, the whole Bible has been made available in a dyslexia-friendly format. 

The Bible Society initiative began in 2015 with the book of Psalms and the Gospel of Mark. It’s now been completed with the publication of Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua. 

People with dyslexia can struggle to read and write easily because they don’t deal well with text on a page. Around six million people in the UK – one in 10 of the population – are thought to have the condition to some degree or another. Reading the scriptures can be particularly challenging as bibles are often produced on thin paper in densely-printed type. 

The books in the dyslexia-friendly format are laid out like novels rather than in traditional columns and use shorter paragraphs. The larger, sans serif typeface with more space between the lines helps to reduce visual clutter. The books use thick paper so words don’t show through from the next page and a matt, rather than glossy finish minimises light reflection. Because the dyslexia-friendly series is published in shorter volumes, readers find it easier to navigate them instead of having to find their way through a thick bible.

Clair Natt (seen above), who has dyslexia, said: ‘I struggled reading the Bible because the words are so small and the pages are really thin. I found it really difficult to read; it’s just too complicated for me to comprehend and understand.’

Reading Scripture in the Good News Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly edition, has transformed her experience.

‘It’s more spaced out, the words are bigger and it’s just easier to read,’ she said.

Bible Society’s publishing director Derek Hill said: ‘We want to make the Bible available and accessible to everyone who needs it. We’ve committed resources to this project because it will benefit many people who will be able to discover its treasures for themselves. 

‘People can collect the different books as individuals, or churches might decide to invest in a set. This is a significant achievement and we’re delighted to reach this accessibility milestone.’

The Dyslexia-Friendly range will be available at CRE 24

• The Bible Society are at CRE 24

Photo: Clair Natt with the new Good News Bible: Dyslexia-Friendly edition.

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