#26: Conductive tool for dyslexics

On the subject of cerebellar, ‘motor memories’, today’s invention is intended to help dyslexics with letter formation (and perhaps subsequent differentiation).

I propose a device by which a pencil is constrained to move in a certain sequence within a mechanical template or ‘gate’ so that it can only make eg the letter p repeatedly -rather than q, with which it may be confused. (I still have difficulties with (d, b, 6), (g, p, q), (9, e) etc. It took me about three minutes to type this last sentence…but then I’m also synaesthetic, and seeing letters with ‘attached’ colours adds to the difficulty).

This would probably require that each letter be constructed in the form of a single slot, with the pencil in continuous contact with the paper, rather than as a sequence of lines with gaps.

The allowed letter in question could be changed after several thousand repetitions, by substituting in a different gate. This is a little like the conductive education which the Peto Institute began, I suppose.

A version of this used to be available via draconian teachers who would modify anything other than perfect copperplate by use of a ruler. Nowadays they’ll settle for minimising the number of classroom fires per lesson.