This morning, I was interviewing a dyslexic physician, Andrew Newman (we’ll share his full story in another issue) and he happened to mention when he was working through Duolingo foreign language learning app that a pop-up occurred and asked him whether he might want to install a foreign language keyboard to help with spelling in Italian.
He had been racing through all the auditory and spoken parts of lessons, but was continually penalized for spelling in the written parts and not able to advance. Installing the Italian keyboard, auto-corrected his spelling and grammar in Italian, so now he’s able keep on learning without his dyslexia getting in the way.
Over the years, we often found ourselves writing for or talking to schools to provide appropriate foreign language accommodations for dyslexic students. Often we would ask that students be graded or passed based on conversational skills only; if one of these keyboards were installed in test-taking computers, they could also be requested as a modification / accommodation for foreign language tests. It would spellcheck and grammar check what you type in. Students would have to have their typing close enough the that keyboards would check it.
In the video below, see instructions for installing a foreign language keyboard on an iPhone:
Here are instructions to change your keyboard to another foreign language if you have an Android phone or tablet: HERE.
