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As we all know reading is one of the most useful skills we can learn. It’s a major part of study, work and leisure and with WhatsApp and Twitter increasingly becoming our go-to’s for communication. For us dyslexics, this bombardment of text can feel a little overwhelming. The same tech that enabled the increasing text based nature of our world, has also enabled a whole host of ways to consume information with out turning a single page. Here are our top 5 alternatives to reading.

1. Audiobooks
Audiobooks are pretty cool for several reasons; firstly for those who have difficulty reading, you can listen to your favourite book, in an interesting and engaging way. When reading in busy surroundings it can be difficult to focus, but with an audiobook and the right headphones (check out our Top 5 noise cancelling headphones), it’s much easier to focus on the storyline. Also audiobooks allow for multitasking, which can allow you to learn, study or ‘read’ in situations like driving, when reading a traditional book would not be practical.

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2. Slide Share
SlideShare is a website which focuses on sharing knowledge through presentations. Okay this one involves a little reading but what SlideShare does offer is simple, well designed and enlightening presentations. Areas such as technology, education, marketing, design, art or business, you name it, SlideShare has it. What makes SlideShare great is that, although each presentation has a lot of information, it is spread into small and easy to digest chucks. Unlike a report or a transcript, where you are given one big chunk of information. SlideShare’s format creates an interesting narrative, very much like a story. http://www.slideshare.net/

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3. TED Talks
Video is becoming increasingly important in the process of spreading information. One of the most popular video platforms is TED Talks. Taken from TED’s ‘About’ page “TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less)”. TED covers everything and some of the best videos can truly change your perspective on life. Each video is given by a specialist or a professional with knowledge of a certain field. A number of famous people have graced the TED Talks stage including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking. https://www.ted.com/

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4. Podpasts
If you’re reading this, you might already be familiar with podcasts. They are usually episodic and usually cover certain subjects. Podpast can be about anything, from book reviews, interviews to short anecdotes. Unlike audiobooks which can be long, podcast are usually a lot shorter and more specific. The Codpast currently features three podcasts which consist of mini documentaries, audiobook reviews and interviews with dyslexics.

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5. Spoken word/Performance Poetry nights

For many dyslexics poetry can be hard to follow. At school poetry and especially Shakespeare were difficult for me to say the least. It took so much energy to decipher what was being said, I quickly lost interest in the storyline. Years later when hearing it spoken out loud in a familiar style, Shakespeare was a truly captivating experience.
There are spoken word nights all over the country, which also double as great places to meet like-minded individuals and network.

Below is an example of how performance can bring poetry to life:

Words by James Childs


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The Codpast is a multimedia production from www.extraordinaire.tv