Make your phone more accessible

Building on the “Hey Siri” hack, you can use your phone’s accessibility features to help with reading and visual stress. These include: being able to get your phone to speak highlighted text or even getting the phone to speak the whole screen to you! These features were originally designed for people with visual problems but like using a screwdriver as a pry bar, why not use them for words/sentences you are struggling with.

For features on an iPhone head over to Apples website;

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph3e2e4367/ios

For Android users;

https://support.google.com/accessibility/android/answer/6006564?hl=en-GB

Like this hack?

You might also enjoy

Episode 93 – A Journey of Growth and Imagination with Kirsty Heap

Join Matthew Head on *The Dyslexia Life Hacks Show* as he welcomes back Kirsty Heap, dyslexia coach and now children’s book author. Kirsty shares her inspiring journey from HR to writing *Silent Snow*, a book designed to offer a stress-free reading experience for families, especially those with dyslexia. She discusses balancing her business with family life, the creative storytelling process through illustrations, and the challenges of publishing. Kirsty highlights the importance of creativity, vulnerability, and collaboration in her work, sharing insights on building narratives and promoting her book. Discover her strategies for success and plans for future projects in this insightful episode.

Episode 79 – Helping everyone Access the Education they Deserve with Kait Feriante

In this podcast episode, Kait Feriante debunks the misconception that people with dyslexia can’t learn to read or write. Kait, who grew up in Albania and traveled globally, discovered that diverse educational models highlight that learning methods should be tailored to individual needs, especially for neurodiverse students. She emphasizes the necessity for teachers to have a broad educational toolbox to address each student’s unique situation. Kait’s experiences as a teacher revealed the disparity in educational support due to socio-economic differences. To combat this, she co-founded Redwood Literacy, which offers evidence-based reading interventions. Their 50/50 model ensures that 50% of their services fund free education for 50% of their students. As of January 2021, Redwood serves 290 students, with 160 receiving free services. Key topics include learning with dyslexia, individualized education, and challenges in accessing quality support based on socio-economic status.

Episode 63 – Misdiagnosis for Autism and Becoming an Olympian with Caragh McMurtry

Caragh McMurtry, an Olympic Rower for Team GB, shares her remarkable journey on this podcast. Despite the already challenging path of pursuing Olympic excellence, Caragh’s neurodiversity added an extra layer of complexity. She reveals how she initially struggled as she was misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and underwent ineffective treatments, including medication that hindered her rowing performance.

It took five years, until 2019, for Caragh to receive the correct diagnosis of High-functioning Autism. This revelation empowered her to embrace her uniqueness, leading to newfound happiness. Following her retirement after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Caragh founded Neurodiverse Sport CIC to ensure others with neurodiversity don’t face the same hurdles she did. Her mission is to provide support, education, and advocacy for neurodivergent athletes, believing that no athlete should feel isolated due to not conforming to neurotypical standards.

Caragh’s inspiring story highlights the importance of inclusivity in sports and is a must-listen for all.