Coloured
overlays are sheets of coloured plastic film suitable for placing over a page
of text when reading. There are several sets on the market. For example, a set
is manufactured by i.O.O.
Sales (NB Not 100 Sales), another by Cerium Visual Technologies and a
third by Crossbow Education.
Overlays with a small number of colours are insufficient.
It is necessary to obtain overlays that sample a large number of colours
systematically and efficiently, for example, as in the figure.
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The effects of coloured overlays on
reading fluency are reviewed
elsewhere. Teachers and others involved in the
assessment of children using overlays may find additional instructions helpful.
The beneficial effects of the overlays on reading fluency can be assessed
using the Rate of Reading Test, also available
from i.O.O.
Sales and Cerium Visual
Technologies. The Intuitive Overlays have been shown
to be of benefit to many primary school children.
About 5% of children read >25% more quickly with an overlay. The overlays
can be cut down to suit the size of the
text. Children who find overlays helpful
usually go on to coloured lenses. The
colour of the overlay and the colour of the lenses are not
the same. The figure shows the spectral reflectances of the Intuitive Overlays, together with
their chromaticities (inner ring of points) and the
chromaticities of two overlays superimposed (outer
ring of points). (The spokes connect the chromaticites
of the single overlays with those of two identically coloured overlays
superimposed, and the interstitial points show the chromaticites
of two overlays having neighbouring chromaticity.) |
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