When you're typing something - a worksheet, an LEA transcript - somebody is bound to read it, and when that somebody is an ESL learner, you want your text to be as easy as possible to read. One area that can confuse learners are fonts. In this post, we'll discuss the differences between fonts and why it's important to use one type consistently.
Fonts are interesting things. There are thousands to choose from, and yet the only real differences are the slight undertones that come with each style. While it can be fun to mess around with the font on a poster or advertisement, it often becomes unnecessary with more straightforward exercises like the ones you'll mostly be using with your learner.
In fact, it's unnecessary at best, and at worst it makes reading confusing for your learner as they struggle to figure out individual letters in a new font. Letters should be instantly recognizable, as your learner should be focusing on the meaning of words and sentences, not depicting letters.
I'm learning Arabic in school, and I'm at an intermediate level right now, which is comparable to the level of English that many of our learners are at. I know how to read, write, and speak on a basic level, and I can get around my limited vocabulary by explaining what I'm trying to say in different terms.
I can figure out words in texts based on context. However, one thing that really throws me off is when my teacher gives me a newspaper article written in a stylized font. It takes me 3-5 times longer to read it than it would if it were in a basic font. Some of the letters are almost unrecognizable at first glance.
This is true in any language, English included. Outside the classroom, your learner may have to read a variety of fonts every day, but why make it harder for them while they're still learning the language? Fancy fonts are frustrating, and learning a new language is hard enough already.
I've created a small diagram with Chinese characters arranged into two vertical columns. Believe it or not, each column has the same four characters; however, the fonts differ between the two. I challenge you to try matching the two sets. Don't scroll down until you've tried!
It takes me a while to get it right, and I made the diagram! Even if you successfully matched the columns, it probably took a careful effort. It took time, right? Here's the answer key:
When learning most languages, the alphabet - or set of characters, in Chinese - is usually one of the first things you learn. It's the basis of written language, and once you've mastered the individual letters or characters, you can then move on to words and grammar structures. It's a large step back if you have to re-learn the letters in a new font.
Different fonts can create subtle aesthetic differences, which is why they're often used in marketing and similar fields. Visual aesthetics is an advanced, abstract area of language that is more naturally acquired than taught. You should give your learners text with simple and straightforward fonts, like Times, Helvetica, or Arial. Take away the distraction and extra work, and you'll make their lives that much easier.
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
Fonts are interesting things. There are thousands to choose from, and yet the only real differences are the slight undertones that come with each style. While it can be fun to mess around with the font on a poster or advertisement, it often becomes unnecessary with more straightforward exercises like the ones you'll mostly be using with your learner.
In fact, it's unnecessary at best, and at worst it makes reading confusing for your learner as they struggle to figure out individual letters in a new font. Letters should be instantly recognizable, as your learner should be focusing on the meaning of words and sentences, not depicting letters.
I'm learning Arabic in school, and I'm at an intermediate level right now, which is comparable to the level of English that many of our learners are at. I know how to read, write, and speak on a basic level, and I can get around my limited vocabulary by explaining what I'm trying to say in different terms.
I can figure out words in texts based on context. However, one thing that really throws me off is when my teacher gives me a newspaper article written in a stylized font. It takes me 3-5 times longer to read it than it would if it were in a basic font. Some of the letters are almost unrecognizable at first glance.
This is true in any language, English included. Outside the classroom, your learner may have to read a variety of fonts every day, but why make it harder for them while they're still learning the language? Fancy fonts are frustrating, and learning a new language is hard enough already.
I've created a small diagram with Chinese characters arranged into two vertical columns. Believe it or not, each column has the same four characters; however, the fonts differ between the two. I challenge you to try matching the two sets. Don't scroll down until you've tried!
It takes me a while to get it right, and I made the diagram! Even if you successfully matched the columns, it probably took a careful effort. It took time, right? Here's the answer key:
When learning most languages, the alphabet - or set of characters, in Chinese - is usually one of the first things you learn. It's the basis of written language, and once you've mastered the individual letters or characters, you can then move on to words and grammar structures. It's a large step back if you have to re-learn the letters in a new font.
Different fonts can create subtle aesthetic differences, which is why they're often used in marketing and similar fields. Visual aesthetics is an advanced, abstract area of language that is more naturally acquired than taught. You should give your learners text with simple and straightforward fonts, like Times, Helvetica, or Arial. Take away the distraction and extra work, and you'll make their lives that much easier.
Happy tutoring!
Kris
Kristofer Pieper
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Tufts University, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
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