Reading Ruler
A coloured strip that follows your finger or mouse to help track across the line — no losing your place.
What is a reading ruler?
A reading ruler is a coloured strip or line that sits over text while reading, helping the reader track which line they are on and reducing the visual distortion that some readers experience. Physical reading rulers — coloured plastic overlays — have been used in schools for decades. A digital reading ruler does the same thing on a screen, with a tinted line that follows your cursor or finger as you move down the page.
Who benefits from reading rulers?
Reading rulers are particularly helpful for children and adults with dyslexia, visual stress, scotopic sensitivity syndrome (also called Meares-Irlen syndrome), and ADHD. Visual stress — sometimes called pattern glare — causes words to appear to blur, move or shimmer on the page, making reading exhausting and inaccurate. A coloured overlay reduces this distortion for many readers. ADHD readers often lose their place in dense text; a reading ruler line keeps the eye anchored to the correct line and reduces re-reading.
How to use the digital reading ruler
Paste any text into the reading area. A coloured line follows your cursor or finger as you move through the text — keeping your place without you having to consciously track it. Adjust the colour and opacity of the ruler to find what works best for you or your child. Different colours work for different people — some readers find yellow most helpful, others prefer blue, green or pink. Let the child try different colours and choose the one that makes the text feel clearest.
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