Colour Checkers in the Workflow – From Capture to Grade for Consistent Colour

When you film across different cameras, lighting setups, and shooting environments — labs, classrooms, organ lofts, sailing on the Thames, or drone work — keeping colour consistent is one of the hardest challenges.
This is where a colour checker becomes essential.

At Philip M Russell Ltd, we use colour checkers as part of every filming workflow: science videos, sailing footage, product demonstrations, organ recordings, and even still photography. It’s the simplest way to ensure that skin tones look real, lab colours remain accurate, and edits match between sessions.

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Why Colour Consistency Matters

Different cameras see colour differently.
Different lights change colour temperature.
Different days introduce shifts — cloudy vs sunny, LEDs vs fluorescents, lab lights vs daylight.

Without calibration, footage from:

• the Canon R5C

• Insta360 X4

• GoPro

• Sony studio cameras

• drones
  may all look slightly different.

A colour checker fixes this at the point of capture.

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How a Colour Checker Works

A colour checker includes a series of known, standardised colour patches:

• skin tones

• primaries and secondaries

• grayscale steps

• absolute black and white

• calibrated neutrals

Because these values are known, your editing software can:

• automatically correct white balance

• adjust tint

• match colours between cameras

• stabilise exposure

• give you a neutral, reliable baseline

Instead of guessing, the software corrects based on measured truth.

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Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Capture

Hold the colour checker in the frame at the start of each filming setup.
Make sure:

• it faces the camera

• is lit by the same light as the subject

• fills enough of the frame to sample accurately

2. Import

Bring the footage into DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, or DarkTable/Lightroom/Camera Raw (for stills).

3. Apply Colour Matching

Use your NLE’s colour-match tool (Resolve’s is excellent):

• select the colour checker type

• draw a box around the chart

• auto-match

• fine-tune as needed

4. Grade with Confidence

Once the colours are neutral and correct, then apply your creative grade:

• LUTs

• contrast

• saturation

• warm/cool stylised looks

• film emulation

Because you’ve standardised the base, your grade becomes:

• more predictable

• easier to match across projects

• far more professional

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Why It’s Essential for Science Videos

In science communication, colour is data.
Think about:

• cobalt chloride equilibrium experiments

• phenolphthalein pH changes

• red/blue/green LEDs

• copper flame tests

• thermal imaging overlays

• photosynthesis oxygen indicators

Mis-colour in science isn’t just bad aesthetics — it can mislead.
A colour checker ensures the footage reflects reality.

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Why It Matters for Music & Sailing Videos

• Skin tones look natural

• Boat colours match across shots

• The Whaly Coyote, RS Toura, Vanessa and other boats stay consistent

• Indoor church lighting can be balanced with daylight shots

• Multi-camera organ recordings cut smoothly

Colour accuracy reinforces professionalism.

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The Takeaway

A colour checker is one of the smallest, simplest tools you can add to your workflow — and one of the most powerful.
From capture to grade, it ensures that every project looks consistent, clean, and correct.

If you want your videos to look professional, this is the starting point.

 

Using Thermal Cameras for Home Energy Audits

Thermal cameras used to be specialist tools reserved for engineers and energy assessors. Today, compact handheld units and smartphone-compatible imagers make them accessible to homeowners, teachers, and anyone interested in understanding how energy escapes from a building.

At Philip M Russell Ltd, we use thermal imaging not only for physics demonstrations, but also for home energy audits — a practical way to show how insulation, airflow, and heat loss really behave in the real world.

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Why Thermal Cameras Are So Useful

Thermal imaging reveals differences in surface temperature, making invisible problems visible:

• Cold spots caused by poor insulation

• Warm patches from radiators or pipework

• Heat leaking around windows and doors

• Draughts and ventilation paths

• Damp areas where insulation has become wet

• Gaps in loft insulation

• Radiators blocked with sludge or partially filled

It’s an immediate, visual way to understand energy efficiency.

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What to Check During an Energy Audit

1. Exterior Walls

Scan from outside at dusk or on a cold evening.
Look for:

• Hot areas on walls → heat escaping

• Cold patches → missing insulation

• Lines or stripes → poor cavity fill

2. Windows and Doors

Frames often leak more than the glass itself.
Thermal imaging can show:

• Heat escaping around the edges

• Draught pathways

• Ineffective seals

• Cold bridges around lintels

3. Roof and Loft

Warm patches on the roof indicate lost heat rising through the loft space.
Inside, cold spots in loft flooring reveal gaps in insulation depth or placement.

4. Radiators and Heating System

A healthy radiator shows even warmth.
Issues appear as:

• Cold bottoms → sludge build-up

• Patchy sections → trapped air

• Cold pipes → blockages or flow restrictions

5. Floors and Skirting

Cold edges or streaks along the floor often indicate draughts, uninsulated voids, or historic floorboards without proper sealing.

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Teaching Value – Bringing Physics Home

Using a thermal camera transforms home energy audits into a real-world physics lesson.
Students can explore:

• conduction (heat through walls),

• convection (draughts and airflow),

• radiation (warm pipes or radiators),

• and insulation strategies.

It connects theory directly to familiar environments — instantly meaningful and memorable.

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Practical Tips for Accurate Thermal Images

• Perform audits in the evening or early morning when temperature differences are clearer.

• Turn heating on for at least an hour beforehand.

• Avoid sunlight on walls — it confuses the reading.

• Let the camera stabilise for a few minutes before use.

• Always interpret images in context: bright doesn’t always mean “bad,” and cold doesn’t always mean “good.”

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The Takeaway

Thermal cameras make energy efficiency visible.
Whether you’re improving your own home, teaching thermal physics, or analysing heat loss for a project, these tools offer clear, accessible insight into how buildings behave.

A small device can reveal big savings — and even bigger learning opportunities.

 

Post-Stabilisation vs In-Camera – How Best to Show a Dinghy Racing and Heeling Over?

Filming a dinghy in action is always a balancing act — literally. Sailing footage needs to feel dynamic, fast, and authentic, yet still be clear and watchable. The big question is: how much stabilisation is too much?

Whether you’re shooting from onboard the RS Toura, the Whaly Coyote safety boat, or from shore with a long lens, choosing between in-camera stabilisation and post-production stabilisation dramatically changes the look and feel of your footage.

At pmrsailing.uk, we film a lot of dinghy racing on the Thames, and we’ve learned exactly when each method shines.

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🎥 In-Camera Stabilisation – Natural Motion, Real Heeling

Modern action cameras (like GoPros, Insta360, DJI Action) use brilliant in-camera stabilisation to smooth out bumps and vibration.
But here’s the key: they don’t remove the big movements, such as:

• heeling,

• the bow cutting waves,

• quick tacks and gybes,

• crew hiking out.

This is perfect when you want to keep the authentic feel of racing.
Viewers should feel the boat lean, surge, and accelerate — that’s the drama.

Best for:

• Helmet-mount or pole-mount shots

• Bow or stern action cams

• Wide-angle “on-boat” footage

• Showing the motion of the boat as the sailor experiences it

Pros:

✔ Natural movement preserved
✔ Very stable for hand-held or boat-mounted shots
✔ Minimal editing required

Cons:

✖ Excessive smoothing can sometimes look too “floaty”
✖ Horizon correction can remove the feeling of heel if turned on

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🎬 Post-Production Stabilisation – Smooth Viewing, Cinematic Finish

Stabilising footage in DaVinci Resolve or Premiere gives you fine control over how much movement to remove.
You can:

• Keep the overall heel

• Remove small vibration from engine or chop

• Lock focus onto another boat during a race

• Smooth a pan or follow shot from the safety boat

This is perfect for cutaway clips, promotional films, or instructional videos where clarity matters more than motion.

Best for:

• Long-lens shots from shore

• Tracking a racing dinghy from the Whaly

• Explainer videos where you need clean visuals

Pros:

✔ Viewer-friendly, stable footage
✔ Adjustable – mild to very strong stabilisation
✔ Great for cinematic storytelling

Cons:

✖ Too much stabilisation warps the background
✖ Takes longer in the edit
✖ Can remove the “feeling of speed” if overdone

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⚖️ So Which Is Best for Showing a Dinghy Racing?

Use both — deliberately.

To show speed, power, and excitement:

👉 In-camera stabilisation (not horizon lock)
Keeps the viewer in the boat. Heeling feels dramatic and real.

To show technique, sail trim, tactics, or instruction:

👉 Post-stabilisation
Keeps the boat clean in frame so learners can see exactly what’s happening.

For a professional video, mix them:

• On-board wide shots = in-camera

• Safety boat follow shots = post-stabilised

• Shore long-lens shots = mild post-stabilisation

• Drone = in-camera, but adjust ISO/SS for smoothness

This gives an edit with energy and clarity.

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The Takeaway

Showing dinghy racing at its best means capturing both the feeling of being aboard and the precision of the technique.
In-camera stabilisation keeps the excitement; post-production stabilisation keeps the footage clean.
Use each intentionally, and your sailing videos will look sharp, fast, and beautifully controlled.

 

Upgrading the Wersi Second Screen – A Better Way to Read and Play

Modern organs like the Wersi offer huge flexibility, but sometimes the built-in screen just isn’t enough — especially when you want to display full sheet music or run digital charts while playing.

I can put music on the Wersi’s own screen, but in practice it’s awkward:

• the angle is fixed,

• the display is large but not large enough fo all the music,

• and interacting with music while playing feels cramped.

So I’ve been refining a better solution: using a large external monitor mounted behind the Wersi and gradually moving towards a fully digitised music library for easier performance.

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The Old Setup

The first step was placing a 27-inch monitor on the back of the organ.
This worked, but it wasn’t perfect:

• the screen sat too far back to read comfortably,

• the viewing angle wasn’t ideal,

• switching between digital music and physical sheet music required reshuffling the whole setup.

It was better than the Wersi screen — but still not the ergonomic solution needed for long practice sessions or recording music for videos.

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The Upgrade – A Mounted, Moveable Screen

The new plan solves everything.

By mounting the 27-inch monitor on the wall behind the organ, I can:

• Pull the screen closer for easy reading,

• Tilt and position it exactly where I need it,

• Push it back instantly if I want to use traditional sheet music,

• Keep the organ’s music rest unobstructed.

This transforms comfort, visibility, and performance flow — all important when filming organ recordings for videos.

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Moving Toward a Fully Digital Music Library

I’m gradually digitising all my sheet music so I can:

• Organise everything in MobileSheets,

• Turn pages hands-free with a pedal,

• Keep annotations, versions, and registrations all in one place,

• Switch instantly between pieces during practice or recording,

• Avoid losing music inside giant ring binders.

It’s faster, cleaner, and much easier when producing music for educational videos or backing tracks.

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The Takeaway

Upgrading the Wersi’s second screen isn’t just about comfort — it’s about workflow.
A moveable monitor, easy-to-read digital sheet music, and a flexible setup make playing smoother, filming easier, and practice sessions more productive.

As I digitise more of my library, the whole system becomes faster and more intuitive — the modern way to play a very modern organ.

 

SEO for Science & Sailing – Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of those services many companies promise to “fix” overnight. They offer generic keywords, automated audits, and blog templates designed to boost rankings.
But when you work in specialist fields — like science education, private tuition, and niche sailing content — the usual SEO strategies simply don’t fit.

At Philip M Russell Ltd, our work spans three very different sectors:

• Private tuition (where the parents search, but the students learn)

• Science communication (hands-on experiments and educational videos)

• pmrsailing.uk (a personal sailing journey, not a commercial sailing business)

Each requires a different SEO approach — and not every agency truly understands that.

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Why Generic SEO Doesn’t Work for Tuition

Most SEO companies target the “primary audience”… but in private tuition, there are two:

• Parents, who search for tutors

• Students, who use the learning content

Generic SEO often fails because it focuses on:

• “Exam success!” clichés

• Overly broad keywords (“GCSE tutor”, “maths help”)

• Content aimed at students, not the decision makers

Effective SEO for tuition needs:

• Clear pages explaining how lessons run

• Studio, lab, and multi-camera teaching examples

• Proof of quality, experience, and results

• Blogs addressing parental concerns (confidence, progress, curriculum structure)

And — most importantly — local SEO, because parents search in a specific area.

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Why Sailing SEO Works Differently

Sailing blogs like pmrsailing.uk aren’t businesses — they’re storytelling, documentation, and passion projects.
SEO agencies rarely understand this distinction.

For sailing content:

• The goal isn’t selling berths or boat services

• It’s building a loyal audience, not “converting leads”

• Search traffic is less about keywords and more about community, authenticity, and consistent posting

SEO for a sailing blog should enhance visibility, not reshape the voice or tone.

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Why Science SEO Requires Accuracy

Science content has its own challenges:

• Posts must be correct, not keyword-stuffed

• Practical experiments need searchable structure

• Videos need metadata that is scientific and accessible

• Keywords require nuance (“photosynthesis oxygen rate experiment” not “plant test lesson”)

A generic SEO writer without a science background can easily produce content that ranks — but is scientifically wrong.
That’s worse than useless.

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The Real SEO Strategy: Know the Audience

The best SEO isn’t about tricking Google.
It’s about:

• Writing clear, accurate content

• Matching the intent of the searcher

• Publishing consistently

• Structuring the site logically

• Using metadata properly

• Answering real questions from real people

For us, that means:

• Science SEO: clarity + accuracy

• Tuition SEO: parent-focused information + proof

• Sailing SEO: storytelling + community

No outside agency can replicate the insight that comes from actually doing the work.

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The Takeaway

SEO isn’t universal.
Science, sailing, and tutoring all demand different approaches — and a one-size-fits-all SEO agency rarely understands that.
If the content is personal, technical, or specialist, the best SEO comes from people who know the subject, the audience, and the purpose.

And that’s why at Philip M Russell Ltd, we write our own.

The Lens Choice for Close Work – Why the Canon 100mm Macro Excels

 

The Lens Choice for Close Work – Why the Canon 100mm Macro Excels

When filming or photographing science experiments, small components, or fine details in the lab, choosing the right lens makes all the difference. At Philip M Russell Ltd, the lens that consistently delivers the clearest, sharpest close-up results is the Canon 100mm Macro.

Whether capturing chemical colour changes, insects outdoors, solder joints on a circuit board, or the fine motion of mechanical equipment, this lens turns tiny subjects into crisp, detailed visuals perfect for teaching and video production.

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Why the 100mm Macro Is the Ideal Close-Work Lens

1. True 1:1 Magnification

Many lenses claim to be macro, but the Canon 100mm actually produces life-size reproduction, meaning a 1 cm object fills 1 cm on the camera sensor.
For demonstrations, this means even the smallest details — crystal growth, indicator colour shifts, droplets, textures — are perfectly rendered.

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2. Comfortable Working Distance

With a 100mm focal length, you don’t have to get the camera uncomfortably close to the subject.
This is ideal for:

• Hot experiments

• Moving objects

• Delicate samples

• Situations involving moisture, gas, flames, or chemicals

You get beautiful detail without blocking light or putting the camera in danger.

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3. Razor-Sharp Optics

The lens is known for outstanding clarity:

• High contrast

• Minimal distortion

• Excellent edge-to-edge sharpness

For educational videos, this means diagrams, labels, and on-screen pointers remain clear even when zoomed or reframed in 4K/8K editing.

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4. Beautiful, Clean Background Separation

Macro shots often suffer from distracting clutter.
The 100mm macro produces:

• Smooth background blur

• Strong subject isolation

• Professional, clean visuals

Ideal for product shots, equipment walkthroughs, or showcasing one specific object in lessons.

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5. Versatile Beyond the Lab

It’s not just a macro lens.
The 100mm also excels at:

• Portraits

• Studio detail shots

• Wildlife close-ups

• Textures and landscapes

• Filming small mechanisms in motion

This makes it a workhorse lens in both the lab and the studio.

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The Takeaway

If you need to capture detail, the Canon 100mm Macro is one of the most versatile and reliable lenses you can own.
For science demonstrations, tuition videos, studio photography, or product close-ups, it delivers clarity, depth, and professional polish every time.

It’s a small lens with a big impact on your visual storytelling.

 

MakingBetter.Videos: Hook–Teach–Sum

A Simple Structure for Clear, Engaging Educational Videos

Educational videos don’t need Hollywood budgets to be effective — they need clarity, pacing, and structure. When filming science demonstrations, sailing tutorials, or study guides for Hemel Private Tuition, we’ve found one framework works brilliantly every time: Hook – Teach – Sum.

It’s simple, memorable, and keeps your viewer engaged from beginning to end.

Act 1: The Hook

The goal of Act 1 is to stop the scroll and establish the value proposition. It needs to happen fast.

• Intriguing Question or Fact: Start with something that makes the viewer curious (e.g., "Did you know your brain uses the same amount of power as a lightbulb?").
• State the Problem: Identify a common problem the viewer faces that your short will solve (e.g., "Always forgetting new vocabulary? Here's a proven method to remember words faster.").
• Clear Promise: Directly state what the viewer will gain by watching the entire video (e.g., "In the next 60 seconds, I'll teach you the one trick scientists use to [achieve a specific result]").

The first 3–7 seconds decide whether a viewer stays or scrolls.
A strong hook:

• Shows the end result first

• Raises a question the viewer wants answered

• Presents a surprising fact or moment

• Teases the experiment or demonstration

Examples:

• A balloon instantly freezing in liquid nitrogen

• A sudden boat tack filmed from the bow

• A graph spinning into view with an unexpected result

The hook promises value — and invites the viewer to stick around.

Act 2: The Teach

This is the main body of the content. The focus should be on clarity, conciseness, and engagement.

• One Core Concept per Short: Avoid overwhelming the viewer with too much information. A great short teaches one thing well.
• Chunk Information: Use simple, bullet-point-style explanations or visual aids to break down complex ideas into manageable pieces.
• Visual Engagement: Keep visuals moving. Use text overlays, B-roll, diagrams, or animations to illustrate points and maintain attention.
• Relatable Examples: Use real-world analogies and examples that the viewer can easily connect with.

This is the heart of the video.
Keep it tight, visual, and structured. Viewers should learn one main idea, supported by:

• Simple steps

• Clear demonstrations

• Labels, diagrams, and overlays

• Clean audio and consistent pacing

The Teach section should answer exactly what the Hook raised.
In science videos, this may be the explanation of a reaction.
In sailing videos, the analysis of why a manoeuvre works.
In tuition videos, the worked example or method.

Act 3: The Summary

The conclusion should tie everything together and tell the viewer what to do next.

• Recap Key Points: Briefly restate the one or two most important takeaways (e.g., "So remember: hook them with a question, keep the teaching simple, and end with a clear recap.").
• Reinforce the Value: Remind them of the benefit they just received.
• Call to Action (CTA): Give them a clear next step. This could be:
• "Try this technique today."
• "Follow for more tips."
• "Comment your favorite learning hack below."
• "Save this video for later."

• To finish, reinforce the key point in one or two short sentences:

  • What did we learn?

  • What should the viewer remember?

  • What’s the next step or related topic?

  A succinct summary strengthens recall and prepares the viewer for the next lesson or video.

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The structure matches how people learn:

• Hook activates curiosity

• Teach satisfies it

• Sum consolidates it

For students revising, for sailors learning new skills, or for anyone exploring your science content, Hook–Teach–Sum delivers clarity without clutter.

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The Takeaway

Whatever you’re filming — a chemical reaction, a physics demonstration, a sailing technique, or a maths lesson — this simple framework lifts your storytelling, speeds up editing, and makes your content instantly more watchable.

It’s one of the core principles behind Making.Better.Videos — because better structure always makes better teaching.

Coloured Reading Rulers – Making Reading Easier by Adjusting the Background Colour

 

Coloured Reading Rulers – Making Reading Easier by Adjusting the Background Colour

For many students, especially those with visual stress, dyslexia, or concentration difficulties, reading dense blocks of text can feel overwhelming. Letters appear to shimmer, words seem to merge, and the page becomes uncomfortable to focus on. One simple, low-cost tool that can make a big difference is the coloured reading ruler.

At Philip M Russell Ltd and Hemel Private Tuition, we use these rulers in lessons to help students who struggle to track text or maintain focus. The science behind them is straightforward — and the impact can be immediate.

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How Coloured Reading Rulers Work

Reading rulers combine two aids in one:

• A tinted overlay, which reduces visual stress caused by high contrast between black text and white paper.

• A tracking window, which isolates a single line of text and prevents the eyes from jumping around the page.

Different students respond to different colours — blue, yellow, green, pink, grey — each tint changing how the brain processes contrast and sharpness.

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Who Can Benefit?

Coloured reading rulers can help students who experience:

• Words that appear to move or blur

• Glare from bright white paper

• Difficulty tracking from one line to the next

• Fatigue after only a few minutes of reading

• Loss of place in long paragraphs

• Dyslexia-related visual discomfort

They are not a cure, but they are a useful support tool that removes barriers and builds confidence.

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Why They Help

Research suggests that certain colour wavelengths can reduce overstimulation in the visual cortex. By lowering contrast and softening the page, reading becomes more comfortable and less tiring.
In practical terms, students read:

• Longer

• More fluently

• With fewer mistakes

• With greater confidence

And because rulers are thin, inexpensive, and portable, they can be used anywhere — school, home, or tutoring sessions.

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How We Use Them in Tuition

At Hemel Private Tuition, we:

• Test a range of colours to see which students prefer

• Use rulers during reading-heavy subjects such as Biology, English, and long exam questions

• Encourage students to bring their preferred ruler to school

• Combine reading rulers with structured line breaks and accessible fonts when preparing worksheets

It’s a simple intervention that often produces instant, visible improvement.

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The Takeaway

Coloured reading rulers are a small tool with a big impact. By adjusting the background colour and helping students focus on one line at a time, they turn reading from a struggle into something achievable and comfortable.

Sometimes the best educational tools are the simplest ones.