37 Reduced/uncluttered format
Definition
Intentionally simplistic design of physical handouts, online resources, or other visual displays to allow focus on the essential information.
In action
Teachers can create alternate forms of regularly used displays, handouts, or other resources which are more sparse (more white space, less unnecessary graphics) and focus solely on the primary function (e.g., assessment via worksheet, information sharing via a list of project tasks).
Support Strategies
- Consider having two versions of the resource (regular and simplistic) and allow access to the whole class
- Consider the most effective font size and the amount of blank space provided on handouts
- Edit and omit unnecessary information (e.g., extra graphics and text)
- Consider use of dedicated text boxes for required responses
- Providing clear and concise instructions that students can follow easily
- Replace and condense text with visuals when appropriate to reduce the amount of written information to process
- In addition to reducing clutter, it is important to simultaneously support and instruct students in how to strategically identify key/ relevant information from cluttered displays and resources
Case Study
Student: Grade 4 student in a math lesson
Content: Students are preparing to write a math test. They will be asked to read a series of word problems and respond in the space below.
Problem: The student struggles with reading paragraphs with limited blank space between questions.
Solution: The teacher ensures that there is only one word problem per page and provides a box to help students organize their answer.
