On the air: How a marketing faculty member challenged her students to create board games for children with dyslexia

Jane Machin wanted to buy her young godson a birthday gift that celebrated his dyslexia.

When she couldn’t find a game that fit the bill, the Radford University assistant marketing professor had her students create something they could market to a wider audience.

“I challenged my students to develop ideas and create board games that rewarded the strengths of a dyslexic child rather than punish their areas of weakness,” Machin said. “I thought creating games was a unique opportunity for my students to immerse themselves in the experience of somebody else. When I teach creativity, I tell my students empathy for the person you are trying to solve problems for is highly, highly important.”

Machin spoke about the innovative project in an interview on the With Good Reason public radio program, which is now available as a podcasts at withgoodreasonradio.org.

With Good Reason is produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities for the Virginia Higher Education Broadcasting Consortium and is broadcast on public radio stations in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

With Good Reason has won five Gabriel Awards for Best Documentary or Public Affairs Programs, and is the recipient of top honors from the Public Radio News Directors, Radio and Television Digital News Association and the Virginia Association of Broadcasters.