BESA CORNER
In our regular feature highlighting the work of members of the UK education suppliers’ trade body BESA, Education Today this month hears from Crick Software about its “Clicker 7” software for SEN pupils; and Rachel Woolley of STAEDTLER on its Teachers’ Club UK.
Crick Software – meeting the writing needs of all children
Reports from the Department for Education (DfE) over the years have shown that, on average, pupils perform worse in writing than they do in comparison with reading, maths and science at Key Stages 1 and 2. Overall, the evidence indicates that low- performing children face a wide variety of challenges. However, with the increasing pressure on schools’ budgets,
meeting the needs of each individual child is a challenge for all schools, as investing in literacy learning support materials for all these precise needs can be costly. Some children need specific fonts, colours and layouts, others
just need access to a key word bank. Having just one tool that you can tailor to each learner’s literacy needs makes differentiation so much more straightforward and places a lot less pressure on budgets! Most schools know of our established Clicker software for
the benefits it provides to children with special educational needs. The latest version, Clicker 7, has been enhanced to meet a broader range of needs so that it can be used by all teachers, not just SENCos. Whether a child is a very capable developing writer, a reluctant writer, or one who is simply falling behind, the software’s features meet every need. Meeting the needs of schools in the
most cost-effective way is something that all BESA member organisations strive to achieve, and feedback from our users certainly shows that we have managed this. Suzanne Lazarus (pictured), inclusion
leader at Colindale Primary School, had already used the previous version of Clicker for many years, but as she
explains, “I could really see its potential as a whole-school literacy tool. Historically, I have only used the software to support my cohort of children with special needs, but I’ve really been championing it as a resource for every pupils’ literacy development, particularly our KS1 developing writers”. Colindale Primary School’s English as an Additional Language
(EAL) staff use Clicker as an essential day-to-day resource. These children have found real benefit in the ability to record their spoken vocabulary practice and listen back to it when it comes to writing. So what are the new features to look out for? I’ll leave
Suzanne to explain: “Firstly the ‘Dyslexie’ font now makes it so much easier for these children to read, and the ability to rehearse and record ideas first using the ‘Voice Notes’ tool is a brilliant innovation. There are two boys in particular who come to mind; since using Clicker they are able to work so much more independently, and their confidence is really growing now that they’re not reliant on having an adult beside them to help. After 20 minutes of writing, they actually have something to show for it, rather than a blank page and the frustration of never quite getting started”.
uWant to find out how Clicker 7 can meet more of your school’s literacy needs? Please do come along to see us on stand D140 at Bett 2017 (25-28th January, ExCeL, London).
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www.education-today.co.uk
STAEDTLER
Marketing Manager at STAEDTLER Rachel Woolley discusses the company’s Teachers’ Club UK and what it can do for you.
“As one of the key suppliers of quality stationery to the education sector STAEDTLER has always worked closely with the teaching profession to develop its product range but wanted to strengthen this communication and also offer practical support to teachers in the classroom. Launched at The Education Show in 2011, STAEDTLER Teachers’ Club UK was devised specifically to facilitate this. It’s a free online platform for primary school teachers to find and access free product samples, curriculum-linked teaching resources and fun competitions to keep pupils busy. “Today, with almost 10,000 members, the Club is a thriving online
community offering teachers KS1 and KS2 activity sheets, competitions, regular e-newsletters and the opportunity to try new products. It has grown organically since its inception with a new website launched last year offering additional features such as a new members’ area with fun resources and activity sheets to download. “To ensure the Club offers exactly what members want, a Teacher
Panel was introduced. This exclusive group comprises proactive members who assist STAEDTLER in improving and extending the Club. Teacher Panel members are also tasked with testing the latest STAEDTLER products in the classroom as well as having a vital say in shaping the Club’s overall activity. In particular, teachers are encouraged to let STAEDTLER know which lesson resources they would like to see on the website and to share their expertise with other members, whether it is a tried and tested teaching method or a creative idea for ways to teach KS1 and KS2 subjects. “Current activity includes a series of focus groups held in primary
schools so that STAEDTLER can learn about teachers’ schedules and priorities, how they use social media and which classroom resources they find most valuable. “To guide new product development work and ensure it is completely
in tune with teachers’ expectations, STAEDTLER has also conducted an in- depth survey into marker pens with over 1,500 Teachers’ Club members and will shortly be publishing an infographic with the results. “In addition to many other activities throughout the year, there are two
major annual competitions, World Kids Colouring Day and Sketching Stars, running in Spring and Autumn respectively and aimed at KS1 and KS2 pupils. As well as STAEDTLER products, the prizes for these design- based competitions include art workshops which have been tremendously well received by the schools. “The theme for World Kids colouring day in 2016 was Funny Animals
and over 5,000 entries were received from talented young artists. Following a prize workshop from renowned British artist and caricaturist Picasso Griffiths at St Mary’s Church of England Primary School in Boston Spa, class teacher and Teachers’ Club UK member, Oliver Butterwick said “The children had a great time looking at his artwork and asking for help with their own projects. It was a unique experience and we're so grateful to have had it."
“Teachers’ Club is an invaluable two-
way channel of communication for us. The feedback we receive from primary school teachers is incredibly useful, not just in developing exciting new products but also in formulating our marketing campaign and ensuring we offer that all important ‘added value’.””
uwww.teachersclub.staedtler.co.uk January 2017
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