Independent learning through technology

Aran is ten. He was a normally developing child until the age of six when he had a major medical event which required life saving surgery, but which left him brain damaged. He spent a year in hospital then a year in a rehabilitation centre before going back into a mainstream school at the age of eight.

His life has changed considerably. Previously he was meeting age related expectations, and no concerns were expressed about his learning needs or language development. He is now in a powered wheelchair, with his  only assured movement in his left arm. His speech and language are also seriously affected. It is as if, at his young age, he has had a stroke.

When he first went back to school his communication was single words, and consideration was given to providing an augmentative and alternative communication aid (AAC) such as an iPad loaded with Prologquo2go. This is a simple, on-screen, grid from which the user selects the word or phrase they want to say. Frequently the grid will have symbols in the cells as many users will have literacy difficulties, and this can speed up word finding. Unfortunately he did not have sufficient muscle tone in his arm to be able to lift it far enough to touch all of the screen, nor the ability to isolate a single finger to tap or to swipe. This also meant that using an iPad was out for curriculum work.

We decided to find another way of working, whilst at the same time using the iPad for games and activities that might help build his capacity to use it more effectively in the  future.

We began to introduce a laptop with a switch attached. This is a large button that is pressed to create a response on the screen. At first we tried simple activities where a picture is built with each click of the button, which then became animated after five clicks as a reward. Aran picked this  up very quickly and was soon using  ChoooseIt Maker Readymades for curriculum activities. These are a number of sequential screens, each with a set of cells  – between two and eight – laid out like a grid, containing possible answers to a question (which can be written, read aloud, or both). Each cell is highlighted in turn and when it gets to the answer the user presses the button.

Fairly quickly we were able to add a second switch meaning that  instead of automatic scanning one button moved the highlight on the screen whilst the other was used to select the chosen answer. This set up meant that Aran was able to work independently for the first time since he had returned to a classroom, to the extent that his teaching assistant could leave him to work whilst she nipped to the loo, grabbed a cup of tea, or worked with one of the other  children in the class.

We also invested in ChooseIt Maker3 so that we could create more challenging material for him to use in class.

It is difficult to know how much he is remembering from what he learnt previously, before he became ill, or whether he is learning afresh. Similarly with his language development, some of it may be recovered, some learnt. However, his speed of recovery, whilst slow, is continuing – and gaining – apace.

He is now using two switches with the on-screen keyboard and predictor in Clicker7 to write short pieces of work, as well as using three switches to control his wheelchair. His language is such that he is using sentences of several words, although AAC is sometimes used to help him express his feelings when in counselling sessions (provided to help him make sense of the situation he now finds himself in).

Whilst it is impossible to know where his developmental path will take him, it is clear that without technology he could not operate with any independence in school. It allows him to get himself around, to work and to write, as well as contributing to his growing capacity to communicate.

 

Clicker 7 and Clicker Apps. What’s the Difference?

Many teachers are already aware of how useful Clicker 7 is in the classroom. Clicker 7 is a talking word processor with predictive text, grids of words to support the early writer with spelling and offers a built-in planning tool to help learners prepare for writing. (see previous blog post)

Many schools have had earlier versions over the years: Clicker 3, 4, 5, or 6. It can be loaded onto Windows PCs and Macs.

For iPads and Chromebooks

This marvellous piece of software has been split into smaller pieces to make it  work well on iPads and Chromebooks without taking up so much storage and without costing so much. The apps cost from £30-£32 each.

There are four apps for iPads and 3 apps for Chromebooks.

Clicker Sentences

Clicker Sentences is ideal for emergent writers, English language learners and for older children struggling to acquire basic literacy skills. It supports children building their first sentences using words from a grid with options for differentiated writing support. It offers model sentences, illustrated writing as well as speak feedback.

Clicker Connect

Clicker Connect is for developing or struggling writers and is good for children moving on from using Clicker Sentences. It scaffolds independent writing by offering words and phrases to support children as they build coherent text. It offers colour-coded cells containing words & pictures and speech feedback.

Clicker Docs

Clicker Docs is for primary pupils of all abilities especially pupils with dyslexia and struggling spellers. Clicker Docs encourages independent writing with the support of word prediction and word banks and has a talking spell checker and speech feedback.

Clicker Books

Clicker Books is for primary pupils of all abilities, pupils with dyslexia and struggling writers. Clicker Books lets pupils create their own talking books, including pictures and speech input, using a range of differentiated support. Teachers can create reading books for pupils. It has  word banks, word prediction, a talking spell checker and a sound recorder.

Clicker 7 – a properly ‘Inclusive’ resource

What is it?

Clicker 7 is a combination of a word-processor and a range of very adaptable, on-screen, grids, sometimes used separately, sometimes in combination, that is installed on desktop computers and laptops.

For learners struggling with literacy, for whatever reason, there are a number of aids to writing, including text to speech, a word-predictor, images or symbols inserted automatically, voice prompts, and word banks. There is also a built-in on-screen keyboard for those who are using switches or eye-gaze.

Further supports for those with SEND include changing the font, font size and colour, background colour and voice of the text to speech.

The same coding underpinning the word banks is also used separately to create on-screen books – both to read and to write – matching exercises, labelling activities, and even speaking and listening activities.

Clicker 7 also includes the Clicker Board, an integral planning tool that can be used to structure work, which can be used with multi-media as well as text.

Who is it for?

Whilst intended for primary aged children, even older students with a range of challenges to learning can use it, as well as those with none. As a word-processor it operates in a similar way to industry standard applications, such as MSWord, but with many of the superfluous functions – such as the mail-merge and the page styles – stripped out.

Pupils who are beginning to write independently will benefit from word grids to build sentences, or to provide key vocabulary, whilst those who are becoming more independent can use the predictor to help with word-finding and spelling, and the screen-reader to let them know if their writing makes sense.

Those with physical disabilities might also benefit from using the predictor to reduce keystrokes, as well as its switch access resource, or its integrated eye-gaze capability.

It offers as much, or as little, support as is needed.

The grids facility can be used separately to create myriad activities, from matching involving text, images and sound, to labelling diagrams, sorting into groups, finding pairs, and writing books.

There are over 3,000 grids that are provided online covering the whole primary curriculum, and more, at http://www.learninggrids.com . The software comes with templates to create your own, along with several thousand images, although you can add your own, too.

How do I use it?

You can find uses for it in all aspects of the curriculum, but especially where pupils need to write. Beyond that you might use it to create a matching activity for young learners to find words and images, or maybe a multi-media mindmap on the interactive whiteboard with everyone involved when starting a new topic. It can be used with the whole class, small groups and targeted individuals.

There are a short training videos for you to learn every aspect of the software  at the Crick  online training videos.

What else is there?

There is very little like it. You can find some of its functionality in other programs, but few that combine them. MSWord, for example, has text to speech. Widgitonline will associate images or symbols with text, and WordQSpeakQ can provide an inline predictor. Powerpoint might let you multi-media to make books and demonstrate understanding, but without the supportive features of Clicker.

Older learners could use DocsPlus which works in a very similar way, but with added features that make it eligible for access in exams, as well as several iPad and Chrome apps.