By normalising the use of Read&Write across the school system, LEO Academy Trust was able to address SpLDs and remove the stigma of assistive tools. This had benefits for all students:
Personalised Learning
Understanding and then adjusting for specific needs is key to unlocking potential in every student. However it’s unrealistic to ask teachers to give continuous, one-to-one instruction to a classroom of diverse needs.
How can teachers provide personalised support to an entire class?
This was the dilemma faced by LEO Academy Trust, a network of schools in the London Borough of Sutton and Surrey. They wanted to meet the diverse range of needs within their classrooms while reducing the demand on teachers.
Their solution? They looked for digital tools that could enable personalised learning at scale.
That’s when they found Read&Write. This literacy support toolbar helps students to grow their literacy skills and express their ideas with confidence. With tools that can be tailored to their specific needs and preferences, Read&Write makes learning work for them.
At LEO Academy Trust, they take this a step further. They recognise that such tools are necessary for some students, but useful for all.
Empowering student choice
What happens when we make assistive tools available to all students?
From supporting metacognition skills to deepening engagement, hear the impact on students at LEO Academy Trust.
- Greater accessibility
- More independence
- Deeper student engagement
- New ways to collaborate
- More immersive learning experiences
- Reduced teacher workload
Help every student read, write and learn with confidence
Read&Write gives students a suite of twenty literacy support tools they can access wherever, whenever they need.
This easy-to-use toolbar offers students choice in how they access and engage with learning. With these tools at their fingertips, they can work independently to develop their literacy skills and confidence.
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Text-to-speech: Reads text aloud to support word recognition and pronunciation. Reduce cognitive load when accessing longer texts.
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Talk&Type Turns spoken word into text. Helpful for efficient note-taking.
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Dictionary/Picture Dictionary: Supports word comprehension with audio, images and age-appropriate definitions.
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Vocabulary List: Instantly creates personalised vocab lists to aid memory recall. Complete with dictionary definitions, images and personal notes.
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Check It: Reviews writing for incorrect grammar, spelling (phonetic), capitalization, punctuation, verb tense and more.
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Prediction: Suggests subject-related words as users type, helping students write more fluently and efficiently while developing their vocabulary.
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Highlighters: Allows students to colour-code and categorise information.
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Screen-Mask: Helps students maintain focus while reading large chunks of text.
Additional benefits
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Fully customisable: Students can save their individual preferences, selecting from a large range of text-to-speech voices and adjusting to suit their reading pace. The ability to personalise tools encourages meaningful engagement with learning.
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Supports study skills and organisation : Offer students new ways to take notes, process information and store research.
Necessary for some
Hear a student share the impact that Read&Write has had on his learning.
Useful for all
After making inclusive tools available to all students, teachers at Pittsburgh Public Schools saw an increase in literacy outcomes across their whole school population.
Strategies to meet every learner’s needs
Teaching and Learning Specialist Danielle McKernan walks you through 5 key challenges commonly faced by students with dyslexia – and how Read&Write can provide solutions.
Finding accommodations that work
From simple low-tech tips to powerful edtech solutions, this mini-guide will help you find effective accommodations for each learning barrier.
Assistive technology transforms lives by breaking down barriers to learning, and ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, has the tools they need to thrive. When AT is affordable, diverse, and designed with the end user in mind, we create a future where individuals with dyslexia—and all disabled people—have true choice, independence, and opportunity.
Jack Churchill, Chair of BATA
See how teachers are using technology to enhance literacy support.