Clicker is designed as a supportive tool to empower pupils throughout the writing process. Recently, I’ve been showing teachers the benefits of using Clicker Boards as a versatile planning tool.

Our latest improvements to Clicker Board in Clicker Writer provide further scaffolds for pupils to call upon whenever they choose. In this blog, I’ve used a teaching context from my time as a Year 4 teacher to demonstrate those scaffolds.

Each year we wrote non-chronological reports about natural disasters. Gathering the ideas and language we had developed prior to writing independently helped make pupils’ written outcomes successful.

Here’s how Clicker Boards can support that success.

Clicker’s scaffolds

Pupils can call upon all of Clicker’s support features to add ideas to their Clicker Board. They can use Clicker’s intelligent, phonetic Predictor to quickly write ideas, or use the ‘Dictate’ button on the on-screen keyboard to add ideas by speaking. As in all areas of Clicker, pupils can right-click or use sound shift to have the contents of their Clicker Board read back in their chosen high-quality voice.

Send to Document

Referencing a plan whilst engaged in the act of writing is a skill that requires teaching. In Clicker Writer, pupils can easily send each Clicker Board to their Document. This provides them with an accessible visual reminder of all the ideas they have developed before formulating them into a coherent piece of writing.

Send Voice Notes from your Clicker Board

When pupils talk through their ideas, it often results in richer idea generation. These thoughts can easily be captured in Voice Notes on a Clicker Board. When it comes to constructing the full text, pupils can send these Voice Notes to the Document. While writing, they can easily hear the ideas they were formulating orally in planning sessions.

Make a Word Bank

With my classes, I always dedicated significant time to gathering vocabulary from a wide variety of texts before planning our writing. Anyone who has been to our recent CPD Days will have heard me eulogising the benefits of turning Working Walls into Clicker Word Banks. I know this is something that teachers often do with their planning – you can see me do this with one of my Year 3 history plans in the top video on this page.

Clicker Boards gives this power to pupils. They can add all the vocabulary they know they want to use to their Clicker Board, then turn this into a Word Bank to quickly access while they are writing. As with all Clicker Sets, pupils can hear the vocabulary read back and click to send it to the Document.

Pictures and symbols

Clicker’s Picturize feature is powerful when used by both teachers and pupils. Hit Picturize to instantly add artist-drawn pictures from the CrickPix library or from the 10,000 Widgit Symbols included in Clicker. Teachers can add visuals to stimulate planning ideas or pupils can Picturize their plan – this puts the power of the visual support in the hands of the learner. Of course, you can also browse pictures or add a photograph.

LearningGrids

Our regularly updated bank of over 4,000 resources on LearningGrids provides a great starting point for inspiration on how you can use Clicker with the children in your classrooms. This includes resources that encourage pupils to use Clicker Boards as more than a planning tool. For example, try some of our sequencing activities or character profiles. Choose a Clicker Board from here as a starting point or use one of the premade Clicker Board layouts when you select ‘New Clicker Board’.

How to update

All updates are available to current Clicker Writer subscribers.

On Chromebook, the app will update automatically. iPads with automatic updates turned on will see the new features instantly; if not, update Clicker Writer via the App Store.

If you have any other questions about using Clicker Writer

• We have a range of tutorials to help with using the app.
  
  
• For technical questions and any issues updating the app, you can contact our technical support team.

When I first joined Crick Software, I asked lots of pupils and teachers what they liked most about using Clicker. I was particularly interested to hear what features people find most useful to support writing.

You won’t be surprised to hear that I got different answers from almost everyone I spoke to. Some chose speech feedback, others opted for the child-friendly Predictor or Spell Check. One theme that shone through, however, was the fact that pupils liked being able to call on the scaffold they needed whenever they want.

Clicker’s Word Pool allows users to personalise several of these support tools, making Clicker even more suited to each individual user. This feature has been popular in Clicker Desktop and is now included in the Clicker Writer App.

Add common misspellings

Clicker’s Predictor and Spell Check tools are both intelligent and phonetic – try the ‘alefent / elephant test’ and read my blog about how much more child-friendly these tools are in Clicker than in your standard word processor. 

With the latest update of Clicker Writer, you can add common misspellings to the Word Pool to personalise this feature. A pupil may have a specific word they struggle with, or you might want to add common misspellings of subject-specific vocabulary. Go to the ‘Suggestions’ tab in ‘Settings’ to quickly add the misspellings you want the Word Pool to pick up on.

Once added, the Predictor and Spell Check will be able to recognise these common misspellings and suggest the correct word.

Don’t forget, users can always hear suggestions in the Predictor and Spell Check using right-click.

Correct pronunciation

Text-to-speech has been in Clicker since some of the earliest versions and has always been one of the most loved scaffolds. Having writing read back to pupils enables them quickly spot errors and check their work. Occasionally, a word won’t be pronounced as you’d expect – especially with subject-specific vocabulary. You can enter the phonetic pronunciation into the Word Pool to quickly improve the power of speech feedback.

I am not a typo

We know how important name recognition is and we regularly widen our name database in Clicker’s dictionary to prevent that red squiggly line appearing. My colleague Jess recently wrote a blog about the ‘I am not a typo’ campaign. You can use the Word Pool to add any child’s name that isn't yet included.

Prevent unwanted speech

Occasionally, pupils will ask Clicker to speak a word that you’d prefer it didn't. To account for this, you can add these to the Word Pool and choose another word to be spoken instead. In my experience this is rare, but it is good to have a quick solution if you need it!

Get pupils involved

Use Clicker’s Word Pool to empower your Clicker users further. Talk to your pupils about words they would find useful to be added to the Word Pool. This encourages self-reflection about where they are making a common spelling error, or where they are taking advantage of speech feedback. Use the Word Pool to make Clicker’s scaffolds even more powerful.

If you have any other questions about using Clicker Writer

• We have a range of tutorials to help with using the app.
  
  
• For technical questions and any issues updating the app, you can contact our technical support team.

In 2005, we introduced Clicker’s Predictor. At the time, it was a real game-changer for pupils. Many of us now use word prediction every day, but Clicker’s Predictor is quite different from the suggestions we’re used to getting from our phones or word processors.

Intelligent, phonetic prediction

Learners who struggle with spelling will know that most predictors aren’t particularly effective. This is especially true if you don’t know the accurate opening spelling patterns of a word, which isn’t always easy in a language like English.

Clicker’s Predictor offers ‘sounds-like’ suggestions. I’ve seen posts on social media describe the below as ‘the elephant test’. Try typing the word ‘elephant’ with various spellings and see what suggestions you are offered.

I also often use the example of pupils writing about Natural Disasters – a subject I enjoyed teaching when I was a Year 4 class teacher.

Try this sentence with a variety of spellings:

A tsunami is caused by an earthquake under the ocean.

Speech feedback in the Predictor

Conventional word prediction relies on the user being able to quickly read the suggested words; but Clicker has several solutions to help struggling readers.

Users can right-click or use ‘Sound Shift’ to hear any word read aloud from the Predictor, meaning they know exactly which word they are adding to the Document.

Visuals in the Predictor

You can support students further by adding visuals to the Predictor. Turn on ‘Picturize the Predictor’ in settings and choose which library you wish to use. Don’t forget, Clicker now includes 10,000 Widgit Symbols.

With this feature, pupils get a great visual reminder of the word they are adding to their Document.

Boost the Predictor with subject-specific vocabulary

This feature lets you customise the Predictor for the lesson you are teaching, encouraging pupils to use subject-specific vocabulary in their writing. Sticking with the natural disasters example, you probably want the Predictor to offer vocabulary such as ‘volcano’ or ‘hurricane’ much sooner than in other contexts.

To boost these suggestions, open a Word Bank, either from LearningGrids, or create one using the vocabulary that you have been teaching in class. When a Word Bank is open, the Predictor will automatically ‘boost’ these words.

In this example, I have opened the Natural Disasters A-Z Word Bank from LearningGrids, boosting the Predictor with the vocabulary in the Word Bank. This means ‘volcano’ is suggested much sooner than in other contexts. I can add any vocabulary I like to the Word Bank for the Predictor to boost these suggestions and choose whether the Word Bank itself is visible to the user.

Quickly choose a suggestion from the keyboard

To speed up entering words from the Predictor, enable numbers in the predictor panel. When typing, hit the number on the keyboard of the chosen word. This is a great option for faster typers.

More than your usual word prediction

So not all predictors are created equal! Clicker’s phonetic awareness, speech, and symbol support make it far more friendly for users developing their literacy skills. Plus, you can give the Predictor even greater impact by boosting the vocabulary you have been focusing on in class.

Further help and advice

If you have any questions about using the Predictor or any other Clicker feature, we’re here to help!

For technical queries, you can contact our technical support team. For personalised advice on using Clicker with your learners, you can book a meeting with your Partnership Consultant.

We get a lot of questions about dictation in Clicker and DocsPlus. For many learners, dictating is a great tool for reducing cognitive load in the writing process, especially those who find typing or handwriting challenging.

With all the great feedback we’ve been getting about the new 'Dictate to Document' button in Clicker Writer, we wanted to share all the ways that dictation can work with our writing support tools.

Dictation in Clicker Writer

In Clicker Writer, you can find the ‘Dictate to Document’ button in the ‘Voice Input’ drop-down menu. Alternatively, if using the on-screen keyboard, you can click the microphone button to enable dictation.

With either method, children can use the dictate function while also seeing the relevant Clicker Set at the bottom of the screen. This means they can take advantage of the supportive writing grids, even if they struggle with typing.

Dictation in the DocsPlus App

As with Clicker Writer, you can find the dictate button on the on-screen keyboard. Students who are entitled to additional support in exams can use this feature as an alternative to a scribe.

Letting students practise using the function in both normal classroom tasks, and in Exam Mode for mocks and exams, is a great way to ensure that access arrangements align with their normal way of working.

Dictation in Clicker and DocsPlus Desktop

In our desktop products, dictation works alongside the built-in features of the device. In Windows, you can open the ‘Windows Dictation’ dialogue by pressing the Windows logo + H keys together on your physical keyboard.

Alternatively, if you are using the Windows on-screen keyboard, simply click the Microphone key. For further information please see Microsoft’s support article which offers comprehensive advice on using this feature.

On Mac, you open the dictation function by using the Microphone key on the keyboard, or by setting up a keyboard shortcut to enable dictation. Apple’s support article gives further details about how to do this. 

Once dictation has been activated, you will see your text appearing seamlessly in your Clicker or DocsPlus Document as you speak the words.

Pro tip for Desktop Users: Turn off speech feedback in Clicker or DocsPlus desktop settings if you are not using headphones. This will avoid distracting other learners.

Further help and advice

We're always on-hand to offer help and support for using Clicker and DocsPlus effectively throughout your subscription period.

For technical queries, you can contact our technical support team. For personalised advice on using Clicker or DocsPlus with your learners you can book a meeting with your Partnership Consultant.

If you need specific advice on using DocsPlus in exams, please book an exam support meeting.

And if you’re wondering how to do something in Clicker or DocsPlus and want a quick answer, you can review our helpful tutorial videos. These are separated into sections for the app and desktop versions: Clicker / DocsPlus.  

We’re pleased to announce the latest release of DocsPlus Desktop. This is a free update for all subscribers and includes some exciting new features.

New neural voices

We’re introducing two new voices to DocsPlus – Caleb and Chloe. These are based on the latest neural voice technology and have been very well received in testing. Our Rachel and Rhona voices have also had an upgrade and sound even smoother and more realistic.

Text-to-speech is one of the most popular features with students. The instant feedback allows them to improve their work immediately and independently.

You can choose your preferred voice from the ‘Speak Text’ drop-down menu in the Document, or by navigating to the ‘Options’ tab, clicking the ‘Speech’ button, and selecting an option from the ‘Voice’ drop-down in the pop-up window.

DocReader improvements

Our new voices work brilliantly with our improved DocReader. Having a PDF of a text or exam paper alongside a document is a very powerful teaching tool. With this release, we’ve widened the range of PDFs that are compatible with the DocReader, improving text-to-speech functionality for PDFs with columns as well as exam papers. The DocReader is now compatible with OCR readers, meaning you can improve your PDF readability even further.

Exam Mode improvements

In our opinion, DocsPlus is the best tool to support students across their time in secondary school. Using the supportive features in class helps students make accelerated progress, while Exam Mode lets them take this familiar support with them when they need it most.

Exam Mode now allows invigilators to enable ‘copy and paste’, depending on the individual’s access arrangements. This can help students arrange their ideas in examinations and reflects their normal way of working.

Those overseeing exams will also be pleased to hear that DocsPlus now allows you to set an Exam Mode password for multiple networked computers. 

If you have questions about using these features, you can book an exam support meeting for personalised advice and guidance.

Regular updates

As with all our updates, we’ve made many changes behind the scenes to give users a smoother experience when using DocsPlus. 

These updates are available to all our current DocsPlus subscribers. To begin using these new features, simply update DocsPlus on your Windows or Mac device(s). 

Visit DocsPlus downloads to download the latest version.

For a reminder of how to install, visit How do I install DocsPlus?

A library of almost 10,000 Widgit Symbols is now included in Clicker Desktop and Clicker Writer as part of a Clicker subscription.

Widgit Symbols are used to support learning all over the world. We’re pleased to announce that you will now be able to use these symbols alongside the powerful scaffolds built into Clicker!

Symbols in interactive Word Banks

In many classrooms, teachers use Widgit Symbols to help pupils access complex vocabulary linked to their learning. We’re all familiar with the sight of pupils referring to teacher-made symbol sheets or looking over to a symbolised working wall as they write.

In Clicker, these symbols-supported vocabulary lists become interactive Word Banks. Pupils can click to add the word and symbol to their text, saving time copying vocabulary so pupils can focus on the construction of their texts. Of course, when using their Word Bank in Clicker, pupils can hear each word read aloud to them - using symbols alongside one of Clicker’s core support features.

The child here was writing a summary of the novel Street Child. To help, the teacher copied across the Victorians Widgit sheet to a Word Bank in Clicker.

Turning existing vocabulary lists into Clicker Sets with symbols couldn’t be easier. Copying lists across from planning documents into Clicker is a 1-minute job and adding symbols to the whole Clicker Set can be done in two further clicks. Alternatively, add symbols to one of the thousands of Word Banks already prepared on LearningGrids.

Here I’ve adapted the Natural Disasters Quick Words Set from LearningGrids.

Symbols to support sentence construction

Clicker users have long been using Sentence Sets as a scaffold to support pupils build up an understanding of a simple sentence. For some learners, picking a key concept to structure sentences around can be a great way to see success. Adding a familiar symbol to that concept gives pupils an extra scaffold when writing.

Here I have chosen a pre-made Clicker Set from LearningGrids and added the Widgit Symbol for favourite on each grid.

Easily adapt how many symbols you want to use

Clicker makes it easy to decide how much symbol support you want to use with your learners. We know that symbolising every word can be confusing for children. Simply click ‘ignore high frequency words’ when you are picturizing your Clicker Set.

On the left, every word is symbolised which is often not preferred by pupils.

On the right, I’ve symbolised the word ‘favourite’ - the concept the child has been working on - as well as the symbols for each sport.

Give pupils control of symbols

We’ve all seen how powerful symbols are when supporting pupils read texts in the classroom that we, as teachers, have prepared. With Picturize in Clicker, pupils can add Widgit Symbols to their own document where they choose. This gives pupils a scaffold they have chosen when reading back their text.

A child I worked with has a passion for animals. This was his main way of accessing writing. He’ll now be able to use Widgit Symbols in Clicker Writer.

Widgit Symbols in the Spell Checker and Predictor

Often go-to scaffolds for older Clicker users, the Predictor and sounds-alike spell checker (with speech feedback of course) can now include Widgit Symbols. Pupils can use these tools independently whenever they choose. For a child I worked with in year 6, the Predictor was his absolute favourite scaffold - he went from a reluctant to enthusiastic writer, listening to suggested words before adding to his text.

Picking the perfect scaffold

In Clicker, pupils can choose which scaffold to access and when. Each pupil will have their preferred tool, it could be text-to-speech, word prediction, Voice Notes or the sounds alike spell checker. Widgit Symbols in Clicker provide another tool for pupils and teachers to call upon to support writing.

How to update:

Clicker Writer

• Chromebook users - the app will update automatically
  
  
• iPad users - iPads with automatic updates turned on will see the new features instantly; if not, update Clicker Writer via the App Store.

Clicker Desktop

Visit Downloads - Crick Software UK. For standalone computers, simply run the installation package. For network deployments we recommend uninstalling first before re-deploying. Network installation instructions are here.

We have now released Clicker Writer 18. In this update, we have made changes to improve the usability, accessibility and convenience of using the app.

To help you make the most of Clicker Writer 18, here’s what’s new and how to access the update.

Dictate to your Clicker Documents

The Dictate button in Clicker Writer has been very popular since it was introduced onto the onscreen keyboard. Dictating writing is a real game-changer for some learners, especially those who find handwriting and typing challenging.

Once you have updated Clicker Writer, you will see that the 'Voice Input' menu contains the option to add a Voice Note or dictate to the document. Moving the Dictate button here means children can use their voice to type into a document, while still viewing the Clicker Set at the bottom of the screen. If you want to turn this feature off, use the slider in settings.

Print a Clicker Set

Clicker Desktop users have enjoyed this feature for many years, and it’s something that lots of app users have requested. You can now use the 'Clicker Set' menu in Clicker Writer to print your Clicker Set, ready for any offline work.

For example, back when I was teaching, I often printed out Word Banks I had designed or one of the many linked to the topics I was teaching, which I found on LearningGrids.

Moving Between Clicker Desktop and Clicker Writer

We know some users spend time working on both Clicker Desktop and Clicker Writer, depending on where they are around the school. To help users swap smoothly between Clicker Desktop and Clicker Writer, we have moved the grid tabs to the top of the Clicker Set. Additionally, you’ll notice that you can access edit mode from the bottom right corner of a Clicker Set.

How to update

All updates are available to current Clicker Writer subscribers.

On Chromebook, the app will update automatically. iPads with automatic updates turned on will see the new features instantly; if not, update Clicker Writer via the App Store.

If you have any other questions about using Clicker Writer

• We have a range of tutorials to help with using the app.
  
  
• For technical questions and any issues updating the app, you can contact our technical support team.
  
  

App users may have noticed another improvement to Clicker Writer as the Picturize feature, a favourite among Clicker Desktop users, is now available on iPad and Chromebook!

So here's what Picturize looks like in Clicker Writer...

Picturize your Document

Add pictures instantly as you type

A pupil I worked with last year loved this feature within Clicker Desktop.  He joined the school in the middle of year 5 and was in a very early stage of language development - so assessing his understanding was really tricky.  We quickly learnt that his passion was transport – trains, bikes, lorries – anything with wheels! After introducing him to some Clicker Sets from LearningGrids, such as Transport Then and Now, he began typing his favourite vehicles into the Document independently.  When the teaching assistant turned on ‘Picturize words as I type', his face transformed!

To experience this in Clicker Writer, turn on ‘Picturize words as I type’ in the Pictures tab of Settings.

Picturize the Predictor and Spell Check

When discussing Clicker with a former colleague of mine from Tower Hamlets, she explained how much she loved the independence and confidence pupils gained from using Clicker’s Spell Check and Predictor.  Other spell checkers and word predictors are useful if you are already quite accurate with your spelling, but for learners who are further off, Clicker’s intelligent Spell Check and Predictor are a game changer.  Try typing ‘sykling’ (instead of cycling) into an alternative word processor and compare your results with Clicker. The extended reach of Clicker's phonetic spell checker allows pupils to see and correct more of their mistakes, and the ability to listen back to the options means they are more likely to select the right word for the job (instead of assuming the first suggestion is correct!).

With Picturize, we’ve added another support, giving pupils a clear visual indicator that they have found the word they are looking for. In the settings dialogue, Picturize the Spell Check and Predictor to give the user picture support to select correct spellings and use the Predictor more effectively.

Add pictures to your Clicker Sets

Picturize can also be used in Clicker Sets. Long-time users will already be familiar with the Crick Picture Library, which features over 4,500 high-quality images.

Now with this latest update, users can harness the power of the picture library in an instant! When editing your Clicker Sets, select the 'Picture' icon and then select 'Picturize' to instantly add images to the cells in your set, or add an image to a specific cell by selecting the cell and repeating the same steps.

How to update

All updates are available to current Clicker Writer subscribers.

On Chromebook, the app will update automatically. iPads with automatic updates turned on will see the new features instantly; if not, update Clicker Writer via the App Store.

We’re here to help

If you need help or have any questions about updating your app to the latest version, you can contact our technical support team.

For questions about new tools or features, our Customer Experience team is available via training@cricksoft.com. You can also book a free customer care meeting to discuss your questions in more detail.

During my teaching days, I loved using Google Classroom. It makes giving out work electronically smooth, especially when you have designed several personalised scaffolds for different pupils or groups within the class.

Recent updates to Clicker Writer have made our integration with Google Drive and Google Classroom even smoother. My colleague Siân has designed this video tutorial to help you every step of the way. You’ll notice it includes both the teacher view and the student view.

Using Google Classroom for easy resource sharing

With my classes, I often had several different Clicker Sets assigned to different children, each personalised to their specific support needs. When I was explaining this to my new colleagues here at Crick Software, I used some of our Great Fire of London resources, available on LearningGrids, as an example.

I could easily download these scaffolds from LearningGrids, adapt them where necessary to suit my learners, and then assign them to exactly the children who needed the support using Google Classroom. The power of Clicker’s personalised learning doubled!

We’re here to help!

To find out more about how you can adapt LearningGrids resources for different levels of support, check out our blog: LearningGrids: Reading and writing resources for adaptive teaching.

If you have any questions about integrating Clicker Writer or Clicker Desktop with Google Classroom, contact our technical support team. For questions about the new tools and features we’ve introduced, please email our Customer Experience team via training@cricksoft.com, or book in a free customer care meeting to explore them in more detail.

We love talking to students about our products – they give the best feedback and tell us exactly what helps them with their learning. On a recent trip into a school in Portsmouth, one student showed us how they were using DocsPlus alongside Google Classroom and how we could make the link even smoother.  They wanted fewer clicks to be able to ‘turn in’ their work on Google Classroom.

In the latest update to the DocsPlus App, we’ve made several improvements to our integration with Google Drive. With our latest autosave update, the link with Google Classroom is seamless for both teachers and students. 

In this video, Siân provides a step by step guide to using Google Classroom and the DocsPlus App.

Schools already using Google Classroom will be aware of the benefits. But for those who are new to the platform, here's how it can streamline your resource sharing:

Support adaptive teaching

Preparing a range of learning resources is one thing (and DocsPlus’ LearningGrids resource bank already makes this easier), but giving students easy access to the right resource is essential. With Google Classroom, you can allocate specific resources to individual students in advance. This way, you ensure that each student receives the learning support you’ve chosen for them.

Whether you're providing extra vocabulary support through additional Wordbars or sharing a WorkSpace complete with teacher examples, you can ensure every student accesses their work promptly and independently.

Limit lost work with autosave

When you organise resources with Google Drive and students open their documents via Google Classroom, the system automatically saves their work. This greatly reduces the risk of lost work and lightens the cognitive load for students using technology. Their work stays just as secure as if they’d written it by hand.

Prepare resources at a time that suits you

One of the biggest benefits for teachers is that you can access Google Classroom remotely - no need to queue for the photocopier or track down paper and ink. You can create and assign resources whenever and wherever it fits your schedule.

Further help and advice 

Our technical support team are always happy to help if you have any questions during your subscription period. If you need to get in touch, simply call us on 01604 671691 or complete our online support request form.  

I am excited to be able to share with you the new release of Clicker Desktop. This is a free update for all subscribers and our second update to Clicker Desktop of 2025!

New neural voices

When you install the new version of Clicker Desktop, you’ll notice that our voices have had an upgrade!  The children’s voices you are used to hearing in Clicker: Harry, Rosie, Alfie, Amy, Ella, Olivia and Liam, all sound even smoother and more realistic.  We’re now using the latest neural voice technology, making text to speech even more appealing to pupils.  We know how popular this function of Clicker is and how powerful it can be to support pupils with their writing, giving instant feedback on the go.

Choose your favourite voice in the drop-down menu or set your favourite default voice in the Options tab.

...and Scottish voices

And introducing… Archie and Eilidh!  Scottish users will be pleased to hear that our Scottish children’s voices, Archie and Eilidh, are now available in Clicker Desktop as well as in all our Clicker Apps.

Crick Picture Library

As always, we’re regularly updating our Crick Picture Library and we’ve added nearly 300 new pictures in this release.

When you Picturize your Clicker Sets or your pupils use Picturize in their documents, you’ll see even more of our high-quality, artist drawn images appear instantly.

We now have over 4500 images in the library, available to use instantly to all Clicker subscribers.

Analytics improvements & user feedback

We made a big improvement to Clicker Analytics in the previous upgrade and had some great customer feedback.  On the spell check tab when in Analytics, you’ll now see the original misspelt word in brackets next to the words corrected by the spell checker. Click the ‘copy’ button at the bottom of the page to quickly move these spellings over to another document, such as an IEP, to target specific spelling patterns in future.

Several users asked us for this feature in March after using Clicker release 13 and we were able to quickly put that into place for release 14.  If you ever have anything that you would like to see improved in a future release, let us know. We always love to hear your feedback or the feedback of the children using Clicker in your classes.

How to access the latest Clicker release

These updates are available to all our current Clicker subscribers on Windows/Mac:

Visit Downloads - Crick Software UK. For standalone computers, simply run the installation package. For network deployments we recommend uninstalling first before re-deploying. Network installation instructions are here.

We’re here to help!

If you need any assistance updating to the latest versions, contact our technical support team. If you have any questions about the new tools and features we’ve introduced, please email our Customer Experience team via training@cricksoft.com, or book in a free customer care meeting to explore them in more detail.

Chromebook and iPad users will have noticed an automatic update to Clicker Writer this week. 

Analytics update

As promised, we’ve now made Clicker Analytics visible in the Clicker Writer App. Clicker Analytics is a great way to gather summative and formative assessment data. I’ve talked in a previous blog of my experience using Clicker Analytics in the classroom. This feature is great for finding out which of Clicker’s support tools your pupils are accessing as well as tracking their progress over time.

Having Clicker Analytics in the latest Clicker Writer update will help pupils take even more ownership over their writing learning with Clicker. Pupils often enjoy discussing their own Clicker Analytics data; this can be a powerful way to get pupils to see what support works for them with their writing. As I’ve said many times before, everyone has their own favourite support tool in Clicker!

Crick Picture Library update

As always, we keep updating the Crick Picture Library, CrickPix2. Now, you can access over 4,500 pictures to easily add to your Clicker Sets in Clicker Writer.  Later this year we’ll have another pictures update when Clicker’s famous Picturize function is added.

How to update

On Chromebook, the app will update automatically. iPads with automatic updates turned on will see the new features instantly; if not, tell your iPad to update Clicker Writer via the App Store.

For more information

• Don't forget you can manage and view your Clicker subscription
  
  
• We have a range of tutorials showing you round Clicker Writer
  
  
• Our basics training is perfect for a quick refresher on key features

Special Access is here in the DocsPlus App

Access for all to our software has been a core value for Crick Software for the last 30 years.  This new update brings improved special access to DocsPlus for iPad and Chromebook users.  As with all our products, switch access can easily be enabled in DocsPlus for iPad and Chromebook.  Users can also enable SuperKeys; alongside our predictor this can be transformational for children who cannot access a qwerty keyboard.

Special Access users in year 7 will be familiar with Clicker’s switch access and SuperKeys, meaning they can smoothly transfer to DocsPlus support when transitioning to secondary school.

A new and improved DocReader

You will notice the DocReader has a new and improved look.  The page view allows for much easier scrolling and searching.  Users also now have the option to have 3 PDFs open at the same time – great for editing a PDF alongside a question sheet. 

We’ve also improved speech in the DocReader to bring speech in line with DocsPlus Desktop.  Students can more easily choose sections of complex texts in their PDFs that they wish to have read aloud – just place the cursor and click read.  The new update also includes dual view, meaning students can access both a document and a PDF at the same time.

Gemma’s recent blog post, Supporting struggling readers to access their secondary education, gives loads of good advice about how teachers can use the new and improved DocReader across the secondary curriculum.

Exam Access Arrangements - DocsPlus Exam Mode

Using DocsPlus for exam access has been transformational for many schools.  This update means subscribers can use all the benefits of DocsPlus Exam Mode on whichever platform suits.

We’ve got lots of support material available around using DocsPlus in exams.  Start with our blog posts linked below and remember you can always have support from our team here at Crick Software.

• 5 benefits of using DocsPlus for exam access arrangements
  
  
• JCQ updates: EAL and Functional Skills English

I am excited to be able to share with you the new release of Clicker Desktop - a free update for all subscribers.  

Analytics – automatically collects data for formative and summative assessments 

We’ve made several big improvements, most notably a more user-friendly interface for Clicker Analytics. This will be introduced to our Clicker Writer app later in 2025.

As many of you know, I recently left the classroom after working for many years as a classroom teacher and senior leader in a primary school in Tower Hamlets. We used Clicker extensively across the school – with all my colleagues reporting back about the different support tools in Clicker that were popular with children in their classes.

Everyone has different favourites – adults and students. Clicker Analytics supported our formative assessment to work out what is working for the different learners in our classes. This lets teachers personalise scaffolds for future lessons, for example considering what Clicker Sets to provide in the next lesson or whether particular spelling patterns need to be focussed on.

In our summative assessment cycle, tracking progress of children working below national expectations was a huge challenge when I worked as a senior leader. We used Clicker Analytics as a tool to track children’s progress in writing at key assessment points in the school year, similar to how my colleague, Bridget Griffiths, described in a recent blog post Assessing pupils' writing progress in KS2. Clicker Analytics lets us see progress at a glance.

I also found using Clicker Analytics with individual children hugely powerful. A highlight for me in my last year in the classroom was looking at Clicker Analytics alongside one particular year 6 child. After finishing his writing on Clicker, he loved looking at his own Analytics chart and discussing with me how and why he had used different support tools in Clicker. It helped him reflect on his writing and what the writing process looked like for him, as well as helping him see the progress he’d made.

The new Analytics interface makes it easier to get all these benefits. You’ll now see clearly the progress the children in your classrooms are making using all of Clicker’s support tools and you’ll be able to work out how to adapt your teaching to target your support even more.

Picturize - the power of pictures (and symbols!)

As you all know, Clicker celebrated its 30^th birthday last year. Since Clicker first appeared in classrooms (my mum’s classroom being the first!), pictures and symbols have been supporting children with their writing, helping emergent writers quickly find success and interact with the written word in ways that they would not have previously.

Our latest update to Clicker Desktop made some small (but mighty) changes to how teachers can use pictures and symbols to support learners in their classrooms.

Picturize all grids in your Clicker Sets in just one click!

You can now create all the grids in your Clicker Set, then picturize the whole set, choosing which picture library to use. If you want to remove all the pictures, just click ‘remove pictures’.

Every child is at a different point in their journey to becoming a writer. Many of you, like me, will have carefully designed Clicker Sets with a group of learners in mind, knowing that each child needs a slightly different scaffold to help them make progress. Some children prefer images, some use symbols and others will prefer to have no image at all, opting to use Clicker’s text to speech as their primary support.

Here’s how to create the three different sets in just a few clicks:

1. Make your Clicker Set, click Picturize and select ‘Apply to all grids’. Make sure your source is ‘CrickPix2’.

2. Save your first Clicker Set with picture support.
3. Edit the Clicker Set by clicking Picturize again. This time, choose your symbol library as your source.
4. Save your second Clicker Set, this time with symbol support, by clicking ‘Save Clicker Set As’.
5. Edit the Set again and click ‘Remove all pictures in this Clicker Set’.

6. Save your third Clicker Set, with only text, by clicking ‘Save Clicker Set As’.

Remove all the pictures from a document:

We all know a child who uses pictures or symbols to support their writing, but prefers not to have them in their final outcome. Once the child is ready to print or submit their work, they can remove all pictures in their document. You’ll find the button just below ‘Picturize’ in the insert pictures menu.

Another quick way to use Clicker to target the support at exactly the point each child needs in your class!

How to access the latest update

These updates are available to all our current Clicker subscribers on Windows/Mac:

Visit Downloads - Crick Software UK. For standalone computers, simply run the installation package. For network deployments we recommend uninstalling first before re-deploying. Network installation instructions are here.

We’re here to help!

If you need any assistance updating to the latest versions, contact our technical support team. If you have any questions about the new tools and features we’ve introduced, please book in a meeting with your Partnership Consultant to explore them in more detail.

Teachers love the support DocsPlus provides for struggling readers and writers, but they’ve been asking for an easier way to assess student comprehension and track progress.  

That’s why we’re excited to introduce DocsPlus Cloze on Win/Mac! 

You can quickly create ‘fill the gap’ activities that integrate seamlessly into the secondary curriculum and can be read aloud using DocsPlus' text-to-speech support. This ensures that all students, regardless of their reading level, can access the activities.   

Here are three (of many!) ways DocsPlus Cloze can help you monitor your students’ understanding of key knowledge, concepts and vocabulary:  

1. Assess comprehension in literature  
   
   • Application: Create Cloze activities based on a literary text or novel you're studying. For example, after reading a chapter from a book, you can develop a Cloze passage where students fill in missing words related to character names, key events, or significant quotes.  
     
     
   • Benefit: This helps you assess your students’ understanding of the material.   

2. Consolidate science knowledge  
   
   • Application: In subjects like science, create Cloze activities where key terms are missing from a passage. For example, in a biology class, a Cloze passage might omit key terms like "photosynthesis" or "cell membrane."  
     
     
   • Benefit: This helps students remember important vocabulary by using it in context.  

3. Reinforce historical facts  
   
   • Application: Develop Cloze activities that involve important historical events or figures. You could prepare a Cloze passage summarising key events and dates, with certain words or names omitted.  
     
     
   • Benefit: This helps students better remember and understand historical facts by actively recalling and applying knowledge.   

Free access for current subscribers 

DocsPlus Cloze is available for all our current DocsPlus subscribers on Win/Mac – simply update DocsPlus on your device(s) and Cloze will be available for your students. 

If you require any further guidance, our support team will be happy to help. 

Don’t have DocsPlus yet? 

If you would like to explore how DocsPlus can help your struggling students tackle secondary school writing tasks with confidence, we offer free consultations where we’ll discuss your students’ specific learning challenges and how DocsPlus can support them. 

You can choose the date and time that works best for you here. 

Our latest DocsPlus updates are here! 

It’s important to us at Crick Software that we continually improve the user experience for both teachers and students. Each feature in this update has been designed with their evolving needs in mind, making it easier to provide effective, accessible support in the classroom and exams.  

Speech in the DocReader 

Teachers in schools across the world know how invaluable text-to-speech can be for students. The new DocReader update gives students greater control of what they hear. Students can now pause speech and ask the DocReader to read one word at a time. The DocReader will now also read from where the student has clicked the mouse, meaning users no longer have to highlight the selection of text that they want to hear spoken. The independence this grants students takes away the difficulties of decoding, allowing them to focus on developing their responses to texts. 

Portrait dual view 

We know how useful it can be for students to work in dual view, using the DocReader and document in parallel. In the latest update, you’ll notice that dual view has been improved so that the DocReader and Document are both shown in ‘portrait orientation’. This makes it much easier for students to use the support of the DocReader alongside their written work in lessons and exams. 

Exam Mode improvements 

We’ve had lots of great feedback about the use of DocsPlus’ Exam Mode to support students entitled to access arrangements. In the new release of DocsPlus, teachers can now choose to disable the Document section in Exam Mode. This allows DocsPlus to be used by students who are entitled to a reader but not a scribe when sitting their exams.  

If you’d like more information about using DocsPlus for access arrangements, visit DocsPlus in exams. 

Class and User System 

Clicker users will be familiar with this feature. This is great for devices that have multiple users but share the same Windows login. You can now set up users and classes within the New & recent tab of the DocsPlus Explorer. This allows you to have default settings and save locations for each student – perfect for quickly switching between personalised special access features. 

I am not a typo! 

We know how important a name is. With each release we expand our spell checker, meaning even fewer names and proper nouns have that unnecessary red line. 

Free updates for current subscribers 

These updates are available to all our current DocsPlus subscribers – simply update DocsPlus on your Win/Mac device(s) to access the latest version of the software. 

If you require any further guidance, our support team will be happy to help. 

Don’t have DocsPlus yet? 

If you would like to explore how DocsPlus can help your struggling students tackle secondary school writing tasks with confidence, we offer free consultations where we’ll discuss your students’ specific learning challenges and how DocsPlus can support them. 

You can choose the date and time that works best for you here. 

We’ve also got lots more information about the complete DocsPlus package on our website.