Key takeaways: 

• Clicker is a brilliant tool for learners with diverse needs

• Riverside Primary found Clicker especially useful when pupils had limited access to TA support

• Boys who struggle to engage with writing made significant progress with Clicker 

• Teachers enjoy using Clicker to support their diverse classes, including SEND 

• Pupils are more confident and proud of their work when they use Clicker

My name’s Emma and I’m the SENCo at Riverside Primary, Herefordshire. My journey with Clicker began during my first teaching role, and I later introduced it while working as a school improvement officer, managing advisory teachers. When I returned to a school setting, I knew Clicker had to be part of our daily routine for pupils. Although we’re still working on fully integrating it into our practices, I’ve been excited to see how effectively Clicker is being used already and how much our teachers appreciate it. 

Supporting learners with diverse needs 

Clicker has been a game-changer for many of our pupils, particularly those with dyslexia, ADHD, and some on the autism spectrum. I love how Clicker’s tools help improve concentration, working memory and promote independence. I also use Clicker Books to create social stories for our pupils with ASD, making learning engaging and enjoyable for them. 

One of my favourite examples of Clicker’s impact involves Michael* who, although not officially diagnosed with dyslexia, exhibited similar traits, had speech and language delay and was on an ASD pathway.  

He used Clicker to record his written work and create personal books. During an Ofsted inspection, he decided to share his Clicker projects with both the inspector and me, demonstrating his learning despite facing challenges with language and working memory.  

The reason I love this example of Clicker’s impact is because it went above and beyond the writing Michael produced with it. He was excited and proud of his work on Clicker and wanted to share it with adults in the room – even a stranger!

It also demonstrates how he’d become more independent and relied less on teaching assistant support. I find it truly rewarding to see how quickly pupils gain confidence with Clicker, often surprising everyone with their growing independence.

This is especially important given the growing number of SEND pupils and the limited TA support many schools face these days!

Clicker helps pupils show their full potential

Nearly all our staff choose to use Clicker Writer in their classrooms— and not just with SEND pupils. Clicker has proven particularly helpful for engaging boys who struggle with writing and improving their spelling.

One example is Daniel – he has always found sitting and focussing a challenge, so using Clicker (with the appeal of writing using ICT) helps us to capture his true writing ability.

Before Clicker, Daniel* would have struggled to sit and write his ideas down in one go, often forgetting what he wanted to write. So, we didn’t really get to see his full potential in literacy at all as his barriers to writing often got in the way. But he overcomes these with Clicker!

Clicker meets his needs and lets him work in the way that suits him best.

He first records his ideas talking into Clicker using Voice Notes and then writes these up at his own pace. Clicker works brilliantly for Daniel because he can quickly capture his ideas while they’re fresh and then he can take his time to write them up. We’re seeing what Daniel can really do by using Clicker to capture his learning.

Clicker grows with our pupils

What I love about Clicker is its flexibility; teachers can easily adjust the level of support, so as pupils make progress and improve, teachers can adjust the support settings to make sure they always have the right level of challenge, too.

I’m passionate about how Clicker empowers our pupils to reach their full potential. It has transformed how we scaffold work for different learners, making a real difference in the progress of SEND and disadvantaged pupils. I encourage schools to embrace Clicker—it’s a decision you won’t regret! With tools like Clicker, we’re not just focusing on academic success at Riverside Primary; we’re also nurturing the confidence and independence of every pupil.

*Names changed for privacy