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Go in to settings - Mouse - and you want the right-sided key on the mouse to be the main clicker.

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To get Google Doc to read your words back to you - or any words on a web page you need to install the Google Read and write extension - follow this link to see how.

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Read&Write for Google Chrome™ - Chrome Web Store

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Boost reading and writing confidence across all types of content and devices, in class, at work, and at home.

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This is a video tutorial for using dictation in either Microsoft Word (subscription) and google docs (free)

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How To Use Voice Typing in Word and Google Docs

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This is a four-week FREE programme to support parents bringing up children in today's world with the added risks posed by of online interaction. It provides general overview of the teenage brain and sessions that focus on awareness of grooming, and 'digital dangers' i.e. social media and inappropriate image sharing. A great resource to help you keep your children safe.

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Information here from Assistive Technology – Text to Speech in Exams | Dyslexia UK

Which dictation programme to use in assessments

Although recent dictation tools like Microsoft Dictate, Siri and Google Voice Typing are free and easy to use, they require an internet connection. This is because they send a recording of your speech to a server that converts and returns it as text on your device. One advantage of these systems is that so long as the user signs in with their Apple / Microsoft / Google usual account details, the software will improve in its voice recognition ability, thereby improving accuracy.

However, exam regulations are strict and will not allow a user to access their personal account for this purpose. In addition, internet access is also restricted to candidates in exams to eliminate the possibility of cheating. Therefore, although the online dictation programmes may be free, they are not suitable for examination assessments.

Siri Dictation on modern IOS devices and Dragon NaturallySpeaking do not require an internet connection and therefore are suitable for exam situations.

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Assistive Technology - Text to Speech in Exams | Dyslexia UK

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Students with dyslexia frequently have handwriting difficulties. This may be a slow speed of writing, especially when focused on the content of writing, or when in high stake situations such as examinations, or they may have illegible handwriting. This causes particular difficulties in examinations where the student cannot show their level knowledge and understanding on [...]

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Learn My Way | Develop Your Digital Skills

This platform from the 'Good Things Foundation' offers a range of free computer skills training. You may wish to visit this site to boost your ability to support your child with their learning and building computer life skills.

The Good Things Foundation also offers a map of local resources that may be able to help families access devices, internet and sometimes data, if they are unaffordable. Find local digital inclusion support | Good Things (goodthingsfoundation.org)

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Learn My Way | Learn how to use the internet

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Learn how to use the internet. Learn My Way is a website of free online learning for beginners, helping you develop digital skills.

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Skill building apps @ internetmatters.org 

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Skill building apps @ internetmatters.org 

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Internetmatters.org has a range of suggestions for 'skill building apps' organised by subject (English, science)i.e. apps that support creative or problem solving work

For example some apps to allow your child to use a free programme to tell a story in a comic Create Comics Online, it’s Fun & Free at MakeBeliefsComix!

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Download an advice sheet on tips to help your child balance their screen time here: Creating a balanced digital diet with screen time tips | Internet Matters

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Use a template to capture and save notes from your class

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Use a template to capture and save notes from your class

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If you are using a laptop to take notes in class, make it easy for yourself by creating your own prompt sheet to fill in the details. Otherwise, the content can get lost!

Unless you are a quick typist it is hard to type and listen at the same time - create clear areas for key information to sit so that you can easily find it to review in the future.

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Apps that can help with morning routines 

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Apps that can help with morning routines 

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Are mornings a bit hectic?

Do you want your child to be more independent and focused on their morning tasks

Here are two routine apps that could help

Kids to do list (FREE)

lets you take a picture of the activity and provide a voice recording. You can put this activity in order with others. Once finished you gain a star, complete all routine activities to get a virtual animal sticker for aquarium.

Happy Kids timer (free version or £2.79 one-off payment)

The free version of this app gives you a pre-set morning routine set to music. I.e. 10 mins to make bed, then 10 mins to brush teeth and wash hands. You achieve stars when successfully moving through the routine. You can identify a 'minimum' task time i.e. more than 2 mins for teeth brushing. The paid version lets you add your own options.

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GoblinTools: Make a To-Do list, Break it down, Estimate the times!  

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GoblinTools: Make a To-Do list, Break it down, Estimate the times!  

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Magic ToDo - GoblinTools

This website lets you write out a list and breaks the items down into manageable chunks.

You can ask the AI tool to estimate the time each activity could take you via the 'estimator' tab.

It is also supportive of social communications reading ones you have received and writing your own.

If you wish to change the tone of some communications (more polite or more professional) you can use the 'compiler function'.

If you have received a text but aren't sure if you have accurately read its social meaning the 'Judge' tab can support this.

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The speech to text work editing process is different! 

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The speech to text work editing process is different! 

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This reduces cognitive load and impact on working memory - the process is different to pen and paper writing since you get your content down first, then you go back and check the spelling and grammar and that it makes sense.

This is well suited to children who can express their ideas well, but struggle to write them down.

It can take some time and practice to get used to. Don't worry if your child struggles to articulate words, this is one tool amongst many and they may build some speaking confidence practicing talking to the computer.

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This web page helps you learn how to use a mouse, double clicks, drag and drop as well as scrolling up and down a page.

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How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

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How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

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How to use speech to text in Microsoft Word

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Speech to text in Microsoft Word is a hidden gem that is powerful and easy to use. We show you how to do it in five quick and simple steps

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Microsoft Word can read your work back to you - here's how: 

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Microsoft Word can read your work back to you - here's how: 

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Microsoft suite has a range of applications to allow the text on screen to be spoken aloud.

'Read aloud' - always starts back from the same place so less helpful for checking work

'Speak' - allows you to select a different starting point each time so is best for editing work.

'Immersive reader'

'Narrator'

These are all Microsoft word functions that enable computer to speak the words on the screen which can help you check what you have written.

These are designed for people with visual impairment but are also supportive of those who may find reading difficult.

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Speak is a built-in feature of Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. You can use Speak to have text read aloud in the language of your version of Office.

Text-to-speech (TTS) is the ability of your computer to play back written text as spoken words. Depending upon your configuration and installed TTS engines, you can hear most text that appears on your screen in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote. For example, if you're using the English version of Office, the English TTS engine is automatically installed. To use text-to-speech in different languages, see Using the Speak feature with Multilingual TTS.

To learn how to configure Excel for text-to-speech, see Converting text to speech in Excel.

Add Speak to the Quick Access Toolbar

You can add the Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar by doing the following in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and OneNote:

Next to the Quick Access Toolbar, click Customize Quick Access Toolbar.

Click More Commands.

In the Choose commands from list, select All Commands.

Scroll down to the Speak command, select it, and then click Add.

Click OK.

Use Speak to read text aloud

After you have added the Speak command to your Quick Access Toolbar, you can hear single words or blocks of text read aloud by selecting the text you want to hear and then clicking the Speak icon on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Learn more

Listen to your Word documents with Read Aloud

Listen to your Outlook email messages with Read Aloud

Converting text to speech in Excel

Dictate text using Speech Recognition

Learning Tools in Word

Hear text read aloud with Narrator

Using the Save as Daisy add-in for Word

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Use the Speak text-to-speech feature to read text aloud

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Listen to text in your documents, messages, presentations, or notes using the Speak command.

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Dark mode - reduce visual strain and support concentration 

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Dark mode - reduce visual strain and support concentration 

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Dark Mode is available in many of the big programmes i.e. word, outlook, excel and onenote.

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Manage screen time on iPad & set time limits for specific apps 

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Manage screen time on iPad & set time limits for specific apps 

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Did you know you can restrict the time an app is used on your iPad? You can vary this according to day of the week i.e. more time on Roblox at the weekends if that suits your family!

You can schedule 'downtime' and decide which apps are inaccessible at certain times of day across the week. This can support an earlier bedtime (i.e. access to relaxing apps only) or stop use at mealtimes for example.

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You can block apps and notifications for periods when you want time away from your devices. For example, you might want to schedule downtime during meals or at bedtime.

During downtime, only calls, messages, and apps you choose to allow are available. You can receive calls from contacts you've selected to allow communication with during downtime, and you can use apps you've chosen to allow at all times.

Go to Settings > Screen Time.

Tap App & Website Activity, then turn on App & Website Activity if you haven't already.

Tap Downtime, then do one of the following:

When you schedule downtime, a 5-minute reminder is sent before downtime begins. You can ignore the reminder, or turn on downtime until the beginning of the scheduled downtime.

Select Every Day or Customize Days, then set the start and end times.

You can turn off the Downtime schedule at any time by turning off Scheduled.

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In Settings on iPad, set up Screen Time allowances and limits for yourself.

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Set up parental controls Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite 

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Set up parental controls Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite 

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Many children with and without SEND engage in these popular games - some that can be played with other players remotely- here is a quick link to support setting up parental controls to support online safety.

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Can't keep up with the multitude of online games flooding the market? If you're a bewildered parent who just wants a simple, straightforward guide on the popular games out there, you've come to the right place! Here's a bite-sized summary of three popular games for kids, as well as guides on how to set up these games with parental controls. Let's keep up with the kids, instil positive gaming and screen habits in them, and keep them safe in the digital world!
Content: Parental Control Guide:
2. Minecraft
Tips for Parents - What You Need to Look Out For:
1. Signs of gaming addiction

2. Prevention

Parental Control Guide

1. Roblox

What it is:

Roblox is an online multiplayer game platform and creation system, popular among children and teenagers. Users from around the world can play together by designing their own games and also join in the games created by others. Players are given the opportunity to create an avatar and participate in games with different genres such as Adventure, Mystery, Battle and Real World Roleplay. The platform also allows them to communicate with other players and invite them to co-create experiences.

Do read through the Roblox Guide for Parents before starting.

Recommended age: 13 years old and above ( Common Sense Media and ESRB)

Price: Free, with the option to purchase virtual currency called Robux for in-game items

Setting up an account with parental controls:
1. Sign up
Go to www.roblox.com. Enter your child's accurate birth date and click the sign up button.
2. Add a parent's email
Go to the top right corner, and click on the setting icon. Under Account Info, add your email address. A verification email from Roblox will be sent to this address.
3. Edit Settings accordingly
Some useful settings you might like to change:
Under the Parental Control tab on the panel on the left:
a) Create a pin: Click on 'Parent PIN is disabled', and create a four digit pin. You will be prompted to add your password to continue. Once the PIN is added, it is required to be entered before the Settings page can be accessed in the future.

b) Change the Allowed Experiences based on your child's age. Do note that all experiences are still searchable. Monthly spend restrictions and notifications can also be changed.
Under the Privacy tab on the panel on the left:
a) Change the communication options according to your preference, to limit strangers communicating with your child.

b) Enable the 'Account Restrictions are enabled' slider to save the settings.

Monitoring

Check histories to find out what your child has been playing, creating, and purchasing, and who they have been chatting to.

Creations- Found under Create on the horizontal panel at the top of the homepage.

Recently played games- Go to Home, look for Continue or My Recent.

Direct and small group chat - Chat box can be found in the lower right corner of the app. This feature is limited to Friends, and Friends of Friends.

Private message history- Found under Messages on the vertical panel on the left-side of the homepage.

Friends- Found under Friends on the vertical panel on the left-side of the homepage. You will be able to see Friends, Followings, Followers and Requests. Do note that the friend's request page cannot be disabled, so check in on the Friend Requests page on the website to ensure strangers are not being accepted.

Purchases- Click on Robux at the horizontal panel at the top of the homepage. My Transactions and other details related to purchases will be shown.

2. Minecraft

What it is:

This popular computer game is played as a single player or multiplayer game, and lets users create and explore block-based virtual worlds. Its open-ended gameplay with no set plot allows users to tap into their creativity and construct anything they want under the sun. Resources may be mined and used to construct structures, make tools, and produce goods. The game also features survival components, like fending off enemies and inventive construction.

Kids can play in five different game modes, with the two most popular modes being Survival and Creative. Combat is cartoonish and without blood, despite the fact that players may use swords, bows, and other basic weapons to battle enemies and one another. Players frequently just resurrect at the point where they first started the game after they die.

Recommended age: 8+ years old ( Common Sense Media), 10+ years old ( ESRB)

Price: Free limited version ( Minecraft Classic); Full version ( Minecraft), with option to purchase virtual currency called Minecoins for in-game items

Platforms: Minecraft Java Edition (PC, Mac, and Linux computers); Minecraft Bedrock Edition (Windows 10 and 11, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, Fire OS/TV, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, and Samsung Gear VR)

Minecraft has a special version made just for kids to support learning in a fun and engaging way. There's a section just for parents, so you can discover and explore ways to play and learn with Minecraft at home. All you need is an Office 365 Education account. A free trial is available, after which it would cost USD12 per year.
Minecraft Realm:
Parents can create your own private server so your child can play with family and friends on Minecraft Realms and Realms Plus.

Setting up an account with parental controls:

Irrespective of the device you child is playing Minecraft on, you will need first need to create a free Xbox Live account to link a parent account to your Child Account, in order to set preferred privacy and multiplayer preferences. Only parent accounts can modify settings. Once you have your free Microsoft Account:
1. Set up a Family Group
Go to https://account.microsoft.com/family/, and create a Family Group. Child Accounts for under 13 year olds must be created by a parent or carer.

Click  Add a family member.

Follow the instructions to create the account. If your child does not already have a Microsoft account, you will be prompted to create one.

2. Edit Settings accordingly
Two popular and useful settings you may like to change:

Disable chat messages or invitations from other players

a) Go to your Xbox Account Settings. Click on your child's Account.

b) In the navigation tabs at the top, click . Scroll down to the section. Toggle the slider to ' Block' to block Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites.

Note: Minecraft: Java Edition has no distinction between 'Friends' or 'Everyone.' Instead, you must choose between 'Block' to block all chat in Minecraft: Java Edition, or 'Everyone' to enable chat in the game.

a) Go to your Xbox Account Settings. Click on your child's Account.

b) In the navigation tabs at the top, click Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 devices Online Safety.

c) Select forYou can join multiplayer games.

In-Game Security

It's possible to add, mute, block, or report players from the Minecraft Pause menu. It's also possible to set player permissions from the Pause menu, so your children can invite friends to look at but not touch worlds, or help fight off zombies without attacking each other.

Check out the Minecraft official website for more information on Parental Controls on Java Edition and Bedrock Edition.

3. Fortnite

What it is:

Fortnite combines aspects of exploration, survival, and building. There are two modes to choose from, called Save the World and Battle Royale. Players are dropped onto the game to kill every other player in Battle Royale, or work together to defeat 'husks' (zombie-like creatures) in Save the World. This is an action game in which players build forts, gather resources, craft weapons, and battle hordes of monsters in frenetic combat.

Violence: The game includes a significant amount of fantasy-based violence, although it is not considered to be overly graphic. Characters are cartoonish, with fantastical weapons. There's no blood, and defeated enemies simply vanish from the spot. Players use guns, swords, and grenades in combat and also employ various traps such as electric, spikes, poisonous gas to defeat enemies.

Do review the game's content for suitability, based on your own personal values and beliefs.

Recommended age: 13 years old and above ( Common Sense Media and ESRB )

Price: Free (Battle Royale); USD39.99, (Save The World); with option to purchase in-game items

Setting up an account with parental controls:
Option 1:
Parents can use a PIN to lock certain aspects of the game with an Epic Games Account. All communications regarding parental controls are sent to the email address associated with the account.
1. Sign up 2. Set up 6 digit PIN
Choose Parental Controls from the left horizontal navigation menu. Set up your six-digit Parental Controls PIN.
3. Edit Settings accordingly
You can change chat setting permissions, and turn on the slider to screen out mature language in Epic text chat.
Option 2:
You can also set up Parental Controls through Fortnite itself.

1. Launch Fortnite on your platform of choice.

2. Click on the account icon on the top right corner of the page. Choose Account.

3. Select Parental Controls from the left vertical panel.

3. You will be asked to confirm the email address linked to the account. If no email address is linked to the account, you'll be guided to a web browser to create an Epic account and PIN using your email address.

4. Change settings accordingly .

Tips for Parents - What You Need to Look Out For

1.Signs of gaming addiction

Gaming definitely has its benefits and can serve as a great past time for our kids. But what happens when your kid can't seem to stop? How can we draw the line between healthy enthusiasm and a gaming addiction or disorder?

Gaming addiction can certainly be a serious matter, with this being officially recognised by the World Health Organisation as a mental health condition. Here are some of the warning signs of video gaming addiction for you to look out for, based on the American Psychiatry Association's manual.

A child would need to have five or more of these signs in one year to classify as an individual who has a problem with gaming:

Thinking about gaming all or a lot of the time

Feeling bad when you can't play

Needing to spend more and more time playing to feel good

Not being able to quit or even play less

Not wanting to do other things that you used to like

Having problems at work, school, or home because of your gaming

Playing despite these problems

Lying to people close to you about how much time you spend playing

Using gaming to ease bad moods and feelings.

If your child is letting their gaming habits get in the way of daily life, or are neglecting their relationships, exercise, schoolwork and personal hygiene in favour of playing games, it's time to seek professional help.

2. Prevention

And of course, prevention is always better than cure. Let's take charge and start laying down the foundations for healthy screen and gaming habits. We are all parenting in a digital age, and play a crucial role in helping our kids build a healthy relationship with technology.

Here are a few quick tips on how to foster positive gaming habits:

Set (and stick!) to time limits for play

Keep gadgets out of the bedroom, so your kids won't play into the night

Role-model healthy habits

Utilise parenting tools and controls

As parents, we can do everything within our capabilities, but there are also so many factors that aren't within our control. If you suspect your child is suffering from a gaming disorder, once again - do reach out for support from mental health professionals.
We hope this guide makes it easier for parents to help create a safer gaming environment for your children, based on your personal values and comfort level, #makchicmumsquad!
Elaine is a mummy of two who moved from the financial world to become an early childhood educator. She loves travelling, books and her cup of tea to unwind after a long day of diapers, school runs and pretend play.

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Gaming 101: A Parent's Guide to Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite - Makchic

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A bite sized summary on Roblox, Minecraft and Fortnite, and simple to follow guide on how to use parental controls for these popular games.

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Online well being for children with SEND 

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Online well being for children with SEND 

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Nspcc have some very useful worksheets and practical activities you can do with your child to open up discussions about online safety

Visual document on cyberbulling for children with SEND

safety and sharing personal details online document

cso_send_sharing-personal-details_jan2022.pdf (nspcc.org.uk)

Here is a visual document related to safety when talking to other people online.

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Supporting online wellbeing for children with SEND

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Supporting online wellbeing for children with SEND

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Keeping children safe online - Parent’s questions answered | Barnardo's (barnardos.org.uk)

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Connected Families - Parenting and the internet | Barnardo's

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As soon as your child shows an interest in engaging with technology, it’s time to begin sharing simple online safety strategies with them.

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As soon as your child shows an interest in engaging with technology, it’s time to begin sharing simple online safety strategies with them.

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Will Gardener

CEO of Childnet

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for more info email: sendyouthwork@plymouth.gov.uk

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'Dark mode' and 'night shift' - reducing blue light output to support sleep. 

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'Dark mode' and 'night shift' - reducing blue light output to support sleep. 

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How to reduce the blue light output in Windows 10 | My Computer My Way (abilitynet.org.uk)

How to turn on dark mode on all your apps and devices | WIRED UK

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Dark mode is here to help with a feeling many people will be familiar with the feeling: after hours spent looking at screens your eyes get tired and the white background of just about every web page and app can seem blinding, no matter how low you turn down the brightness.

It switches the colours of your screens, to give everything a black or dark background with white text and objects. You can use it on your phone or computer, on just specific apps or across a whole operating system.

Fans of dark mode will wax lyrical on the benefits - that it will help eye strain, make text more legible and improve battery life. A (very!) small study of seven people from University of Tuebingen found that light mode could increase risk of myopia, otherwise known as shortsightedness. But when it comes to empirical evidence, large studies are thin on the ground.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't choose to use dark mode - it's all about doing what feels good for you. It can certainly help to reduce glare in low light, so that you're not as blinded when looking at your phone in a dark room. It can also be better for people with visual impairments such as photosensitivity, cataracts or astigmatism.

"You're aware of your limitations and what you're experiencing as an individual," says Lauren Kelly, behavioural design director at BehaviourStudio. "You're adapting the technology to you, as opposed to it being preset."

iOS

While dark mode is good on an older display, it's great if you have an OLED display (iPhone XS or later). This means that instead of colouring the pixels black, they are simply not lit, allowing for a higher contrast and increased battery-saving potential. If you have an older iPhone, Apple has still gone for a true black theme with dark grey in some places to maintain readability.

To enable dark mode on iOS, the easiest way is to swipe from the home screen to get to the control centre, down from the top right on an iPhone X or newer, or up from the bottom on an iPhone 8 or older. Press and hold on the brightness slider and tap 'Appearance' on the bottom left to switch between light and dark modes as you please. You can even add a dark mode dedicated button to the control centre by going to settings > control centre > customise controls. This can be particularly useful for reducing glare quickly when you need it.

A more conventional way to switch to dark mode on iOS is to go to settings. Tap 'Display & Brightness' and tap either 'Light' or 'Dark' to choose which appearance you want. You can also tap the toggle underneath to set dark mode to come on automatically - simply go on 'Options' after turning it to automatic to choose when dark mode comes on, either sunset to sunrise every day or at times of your choosing.

Android

Dark mode on Android, or dark theme as Google likes to call it, automatically switches the colours for nearly every Google-owned app. Youtube, Gmail and Chrome will be set to a dark background so you don't have to worry about suddenly having to squint to read when one of these apps is still bright white.

Dark mode only became available for Android in November 2019 and can only be used on the Android 10 operating system or newer, so older phones won't be able to use it.

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How to turn on dark mode on all your apps and devices

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It cuts down on eye strain, prolongs battery life and it may even be good for your health. So if you haven't investigated the dark side of operating systems yet, here's how to do so on Android, iOS, PCs, Macs and even individual apps

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Does your child need continual prompting in the mornings to move between tasks? You can use a smart speaker, or even a smart app on your phone (i.e. Alexa) to build in a routine with voice prompts and alarms.

Too long in the shower? How about agreeing time in 'amount of songs' have music on. You could attach a song to an action i.e. first song for soaping, second song for rinsing!

This can support a child to take ownership of their morning organisation.

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When they'd just started growing in popularity, I bought my first smart speaker. To be honest it was out of curiosity more than anything; I didn't really see what I'd need it for.

Fast forward a couple of years and I have one in every room and use them daily. They're great for playing music when you're washing up, need to pop something on your shopping list, or controlling the lights around your house from whatever room you're in.

They're not just handy for boring adult stuff, although dimming my lights without having to get up still fills me with glee. Children can enjoy them too, and there are more and more voice apps being created that are specifically for younger users.

As well as games that are just for fun, smart speakers can support children's learning in a multitude of ways.
Here are a few cool things that smart speakers can do to help your child in school:

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How can a smart speaker help my child in school? - The Good Play Guide

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Here are a few cool things that smart speakers can do to help your child in school:

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Using the iPad to manage behaviour and sensory needs - Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)

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This is an easyread overview of technology and how it can support you in many areas of your life!

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Abilitynet has this fantastic fact sheet outlining many options available.

Keyboard and mouse alternatives and adaptations (abilitynet.org.uk)

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https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/using-ict-support-tool

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Using ICT as a support tool | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK

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Pupils needing accessibility adaptations should be supported to modify their computer settings. If they do not have access to adapt their settings, the school’s technical support staff will need to support this as a reasonable adjustment linked to expectations from the Equality Act 2010.

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This is a brilliant website resource with many ideas around

using speech to text

using iPads

developing mouse skills

developing keyboard skills

recording work and ideas

screen sharing

websites to support home learning

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What we do

The team supports access to and the use of ICT in schools for children and young people with a wider range of needs e.g. Sensory and physical, Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning. We work as part of the Multidisciplinary Team Around the Child and contribute to the creation and implementation of statutory and non-statutory plans.

Resources

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SEND ICT - Support for schools and settings

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The team supports access to and the use of ICT in schools for children and young people with a wider range of needs e.g. Sensory and physical, Communication

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Google docs is free and has a useful speech to text function. Access a tutorial here:

Google Docs: Voice Typing (gcfglobal.org)

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This game builds mouse skills and is about healthy teeth brushing!

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colgate magik toothbrush uses motion sensors to track toothbrushing movements making this into a game for your child colgate-kids-magik-brushing-kit

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The Colgate Magik toothbrush kit uses Augmented Reality to give your children a brand new brushing experience. The Colgate Kids 6+ manual brush, with extra soft bristles, fits easily into the Colgate Magik Connector to turn the manual toothbrush into a connected smart toothbrush.

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Colgate® Magik Brushing Kit Toothbrush | Colgate®

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Discover the Colgate® Magik Brushing Kit toothbrush, designed to give kids a fun experience brushing teeth, with soft bristles ideal for children.

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Whether we are writing or typing our brains have to process this movement. With years of practice at school, many people find that handwriting becomes 'automatic'. The same can be said of typing- if you practice enough. In secondary school, for most children, we assume that handwriting does not take effort and that there is space for the brain to absorb information from the class.

However, if writing (whether typing or handwriting) is still difficult, this takes up thinking space ('cognitive load') instead of the subject being taught!

This can be even harder for pupils who have difficulties processing language and the fine motor movements of typing or writing.

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Using a computer or other technology won't detract from learning handwriting, but it will mean your child can share their ideas with the world!

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https://snaptypeapp.com/

Allows the user to take a photo of a worksheet on an iPad, input the answer digitally, then send to the teacher or save it to a file.

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Does your child prefer listening to reading? Try 'Natural Reader' or 'Speechify' app. 

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Does your child prefer listening to reading? Try 'Natural Reader' or 'Speechify' app. 

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Natural Reader https://www.naturalreaders.com/app/ (free) is a great app with a lot of functionality. You can use Natural Reader to read not only text typed on your screen, but also documents, PDFs, eBooks, and more. Available on Apple and Android devices.

Speechify https://speechify.com/ is similar but the free version comes with 10 natural voices, whereas Natural reader has one voice only at the free plan.

There are many ways now to access audio versions of books. Borrow box BorrowBox – Your library in one app lets you loan out audio library books for free - you need to be a member of your local library to use.

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There are several types of accessible keyboards designed to accommodate various needs:

Large Key Keyboards: Featuring oversized keys, these keyboards are easier to see and press, helpful for those with visual impairments or limited dexterity.

On-screen Keyboards: These can be accessed via touchscreens or mouse input.

Ergonomic Keyboards: Designed to reduce strain and discomfort, these keyboards have curved or split designs to promote more natural hand and wrist positions.

Each type targets different accessibility needs, it is best to test these out where possible.

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https://www.roomrecess.com/ has a variety of games including ‘dragon drop’ which requires students to practice using the mouse to bring the dragon to the food. There are many levels of difficulty to work through.

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https://www.ratatype.com/typing-tutor/ -older kids

Jungle Junior - younger children

https://typingsoft.com/all_typing_tutors.htm This is a list of all typing tutors - helpful as shows all the free programs.

Image courtesy of the OT tool box which has helpful guidance here Typing Programs for Kids - The OT Toolbox

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Frequently Asked Questions - you asked we answered! 

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Frequently Asked Questions - you asked we answered! 

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Ask a question by filling in this form here https://forms.office.com/e/ZiNAjje7bv and we will try to answer it!

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Tell us which Apps your child finds helpful

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Tell us which Apps your child finds helpful

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The landscape of apps and digi-technology moves very quickly- there just isn't time to assess all the new products. If your child finds a particular app or programme helpful to their daily life we would love to know about it so we can share it with others!

Tell us using this link https://forms.office.com/e/ZiNAjje7bv

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Think about how many different types of digital technology you use each day in and out of work.

My list is

Phone alarm to get up

Preferred music to listen to in car on way to work

Calendar app to check what I have planned today

Texting to communicate with team members

Quick voice note to a friend

Speech to text email using my phone

Banking - paying bills on my laptop

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Making writing exciting - alternatives to handwriting 

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Making writing exciting - alternatives to handwriting 

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if your child is finding handwriting hard, encourage them to play with digital technologies to record their thinking, thoughts, feelings, ideas and plans. You may find that your child increases in confidence when handwriting is not the only way to capture their ideas.

You can try :

Practicing typing on a keyboard

play on an old fashioned typewriter

Using a diary app on a phone or ipad to journal

Playing around with speech to text technology (free in MSword)

Using voice/audio notes to capture an idea

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Digital literacy, as defined by Health Education England, is 'The capabilities that fit someone for living, learning, working, participating and thriving in a digital society'.