Literacy Toolbox Approach

The Literacy Toolbox Approach introduces a range of physical tools that scaffold literacy skills in the classroom. Tasks like reading, speaking, writing and listening can be supported with simple resources that enable learners to work independently.

Up to 25% of learners have literacy differences that can be supported with adaptive teaching and learning approaches. The Literacy Toolbox approach is a strategy recommended by the Dyslexia Commission that promotes the use of learning tools that will help your students to reach their potential. Every learner is invited to help themselves, explore tools and share ideas about how it made a difference.

Sarah at Keys Progressive School shared some of her thoughts on how having C-Pen Reader 2 in her literacy toolbox has helped learners fall in love with reading.

Why the Toolbox Approach?

Normalises support tools

Providing simple assistive technology normalises the use of learning tools. Reducing the stigma of students who may not want to be spotlighted as having a reading difficulty. Consider this one of your ‘5 a Day’ solutions encouraged by the EEF to increase the use of helpful adaptive technology.

Boosts wellbeing

Self-esteem improves when you have the right tool for the job. When simple challenges can be overcome, learners rapidly improve the perceptions of themselves. With simple tools they can become learners working on the same tasks and at the same pace as their peers.

Encourages independence

Reading tools that provide text to speech nurtures independence in students who would normally ask for a human reader for word decoding. Recording information into programmable buttons can reduce the need for instructions to be repeated. Time-tracking devices can help learners manage their tasks. All these strategies build independence.

Nurture your learning environment

Reduce the stigma around reading support. Everyone can make use of the toolbox for their learning. Think of it as a normal way of working that is essential for a few, helpful to some, and accepted by all.

Enables language acquisition

Though designed to support SEND needs, The Literacy Toolbox can be used to nurture all reading development in a classroom. By putting reading pens in the box, like Reader 3, you can ensure that language learners have access to reading and comprehension activities.

Finding the right reading pen

Success of the Literacy Toolbox Approach

Birmingham Schools

Throughout the city, training with the Literacy Toolbox Approach is being provided as part of a best practise solution to supporting students with reading needs. This varied approach is helping make a big impact on Birmingham’s SEND program. Learn more

Blackpool Council

Blackpool has found so much success with the Literacy Toolbox Approach that they’ve added it to their collection of recommended assistive technologies. They agree that there’s not one solution to reading support, but building a collection of strategies and tools to tackle the broad spectrum of needs is the future of SEND support. Learn more

What’s included?

A good builder needs the right tools for the job. The literacy Toolbox is made up of all the essential items required to start building a solid foundation for literacy. We’ve done the research and put together a breakdown of the must-haves and their costs.

Item:	Type of support:	Available from:	Approx Costs:
C-Pen Reader 2	Text to speech	www.scanningpens.co.uk	£240.00 (Ex VAT)
Sticky index tabs	Visual focus	Amazon / Consortium	£7.00
Fidget toy class pack	Concentration	Amazon / Consortium	£16.00
High frequency bookmarks (DSC)	Self-confidence for spelling	Amazon	£3.50
Rubber thimbles pack	SpLD co-ordination	Amazon / Consortium	£4.00
Finger trackers & reading strips pack	SpLD dyslexia – tracking	Amazon	£10.00
Colour overlays	SpLD dyslexia Visual disturbance	Crossbow Education/Amazon/Consortium	£8.00
Page holders x2	Co-ordination	Amazon	£4.00
Talking Tins Pack	SpLD & SLCN audio /speech / memory	Amazon / Consortium	£20.00
Credit card size magnifiers x 4	Visual focus & concentration	Amazon	£5.00
Pencil grips pack	Co-ordination	Amazon / Consortium	£10.00
Whisper phone / Toobaloo	SpLD & SLCN	Amazon	£10 to £15
Fingerlights	SpLD dyslexia – tracking	Amazon	£8.00
Medium size toolbox		Lidl	£8

Literacy Toolbox Masterclass

How to fund this approach

Securing funding often requires evidence of impact. You may need to start with one teacher and a classroom where this approach is used. To produce this evidence, most interventions take a minimum of six weeks.

When evidence is required, start by baselining your students with a Reading/Comprehension test, then re-test at the end of the trial period to produce data you can share. Talk to your SLT about funding streams.

Funds might be available from Pupil Premium, EAL, CIC, EHCP, the Delegated Budget, and many external funding options.

What are the strategies?

Normal way of working

Establish a user record of tools that can be used in exams without the use of a Form 8 – The majority are centre-delegated access arrangements.

The future of teaching

Elevate your teaching practice by integrating the use of these tools into your teaching strategy.

Get in Touch

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

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