A TASSCC Guide Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum

Using tools for Additional Support in Literacy

Removing barriers to learning, ensuring that the diverse needs of all learners are met in an equitable way, and supporting improved outcomes for all are central to Scottish Government Education policy.

Consultation on the development of a Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland. (2016) Contents

Getting Logged on………………………………………………………………………..4 ………………………………………………………………………………..5 Using the Drawing tools to create a simple Mind map…………………………….5 Using typing in a google doc…………………………………………7 Using Add-ons in Google Docs…………………………………………………………..8 Using Mindmeister in a Google doc…………………………………………………….8 Using Studyskills in a Google doc………………………………………………………..9 Using Extensions in Google Docs…………………………………………………………..11 Using Google – Instant definitions on the web……………………………12 Using Note Anywhere – Add post-it notes to webpages………………….………….13 Using Select & Speak – Quick text-to-speech tool…………………………….……….14 Using High Contrast and Colour Overlay – Change the visuals! ……….…...…...... 15 Using Readability – De-clutter a webpage improve reading………….…………….16 Using Read and Write – Text-to-speech support……………………………….……….17 Using Apps with ………………………………………………………….18 Contact TASSCC………………………………………………………………………………19

TASSCC provides a supportive technological service for children whose ability to access the curriculum is impeded by a physical, learning or significant communication difficulty.

The TASSCC service provides targeted support for individual children and offers a referral service for schools that should be accessed when the range of resources and supports within their own educational setting is not sufficient to meet the needs of the young person.

TASSCC also provides universal support through staff training and provision of resources including this comprehensive training guide.

2 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] Google Tools for Additional Support in Literacy

This course will introduce google based tools that can help to support learners in literacy based tasks. Google Apps, Extensions and Add-ons can be easily added to a pupil or staff profile to enhance the learning experience and allow work to be completed more efficiently. TASSCC will introduce recommended tools that have been tried and tested and that provide the best support for our learners in Aberdeen City. Google’s Chrome browser can be used in various ways to help with reading and writing. Traditional desktop software cannot be installed on , so pupils need to rely on extensions and apps to customise their learning experience.

Extensions: Designed to work in combination with websites and the documents in .

Apps: Standalone applications that run in their own windows or tabs within the Chrome browser.

Add-ons: Used within google docs to provide extra support for the pupil.

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Getting Logged on

From the Google landing page, select Sign in on the top right corner and log in using your ab-ed account details. On a you will need your ab-ed account details to access the device, and then you will automatically be logged into Google Chrome. Please get in touch with TASSCC using the contact details on the last page of this guide if you are having trouble getting logged in.

A good tip to give you easy access to all of the tools within google is to make sure the bookmarks bar is showing. To do this click on the three dots at the top right of the browser window, select Bookmarks, and then Show Bookmarks bar.

This will give you access to the bookmarks bar and the app palette. Click on the app palette to access common apps such as 4 Google Docs, and the Web

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Google Docs

Full information about Google Docs can be found here: https://www.google.co.uk/docs/about/ This application is Google’s version of Word. Features on the toolbar are very similar and easily recognised by users who are familiar with Microsoft Word.

To open a new google doc, click on the app palette and open the Google Docs application.

From the next screen that opens, select blank.

It is important to note that Google saves the document automatically. There is no ‘File, Save’ option as there is in Microsoft Word. A good first step would be to give the document a name. Click on the ‘untitled document’ field and type in the name of the document.

Using the Drawing tools to create a simple Mind map

On the menu click on Insert, Drawing to open the drawing canvas.

Tools are very similar to the Microsoft Word Drawing toolbar. Hover over any of the icons to find out the function.

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To begin creating a mind map, click on the shape tool and click on a suitable shape such as oval. On the drawing canvas, move your cursor to the centre and ‘click and drag’ slowly to create the shape.

Double-click on the shape to enter a topic name.

Whilst the shape is still selected (you will be able to tell this if there are little nodes around the shape), click on the paint can tool to select a colour.

Continue to create more shapes as above until you have enough for your mind map as shown below.

A good tip is to copy the first shape as many times as needed, by right-clicking on it and selecting copy (or by clicking on the shape and pressing ‘Ctrl and c’ on the keyboard), and then pasting multiple copies of the shape either by right-clicking on the canvas and selecting Paste OR by pressing ‘Ctrl and v’ on the keyboard. Each shape can then be edited with a new name and colour.

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To complete the mind map, you will need to use the line tool to join the shapes together. Select the line tool on the toolbar. When you hover over a shape you will see that little nodes appear around the shape, this is a great feature to support mind mapping. Hover over the shape and then ‘click and drag’ on a node towards an adjoining shape.

Click on Save & Close when completed to add the mind map to the Google doc.

Using Google Voice typing in a google doc

TASSCC would recommend Google voice typing as a great tool for pupils who may find it physically difficult to write or for pupils where spelling and dyslexia type difficulties are preventing them from accessing a full curriculum.

Go to tools, voice typing. Click the microphone to start recording, it will turn red when live, click again to stop.

If you click on the little ? as highlighted above, you will have access to all of the commands that can be used within google voice. You can also click here and scroll down to Step 3 to access the commands.

An example of using the commands: ‘My name is Hazel full stop new line I live in Aberdeen full stop’.

It is important to note that most laptops and chromebooks have a built-in microphone, however when using a desktop PC you may need to have a headset with microphone attached. 7 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected]

Using Add-ons in Google Docs

Add-ons can provide an added support for literacy work when using Google docs. There are many tools available, but TASSCC would recommend the following two tools:

Mindmeister

Text Help Study Skills

Using Mindmeister in a Google doc

The MindMeister add-on for Google Docs turns any bullet point list in your document into a mind map and automatically inserts it into the document.

In a new Google doc, click on Add-ons on the menu, and Get add-ons… In the search bar that appears type in mindmeister as shown below, and then click on the blue + Free button.

On the screen that follows click on Allow.

Once the add-on has been activated, you will need to create a bulleted list. Select the bullet point tool on the toolbar.

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Create a list, using your tab key on the keyboard to move in a level. A good tip to move back in a level is to press shift and then tab on your keyboard.

Once complete, highlight the list and choose 'Insert as Mind Map' from the Add-on, Mindmeister menu. The list will be converted into a mind map and embedded as an image in the document.

A good tip would be to change the page to landscape in File, Page setup if the full mind map isn’t showing on the page.

If you right-click on the newly created mind map, and choose ‘Image options’ from the menu you will be able to make small changes such as editing the colours.

Using Studyskills in a Google doc

Study Skills by TextHelp allows pupils to simplify the note taking process, highlight difficult words throughout a passage or similar type of activity using highlighting tools. All colours are free for 30 days, and following the free trial the yellow highlighting remains available for unlimited use. This is a great tool and is recommended by TASSCC even after the free trial period has expired.

9 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] The studyskills add-on can be found in the same way as Mindmeister by clicking on the add-on menu, get add- ons and searching for ‘study skills’.

Once added go to add-ons, Texthelp Study Skills and show Highlighting tools.

You will see the Highlighting tools appear on a bar at the right of the document.

In the example below key notes have been highlighted in the document, and then using the study skills toolbar ‘Highlight Yellow’ has been selected.

Once complete, click on Collect highlights. Choose select by colour, and click the collect highlights button in the window that appears. When complete, a new google doc opens with the highlighted notes. This can be re-named and shared with other using the share button. 10 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] Using Extensions in Google Docs

All of the extensions recommended by TASSCC can be found on the ab-ed whitelist. This is a list of apps and extensions in the web store that can be accessed by pupils and staff without any restrictions.

To access the webstore, go the app palette and select webstore.

Once opened, as long as you are logged in with your ab-ed account, you will see the whitelist. All of the apps and extensions are on that landing page. There is no need to click on any of the menu items such as Extensions, Themes etc.

There are so many different tools to use and try out and these are just a few recommendations that provide added support for learners who may be struggling with literacy tasks.

TASSCC recommends

Google Dictionary, Note anywhere, Select and Speak, High contrast, Color Overlay (note American spelling), Readability, Read and Write. 11 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected]

Using Google Dictionary – Instant definitions on the web

From the app palette, select webstore and from the whitelist scroll down until you see the Google dictionary extension.

Click on + Add to Chrome

On the dialogue box that opens, click on Add Extension.

You will see the extension has been added to the chrome browser at the end of the address bar.

Now that this extension is enabled, double-click on any word on any website that you are unsure of and you will get an instant pop-up definition as shown below.

By right-clicking on the extension on the browser and selecting options, you can adjust some settings such as language (excellent tool for EAL pupils).

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Using Note Anywhere – Add post-it notes to webpages

Go to the webstore and from the ab-ed whitelist scroll down until you see the Note Anywhere extension.

Click on ‘Add to Chrome’, and then ‘Add extension’ on the window that appears. You will see that the extension has been added to the browser window as shown.

Open a website that you would like to add a note onto. Click on the ‘note anywhere’ icon on the extension toolbar and the note will be created on that page, as shown below. To move the note, click on it and drag it to where you want it. To add text, click on the note and start typing.

The note will save automatically. You can close the website, open another and create multiple notes on different websites. To get a summary of all of the notes you have created, right-click on the icon on the extension toolbar, and select Options.

Clicking on Notes Summary will show you a list of all of the notes you have created. The numbers relate to how many notes are on a particular page.

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Using Select & Speak – Quick text-to-speech tool

Go to the webstore and from the ab-ed whitelist scroll down until you see the Select and Speak extension.

Once added to chrome, the options should open in a new tab. If not, right-click on the extension icon, and select options.

TASSCC would recommend that you change two settings. Firstly click on the settings option on the menu.

Then select the option that reads ‘Show play button on selecting text’. You may also want to de-select the ‘show paragraph’ option depending on preference.

On this page you can also change the voice gender and speed of playback.

Click on the ‘Choose language’ option on the menu, and change the language to British.

There is no save button, the settings are automatically saved.

Try out the tool by opening a website, highlight a word or sentence and then click the pop up play button to hear the text being read back.

14 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] Using High Contrast and Colour Overlay – Change the visuals!

With either of these extensions enabled it can significantly improve the reading experience for many pupils. Once added to the browser left-click on the High contrast extension to see a list of options.

They wouldn’t quite work together, but if you disable the High Contrast extension you can try out the ‘Color Overlay’.

Left-click on the overlay extension to switch on and select a colour. Once you have selected a colour, you will see the overlay appear over the top of the webpage. Even after closing the browser window and re-opening the website the overlay will continue to have your chosen colour.

15 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] Using Readability – De-clutter a webpage to improve reading

With readability added to your browser, a web-page can be de-cluttered by removing side menus and toolbars leaving the user with the main body of text and images from the webpage. A number of settings can then be toggled to increase the size of the text and adjust the display.

Navigate to a website, and then left-click on the readability extension on the toolbar, Select Read Now.

The application clears up the page and provides you with a new clearer presentation of the text. Please note that Readability worked well with a small selection of websites that were sampled.

A menu appears on the left and when ‘Aa’ is clicked a small panel opens that allows you to change

the size of the font, the type of font and the contrast of the display amongst other options. 16 The select and Speak extension can then be used to listen back to the text. Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] Using Read and Write – Text-to-speech support

The Read and Write extension by TextHelp really is a high-quality attachment to the Google Chrome browser. It also interacts with google docs and google slides seamlessly.

Full functionality is only available for 30 days although Read Aloud, translator and text-to-speech features are still available after this period.

Any teacher who wants a free premium version of Read&Write for Google can register for it here.

Open a new blank google doc or google slide document from the app palette.

When using Read Write for the first time, accept and allow any permissions that are displayed.

As shown below, a small Read Write icon will appear and when clicked on will open up the full toolbar. In this example a sentence on the slide has been highlighted, and the play button selected on the toolbar. The text is read back to the user, and highlighted as each word is read.

To adjust the settings:

A new free feature that has been recently added is Read Aloud which is the last icon on the Read Write toolbar.

Navigate to a website, left-click on the Read Write extension, and click on the Read Aloud icon. In a similar style to the readability extension, the webpage is de-cluttered and a pupil can concentrate on the text. 17 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] They can use the playback feature to listen to the text and learn the passage, and furthermore record themselves reading the passage and either share to a single user or share to .

Using Apps with Google Chrome

On the ab-ed whitelist you will also have access to a number of apps such as Typing Club and MindMeister – both of which TASSCC would recommend. Given that MindMeister is a free application it will still allow the user to create 3 free mindmaps, although export options are limited.

Once added to chrome they will appear on the app palette as shown below. The application will open in a new window and the user can get started straight away. Some apps require further sign-in details.

18 Page Technological Assessment and Support Service for Children and the Curriculum [email protected] In the webstore, Teaching and Support staff have full access to the Apps and Extensions outside of the ab- ed whitelist. There are many many tools to try out and test for effectiveness and quality.

If you have been using an app that is working well and you would like pupils to see it on the whitelist, get in touch with TASSCC and the app/extension can be easily added.

Contact TASSCC

For any queries about using the guide or for questions relating to TASSCC please find contact details as follows:

Hazel Lynch – Education Support Officer (Assistive Technology) [email protected] 01224 523106

Inclusion Team Education and Children’s Services Aberdeen City Council First Floor North Marischal College Broad Street Aberdeen AB10 1AB

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