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Session Information

Communication Pathway
Room 1.19

Symbla - Widgit's new Learning App

Length of presentation is 30 mins (10:25 - 10:55am)

Symbla is an activity based App designed to support language and early literacy development which can help to build knowledge and reinforce learning.   

Symbla contains ready-made activities that follow a clear progression through vocabulary, phonics, early reading and writing development. Exercises include sorting, matching, memory games, spelling, true or false, find the meaning, and more. They can be played directly or assigned to users who can then play them offline.  

With access to Widgit's full symbol set and a range of pre-made templates, it's easy to create personalised activities that suit the needs of specific individuals and to assign these accordingly. 

This session will showcase Symbla as both a student user and practitioner, demonstrating how to set up profiles, find and create activities, edit the layout and pages of an activity, choose how actions are read out, and show how activities are played and rewarded.  

Presenter(s):
Sue White and Lisa Pinkerton, Widgit

Suitable for:
Primary & Secondary, Special Schools, ASN bases

Dyslexia Pathway
Room 1.21

From early learners to exam success: one toolbar, every learner supported

Length of presentation is 30 mins (10:25 - 10:55am)

Every classroom includes learners with different strengths, challenges and ways of accessing learning. Removing barriers means giving pupils tools that support them consistently as they grow and develop. 
In this session, we'll share how Read&Write supports learners with diverse needs, including dyslexia, literacy challenges and EAL. With the same simple tools available from early primary through to secondary school and into assessments, pupils build confidence, independence and a consistent normal way of working. 
See how one familiar toolbar can support reading, writing and understanding across devices, subjects and stages, helping schools create more equitable and accessible learning environments. 
 

Because the right tools are necessary for some, useful for all.  

Presenter(s):
Paddy McGrath and Danielle McKernan, Everway

Suitable for:
Primary & Secondary, Special Schools, ASN bases

Complex Needs Pathway
Room 1.37

Access to Literacy and the Curriculum for Students who have Complex Access Needs and/or rely on AAC

Length of presentation is 30 mins (10:25 - 10:55am)

The assumptions underpinning synthetic phonics, particularly regarding spoken language access, working memory capacity, and rapid phonological blending, limit its applicability for learners with complex communication needs. The available evidence supports flexible, language-rich, and concept-led instruction adapted to learner variability. This presentation will focus on the need to support literacy development as a priority for students who rely on AAC. It will demonstrate ways in which this can be achieved and emphasise the need to reduce reliance on pre-loaded vocabularies in favour of text-based output so that students can access the curriculum effectively and their learning potential can be realised. Examples from case studies of students who have been able to complete conventional qualifications will be used to illustrate the importance of raised aspirations and expectations in relation to student potential.

Presenter(s):
Marion Stanton, CandLE

Suitable for:
Primary & Secondary, Special Schools, ASN bases