Texthelp, provider of literacy, language learning and now STEM software, is presenting the latest additions to its family of assistive tech solutions for schools and colleges at Bett 2019, on Stand C141 .
Read&Write usage increases as features are added
Because of the recent additions of Check It, Data Desk and Exam Mode, Read&Write now provides more supports to students and teachers alike.
Check It is Read&Write’s new spelling, grammar, and confusable word tool that allows users to be notified of potential errors as they type. Students (and teachers) can now check their writing for grammar, spelling (including phonetic), capitalisation, punctuation, verb tense, homophones and more.
Texthelp has also released two updates to Read&Write that support usage during exams. Data Desk is a feature management tool for Read&Write for Google Chrome. Teachers using Google Classroom can pick a class, select individual (or all) students in that class, and choose which Read&Write features should be available.
The company has also introduced a new Exam Mode feature in Read&Write for Windows, which allows for the toolbar to be restricted to just those features approved for exams.
Texthelp introduces WriQ
Many teachers will be familiar with the assessment and norms standard called ‘Lexile’ which is used across the US to measure a child’s reading standard and text maturity. Yet, there is no accepted similar metric for writing.
Previously available as a Google Docs add-on, Texthelp has just released a WriQ Chrome Extension, which offers a new look and user experience for teachers.
By scanning student work for Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling errors, WriQ assigns accuracy and maturity level metrics to the writing.
Later this year, teachers, curriculum directors, and district leaders with premium licenses will have the ability to compare their students’ writing with national (and eventually district) averages gathered by WriQ. In doing this, WriQ will help define standard writing levels similar to the Lexile levels that are available for reading.
EquatIO passes 2 million users in its second year
Since last year, Texthelp has released two major updates to EquatIO, both of which make maths content more accessible and engaging. The first is the EquatIO Screenshot Reader, which turns any equation across the web, G Suite Apps, or Microsoft Office applications into accessible math, which can read aloud and copy and pasted directly into EquatIO for edits or insertion into your document.
The second is EquatIO Mobile, a mobile companion for EquatIO that enables users to use phone or tablet to insert handwritten maths, spoken maths or images directly into digital documents.
EquatIO has been shortlisted as a finalist in this year’s BETT Awards in the Whole School Aids for Tools for Learning, Teaching and Assessment category.
