Boardmaker 7
Boardmaker 7 to Support Structured Literacy Teaching
Aotearoa New Zealand is embarking on a significant transformation in literacy education with the nationwide adoption of the Structured Literacy approach, mandated for all state schools from Term 1, 2025. This pedagogical shift, grounded in the Science of Reading, aims to establish robust foundational literacy skills for all students. As schools undergo this transition, identifying effective resources to support implementation, particularly for diverse learners and those with special needs, becomes paramount. Boardmaker 7 provides a valuable and versatile tool to facilitate the successful implementation of Structured Literacy within both mainstream and special education settings.
Understanding the Structured Literacy Approach
Structured Literacy is not merely a curricular update; it represents a systematic and explicit instructional methodology for teaching all essential components of reading and writing.
This approach is especially critical for students experiencing literacy difficulties, such as those with dyslexia, developmental language disorders, or other complex learning needs. It provides the clear, sequential, and multi-modal instruction necessary for their success, moving away from less explicit instructional models.
Boardmaker 7: A Catalyst for Structured Literacy Implementation
Boardmaker 7, with its comprehensive features and adaptable design, offers significant support for schools adopting Structured Literacy:
- Visual Supports for Conceptual Understanding:
With access to over 80,000+ Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) including localised symbols (and the ability to request creation of new symbols), Boardmaker 7 enables the creation of highly visual instructional materials. This capability allows educators to transform abstract literacy concepts into concrete representations across all structured literacy activities. Such visual support is particularly beneficial for learners who process information visually or have communication difficulties.
- Customisable & Targeted Activities:
The platform facilitates the easy creation of explicit and systematic activities for all Structured Literacy components which can be precisely tailored to individual student needs and learning paces, ensuring a truly differentiated approach. For example, activities that are targeting Phonology through matching pictures with corresponding sound, or syntax through rearranging words to form meaningful sentences.
- Interactive & Accessible Engagement:
Boardmaker 7’s Student Centre allows learners to interact with activities using various access methods, including touch, mouse, switches, or eye gaze, or the use of high contrast visuals to support students with low vision. This promotes active participation and ensures accessibility for students with diverse physical abilities or complex communication needs.
- Curriculum Resources:
The “Activities-to-Go” curriculum and other included activity templates provide themed, levelled activities and accessible books that naturally integrate various literacy components. Alongside this the ability share created resources through Boardmaker Community helps with reducing teacher preparation time while ensuring alignment with instructional goals.
- Integrated Therapeutic Support:
Boardmaker 7 extends its utility beyond classroom instruction, serving as an invaluable tool for allied health professionals working as part of the team:
- Speech-Language Therapists (SLTs): Can utilise Boardmaker to target specific speech sound production, enhance phonological awareness, and develop language structures (syntax, vocabulary) directly linked to literacy objectives for students with communication impairments.
- Occupational Therapists (OTs): Can design activities that support fine motor skills essential for writing, enhance visual perceptual skills crucial for reading comprehension, and implement sensory regulation strategies to optimise engagement in literacy tasks.
- Facilitating Home-School Partnerships: The ease of creating and sharing symbol-supported materials allows for consistent reinforcement of literacy skills at home, fostering a strong home-school connection or supporting home schooled students.
Conclusion
As New Zealand transitions to a mandatory Structured Literacy framework, schools require effective and accessible tools to support this significant educational reform. Boardmaker 7 stands as a robust solution to support this:
- Aligns with Structured Literacy Principles: It inherently supports explicit, systematic, multi-modal, and cumulative instruction.
- Promotes Inclusivity: Its features make literacy instruction accessible to a broad spectrum of learners, including those with special educational needs, fostering meaningful participation in the curriculum.
- Empowers Teachers: It provides both pre-made resources and the flexibility to create and share bespoke materials, optimising instructional efficacy and reducing planning overhead.
Embracing Boardmaker 7 can significantly enhance a school’s capacity to implement Structured Literacy, ultimately contributing to improved literacy outcomes for all New Zealand students. Link Assistive offers a range of Boardmaker options including one-off single user licenses as well as customised organisational subscription options.
