Reading pens across the curriculum

Every subject asks students to read: science procedures, HASS sources, maths word problems, safety instructions. For a student with a reading difficulty, those texts can block access to content they would otherwise understand. A reading pen lets them read the words so they can do the thinking the subject asks for. Here is how it works subject by subject.

Science

• Procedures and safety instructions: students scan each step before starting a practical, so they don't rely on copying a partner.
• Technical vocabulary: words like photosynthesis or condensation are long and irregular. Hearing and defining them helps students use them correctly (see the dictionary and word practice guide).
• Watch for: labelled diagrams and chemical formulas, which pens don't read reliably. Talk these through or label them in plain text.

HASS (history, geography, civics, economics)

• Sources: printed extracts, newspaper articles and captions can be scanned line by line.
• Dense textbooks: students keep up with reading-heavy topics without falling behind their class.
• Watch for: handwritten historical documents and old typefaces, which pens can't read. Provide a typed transcript.

Maths

• Word problems: the pen reads the words of the question, so the student can focus on the maths.
• Instructions: "explain your reasoning" or "show your working" prompts are easy to miss when reading is hard.
• Watch for: symbols, fractions, equations and tables. C-Pen advises against relying on the pen for these. The student reads the numbers, or a teacher reads them aloud (see what a reading pen can't do).

English

• Class novels and texts: students read the same texts as their peers and join the discussion.
• Vocabulary: look up unfamiliar words and practise them later.
• Watch for: lessons where the goal is decoding or reading fluency. Put the pen away for those.

Practical subjects (Technologies, Health and PE, the Arts)

• Recipes, design briefs, rules and safety notices: quick to scan and important to get right.
• Portable: the pen goes where the student goes, into kitchens, workshops and studios.

Languages

• The Reader 3 reads five languages offline and more than 40 online, and translates to and from English. Check the language is supported first.
• Some exam authorities only allow a reader to read in English. Check before using a pen in language assessments.

Tips for every subject

• Print handouts in a clear font at 11 to 14 point on white paper.
• Use headphones for independent work.
• Build pen use into routines, so students don't feel singled out (see the classroom guide).

Frequently asked questions