[senco-forum] Successmaker

I remember our SENCo looked at it 4 or 5 years ago.  It was its inordinate cost that decided her against it.

Do you think it is actually cost effective, Chris?  Especially if you still need something different for the poorest readers AND pupils using it still need supervision. (I've always thought it naive in the extreme to think that if a child is placed in front of a computer, with no direct supervision, it will obediently get on with what it is meant to be doing.)

Maggie

chris white <chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote: Hiya Sharon,
We've been using Successmaker for a number of years. We've not found it to
be effective with the least able. We use it for pupils who are a couple of
years behind their chronological age with reading and spelling. (as a rough
guide). Pupils do it 3 times a week with between 5 and 10 minutes on Reading
Workshop and or Spelling, as appropriate.
It is only effective if pupils are closely monitored and have someone there
to work with them. Reports have to be analysed and additional material
provided to work on areas of weakness as highlighted by the reports.
It doesn't work if pupils are just left sitting at computers and reports not
used for their intended purpose!
We have some pupils who have made excellent gains. As a guide I say no pupil
should follow the scheme for more than 2 years.
Hope this is of some help.
Chris
Secondary SENCO

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Sharon Fawcitt
Sent: 30 June 2007 10:17
To: 'Bill Graham'; 'senco-forum'
Subject: RE: [senco-forum] Successmaker

Hi Lorraine,
How successful are you finding Successmaker?  How often do the pupils do it,
and how are you measuring progress?  We've just started using it this year,
I'm not very much involved in it, but also not convinced that it is either
effective, or that we are using it effectively. 
Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Bill Graham
Sent: 30 June 2007 09:25
To: senco-forum
Subject: [senco-forum] New title needed for our Skills Club!

Hi everyone

I'm  in secondary and we run a "Skills Club" before school for Y7 and Y8 as
part of our additional provision. We use suvccess maker, hear them read etc.
We are trying to re launch this in Sept with new ideas and improved format.
We would like a new name. We're in the process of asking pupils their ideas
but they're not coming up with anything realistic. What do other schools
call their "literacy" clubs? 

Lorraine

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