Supporting the needs of our French markets post-Covid with Scanning Pens
By Admin · August 10, 2023
Over the past twelve months, Empowering Tech's EdTech experts Scanning Pens have seen a significant rise in sales in France via the support of our reseller market – and they're only just getting started!
As education recovers post-Covid and learning has been getting back on track in Europe, we’ve been at the head of an increase in activity from within the Académies; the regional organisations of the French Ministry of Education. As these organisations foster a direct link with Special Educational Needs professionals in secondary schools and colleges, knowledge of our product has been disseminated throughout the learning system, and we’re getting a much clearer picture of what market needs and demand will look like going forwards. We’re also receiving fantastic testimonials from the people who work with learners with additional needs every day that explore just what it is that the C-Pen Reader 2 can do.
Scanning Pens tech has also gained a foothold within the French dyslexia community following a trial by the French National Dyslexia Association FFDYS. It’s seen significant attention in the media, and Scanning Pens have been invited to the Senate as the official guests of Natalie Groh, the President of the FFDYS.
As the market develops and we progress further into 2022, we’re going to be showcasing our tech at the heart of the dyslexia landscape, making direct links with colleges, universities, ministry professionals and- of course- the parents at the heart of the dyslexia landscape today.
Developing skills and beating reading challenges together
As a result of this recommendation, we’ve been introduced through a SEN practitioner to a contact at OMX Conseils. OMX Conseils are a dedicated business that over the past year have been working with the Académie of Nice and the Académie of Toulon and assisting older learners between the ages of 16 and 25 with their reading challenges. The project, “Talent Journey” has been running from February this year with a projected close in June 2023, and it centres on helping young people with reading challenges make the transition to the world of work, and helping them along the way with preparation, support and guidance.
As part of this, we’ve also received a glowing student testimonial from the Académie of Nice where a student called Clara shares her thoughts on reading pens, the huge difference it made to her when it came to reading, and how it’s helped her become more independent in her studies:
“I used to have to ask my friends or teachers to explain words, but now I have autonomy and I can read myself. It’s changed my life; I can learn new words.
If you have dyslexia you can use it at school, with people, or just by yourself. I’m much more at ease.”- Clara, Académie of Nice
…And it’s not just the learners who have been getting in touch with us and letting us know what kind of change we’re effecting: another Académie in Orléans this time has sent us a parent testimonial from their area:
“We have taken about 10 minutes with Clement to look at the pen and at the start he was little unsure but gradually became more interested— even happy!
He’s telling me now that he’ll use it especially when he finds a word he’s stuck on when reading books, and what he likes is he can even read English and Spanish. Plus there’s the pronunciation element, so for the time being— all good !”- Parent of a learner from Orléans
It’s this kind of media feedback that we love most for two reasons: the first is that it’s always positive for businesses in tech to have first-hand testimonials of just how their devices are being used and talked about in the real world, and have had an impact on those who use them. It allows us to further explore the difference they can make to people all over the world and create something truly special and responsive to the needs of our user base. The second is that we can use these first-hand testimonials to show other institutions— schools, colleges, universities and businesses; as well as parents— the life-changing potential of Scanning Pens tech, straight from the people whose lives it is already changing.
These developing relationships are a key part of how Scanning Pens are set to proceed in France. For us, the rest of 2022 and moving into 2023 is all about building on the and reaching more people across France and Europe to change more learner's stories, support more students, and raise vital awareness of the idea that people with dyslexia have infinite potential, and the power to achieve amazing things in academia and beyond.