Cymraeg

The Customisers

Customisers always adapt a resource before using it in their teaching. They do not believe that resources work when they are “off the shelf”.

They are usually:

  • Looking to improve visuals.
  • Combining resources to include activities and engagement opportunities for children.
  • Highly aware of the needs of their learners, including the need to differentiate.

Resource preferences

Customisers are highly practical practitioners who often start with an existing resource but will nearly always adapt it to meet the specific needs of their learners, class context, or school expectations. Their process is iterative and hands-on, taking inspiration from a broad range of sources but rarely using anything exactly as found.

Platforms commonly used include Twinkl (for starting points), Canva (for visual editing), Google Slides, Hwb, TES, and BBC Teach. In many cases, YouTube is used for quick video content, while Pinterest and social media (including Facebook groups and Instagram) offer ideas and inspiration. Importantly, this group often uses tools such as the Snipping Tool or screenshots to quickly lift content to edit, and AI (like ChatGPT or TeachMate AI) is used to support adaptation.

Customisers are most attracted to resources that:

  • Are editable by default (not locked PDFs).
  • Provide visual assets or templates that can be reworked.
  • Are available in multiple formats (Google Slides, Word, Canva).
  • Are simple and flexible enough to mould around their learners’ needs.
  • Include age-appropriate differentiation options.

They are especially conscious of ensuring that resources feel bespoke to their context, whether that is changing wording, updating visuals, or making the resource more accessible for ALN or EAL learners.

Common challenges

Customisers often face a time burden in the constant need to amend or adapt resources. The perceived convenience of pre-made resources is often lost when the resource requires extensive editing to fit learners’ needs, whether that is removing English curriculum content, adapting language, or reformatting designs.

Key frustrations include:

  • The dominance of English or older curriculum resources, especially in digital searches.
  • Finding a good quality resource but discovering it is in PDF and hard to edit.
  • Adapting for multiple levels of ability within the same lesson.
  • Needing to translate or simplify language for ALN or EAL learners.
  • Spending disproportionate time editing the visual layout of resources.
  • Navigating multiple platforms for ideas and downloads, then having to piece them together manually.

Some practitioners also noted that copyright issues or school policies prevent the use of platforms like Twinkl in their original format, meaning adaptation is essential.

Opportunities and recommendations

Customisers thrive when given flexible tools, adaptable resources, and efficient editing workflows. To better support this group of practitioners, platforms should prioritise:

  • Resources available in fully editable formats as standard (Google Slides, Word, PowerPoint).
  • Simple visual templates that are designed to be changed and built upon.
  • AI-powered tools that can automate minor adaptations (e.g., changing font, colour schemes, reading age adjustments).
  • Ready-made resource bundles that contain editable versions for different ability levels.
  • Integrated resource “kits” rather than static worksheets – e.g., slides, activity ideas, images, videos, all linked together.
  • Clear guidance or quick tips for making resources ALN or EAL friendly.
  • Time-saving tools for quickly translating or reformatting resources.
  • Search filters for editable resources only.
  • Spaces to share adapted versions of resources with other practitioners.

Platforms could position themselves as “resource building partners” rather than just “resource libraries”, focusing on making it quicker and easier for teachers to tailor resources to their learners without starting from scratch.

Case study – The Customisers

A Year 1 and 2 teacher working in a Welsh-medium primary school perfectly illustrates the Customisers archetype. Teaching in an area where most learners come from English-speaking homes, this teacher is highly skilled in adapting and tailoring resources to meet the specific needs of the mixed-age, mixed-ability class.

This practitioner’s starting point is often an existing resource – typically found on platforms like Twinkl, White Rose Maths, or Teacher’s Pet. But using a resource straight “off the shelf” is rare. Instead, every resource undergoes a process of editing, tweaking, or even total re-creation to make it fit for purpose. Sometimes that means translating English content into Welsh; at other times it is about adapting images, changing wording, or tailoring tasks for different ability levels.

A huge barrier to ready-to-use resources is the lack of Welsh-language materials, particularly for schemes such as White Rose Maths, which are only published in English. The teacher spends significant amounts of time using tools like Snipping Tool, Canva, or Publisher to cut, paste, and translate resources into something usable in the classroom.

Editability is everything. This practitioner is clear that editable formats – rather than locked PDFs – make resources dramatically more valuable. If a resource is not editable, one is unlikely to pay for it or use it beyond inspiration. Budget pressures and limited staff mean the teacher is increasingly dependent on good quality, ready-to-adapt resources to support independent learning, which are essential for managing large classes with a wide range of needs.

While platforms like Twinkl are a staple because of their variety, language availability, and editable formats, this teacher still wishes for resource platforms that:

  • Are easier to search.
  • Avoid clunky navigation.
  • Have high-quality visuals.
  • Offer Welsh-language materials as standard.
  • And most importantly, make it easy to customise content for learners.