Two people writing at once and group activities on an interactive screen
Please note: this is independent guidance. Vision Tech is not affiliated with Clevertouch. Menus and features differ between models and software versions, so check your screen's own manual or on-screen help, and speak to your school IT team or supplier before changing admin-locked settings, updating firmware or doing a factory reset.
Many interactive screens can recognise more than one touch at the same time, so two or more people can write together. This makes the screen great for group work. How many touches it supports depends on the model and on the app you use, so test it before you plan a lesson around it.
Testing two-person writing
- Open a blank page in your whiteboard app.
- Ask a colleague, or use two hands, and write at the same time with two fingers or two pens.
- If both lines appear, multi-touch is working. If only one appears, the app may be limited to a single pen, even if the screen can do more.
Some apps give each pen its own colour and some do not, so decide at the start who will use which colour.
Practical classroom ideas
- Split the board. Draw a line down the middle. Two pupils or teams work on their own side, then compare.
- Race the clock. Two teams add words to a list, then swap sides.
- Sort it. Place items on the page and have pupils drag them into groups.
- Mind map together. Start with a topic in the centre and let pupils add branches.
- Peer feedback. One pupil writes, another circles what they would improve.
- Label the diagram. Insert a picture and ask pupils to add labels.
Keeping it fair and calm
- Give each group a turn limit.
- Decide who is writing and who is advising.
- Make sure everyone gets a go, including quieter pupils.
- Use Undo if mistakes happen, rather than rubbing out.
- Save a copy at the end to show what each group did.
Safety and space
Leave room around the screen. Remind pupils to be gentle with the surface and not to lean on or pull the screen. Keep pen leads and bags out of walkways.
When to get more help
Ask IT if only one touch seems to work, or touches jump around when two people write. Say which app you were using and whether it happens on every page.
Did this help? If you are still stuck, email Vision Tech and tell us what you can see on the screen. Menus and button names can differ slightly between versions and makes. If something does not match, stop and ask rather than guess.