These were pieces of slate (like a flat stone),which were sometimes set inside a wooden frame. These were used for practising writing. A special slate pencil was used with them. At the end of the lesson the slates were wiped clean with an old cloth.

Slates is the fourth album by The Fall, first released on the 27th April 1981 on Rough Trade Records. Containing 6 tracks and pressed onto 10" vinyl, it was eligible for neither the single nor album charts, being too long for the former and too short for the latter. However, it was included in the UK Independent Album chart, where it reached #3.