What is S2C?
According to I-ASC (International Association of Spelling to Communicate), “Spelling to Communicate empowers nonspeakers to overcome communication barriers posed by traditional oral communication by pointing to letters on a board as an alternative means of communication. This innovative method promotes synchrony between cognitive and motor systems. Through repeated practice, new neural pathways become myelinated. By teaching the motor skills necessary to point on a letterboard positioned in front of them, nonspeakers improve motor planning and control. This enables them to communicate their thoughts and ideas quickly and accurately.
Apraxia is the main reason many nonspeakers can’t speak reliably at all. It makes it difficult to initiate and follow through with actions, and often gives the impression that nonspeakers don’t understand words or instructions. This combined with sensory processing issues and reactions to stimuli, leaves our nonspeaking community misunderstood.
It is time to break down these barriers and build a world where every voice is heard and understood.”
The Process…
I will meet for an initial one on one to get to know your family and your speller. From there, we will meet up as often as you like and do sessions together. A typical session will look like me reading an age appropriate lesson broken down into chunks. After each chunk, I will help motor coach the speller to poke letters to answer questions from what they just heard.
The goal is to help myelinate their pathways and help their brain body disconnect in the form of poking the letter. We will go through different stages of the boards together (the 3 boards, the 26 stencil, and laminate) with the goal of getting the speller open. Open means the speller is able to communicate their thoughts and ideas with us with no prompting needed.
When it comes to spelling, I completely understand that each speller and practitioner spelling together is like learning to dance with a new dance partner. You don’t just get good at something automatically the first try. It may take a couple of sessions for it to click. Patience and flexibility is key. Each speller is unique. For some it may take just a couple of session for it to click and for others it may take years. All of this is completely normal.
The important part is to keep practicing and working on the motor. The more CRP’s (Communication Regulation Partners) and Practitioner’s a speller has the more opportunity they have to be open and build a community of people around them they can talk to.
Scaffolded Approach
First Level: 3 Stencil boards This helps support the motor and gives spellers a bigger target as they build new neural pathways.
Second Level: 26 Stencil board This increases the demand for spellers and is used for helping build accuracy.
Level 3: Laminate board This is for when spellers are fully open (can communicate their thoughts) and do not need any more gestural prompting.
Level 4: Keyboard This is the highest level of independence a speller can get to to be able to communicate their thoughts.
About Me:
Welcome! I am so excited that you are interested in starting your S2C journey.
My name is Kara Sanders and I am 27 years old and live in Boise, Idaho with my wonderful husband. I am a former English teacher of 4 years and feel very passionately that everyone has the right to communicate.
I got involved in the S2C community starting in 2024: although, my journey with nonspeakers begins in 2016. In college, I met a family that I began to nanny for who has a daughter that is nonspeaking diagnosed PANDAS, ASD, and OCD. Through my 8+ years of experience working with her, I have learned so much and am forever grateful to have her in my life. It was because of her that I was introduced to the documentary spellers. This movie ignited a fire in me and so in May of 2024 I began the training process to become and S2C practitioner through I-ASC.
I have taken hours of coursework and classes to be certified to do this and love being able to share the joys of spelling within this wonderful community. Please know that I am honored to even be considered a part of your speller’s life and welcome any and all questions. I can’t wait to meet you and your speller soon!
I-ASC