TEACHING NONSPEAKING, MINIMALLY SPEAKING, AND UNRELIABLY SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS HOW TO SPELL TO COMMUNICATE.

HI THERE AND WELCOME!

Spell to Connect is now operating in Melbourne. Spell to Connect is part of the National group of practitioners that offer Spelling to Communicate (S2C) services across Australia/NZ.

 S2C teaches individuals with motor challenges the purposeful motor skills necessary to spell through pointing to letters as an alternative means of communication (AAC).

As motor skills improve through consistent practice, students can begin to express their own thoughts and ideas, leading to more autonomy and independence.

HI, I AM RACHAEL EARWAKER

I live in Donvale in Melbourne. I am a wife, and mother of Sam who is 13 years old and Jack who is 11 years old.

I have a Masters Degree in Primary Teaching. My journey towards teaching nonspeaking students began when Jack was 4 years old and unable to communicate despite extensive assistance with a wide range of therapy techniques.

Through my research I discovered a method called Rapid Prompting Method which started to profoundly change the way I understood autism and how I could help Jack.  After a period of discovery, training and implementation with Jack, I came to believe that so many nonspeakers could benefit from this life-changing method. 

This led me to train as a teacher, followed by training to become a Registered S2C Practitioner. Through my S2C training and working with students I have found my passion in building relationships with my students, their families and carers. I’m dedicated to guiding my students through the journey to unlock their door to communication. I would love to connect with you!

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM S2C?

Children and adults who have…

Little to no speech

A person who may or may not be able to produce a small number or words and struggle to communicate using speech.

Minimal speech

A person who may be able to use some speech to produce a number of words or phrases but do not have enough speech for robust and flexible communication.

Unreliable speech

A person who may have the ability to speak, but is not always able to access their speech intentionally or communicatively.

WHAT IS
SPELLING TO COMMUNICATE?

Spelling to Communicate is a highly successful method used to teach nonspeaking individuals how to communicate.

Elizabeth Vosseller, SLP and Director of International Association for Spelling as Communication (I-ASC) developed this method, which teaches nonspeaking individuals the purposeful motor skills necessary to point to letters to spell as an alternative method of communication. Many nonspeakers from around the world, thanks to S2C, are now capable of fully expressing their thoughts, feelings, and desires.

Many nonspeaking individuals are sharing their experiences about what it is like to live a life with complex motor and sensory challenges, and are proving to the world that they do not have an intellectual disability, but rather a condition called apraxia* (also known as dyspraxia) which means that their brains have difficulty translating intent into movement.

THE SERVICES

The services we offer include…

Individual Sessions

Your first appointment will be about assessing skills to determine a starting point for weekly sessions. One-on-one weekly 50 minute sessions will follow. Each S2C Session involves an age appropriate lesson for the speller to learn educational content while practicing the motor skills for spelling. As spellers gain accuracy, they will progress up the hierarchy of boards, moving from spelling on boards to typing on keyboards.

Consults

Services are offered at an interval or an as-needed basis, including parent and communication regulation partner (CRP) training for anyone who will be working frequently with a speller. This also may include consults for specific reports and documentation.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY:

  • “I first started S2C sessions for my autistic son, who is 9 years old and non-verbal, because I had not had any improvement with the usual speech therapies. It has always been a struggle to get him to his usual speech therapies, and he did not ever want to participate no matter how fun we tried to make his sessions. If it wasn’t for S2C I would not have even been aware of my son’s high reading and spelling abilities. I was amazed at how much attention he paid to the information Rachael was reading, and at his interest and determination to spell out words that had been read when he was asked. I am excited to see what the future of communication holds for my son as we continue S2C. Throughout the time Rachael has worked with our son, and had great results with him, she has been very thoughtful and patient. I would definitely recommend trying this therapy”.

    Parent

  • “ I started S2C with my daughter via zoom with a Consultant overseas. However, having the expertise of a trained Practitioner actually working with my daughter has been crucial.”

    Parent

  • “Corey has had weekly S2C sessions with Rachael for approximately 12 months. I have observed considerable improvement in this period in Corey’s regulation, and ability to slow down and focus when pointing to letter, which has increased his ability and fluency to communicate on the letterboards”

    Corey’s Support Worker

  • Rachael, Corey has improved out of sight under your tutelage! You are an absolute stand-out!

    Steve (Parent)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • In S2C we presume competence. Current research shows that the least dangerous assumption is to assume all nonspeakers have the ability to think, learn, and understand, and just need the right systems and supports in order to succeed. An S2C lesson provides the right mix of systems and supports based on latest neurological research and results. S2C lessons use engaging cognitive age-appropriate lessons, delivered by highly trained S2C practitioners, and utilize a motor-cognitive see-saw approach to develop the skills required for successful communication.

  • Elizabeth Vosseller says “every nonspeaking person deserves a champion. In S2C our policy is that we never turn any nonspeaker away. Communication is a fundamental human need and right. Nonspeakers have nothing to prove to “earn” our belief and commitment.

  • Nonspeakers have a condition called apraxia* (also known as dyspraxia). This makes it very hard for them to perform purposeful motor movements and learn new motor skills. The motor involved in speech is a highly complex process of fine motor skills. Pointing to a letterboard as used in S2C is a less complex process for nonspeakers to learn because it is a gross motor skill (rather than fine motor). In S2C we teach the gross motor movements involved in pointing to stencil boards. We start with 3 stencil boards breaking down the alphabet across the boards. This allows a student to develop the ocular motor and gross motor skills with a lighter cognitive load. As motor skills improve through practice, spellers progress to a full letterboard, and then some develops the skills to type with a communication regulation partner, and some may progress to independent typing.

  • This depends on many factors including the level of apraxia*, the skill of the Communication Regulation Partner (S2C Practitioner) and others supporting the person to spell, engagement with the lessons, how much practice is undertaken, the environment, health of the speller, and other factors.

  • We encourage you to do a lot of research. You can start with the International Association for Spelling as Communication website (I-ASC).

GET IN TOUCH

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