One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is, “If a student isn’t talking, they’re not communicating.”
But in my classroom, communication is happening all day long. It just doesn’t always sound like most people expect to hear. Students communicate through:
- AAC devices
- Communication cards
- gestures
- pointing
- eye gaze
- behavior
And when we recognize these as valid forms of communication, our perceptions change. Because communication isn’t just about speech. It’s about listening with both our ears and our eyes, as well as with our heart.
Assume Communication Is Already Happening
Before we teach communication, we need to recognize it. A student reaching for, or pushing something away, moving toward something they want, or looking in that direction is communicating. When we respond to those attempts, we reinforce that communication has power. And that’s where growth begins.
Provide Access to AAC and Visual Supports
Some students need tools to communicate.
AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) gives students a way to express:
- wants
- needs
- thoughts
- feelings
- and what they know and/or what skills they have
Visual supports like communication boards and other visuals make that access immediate and consistent.
I use communication tools like these throughout my classroom to support students in expressing themselves.
Model Communication (Constantly)
Students learn communication by seeing and hearing it.
That means:
- pointing to symbols or signing while you speak
- modeling AAC use
- showing how to make choices
- pulling that visual off the velcro strip..
Even if students aren’t using it yet, they’re watching. And it adds up.
Create Opportunities to Communicate
Communication doesn’t grow in passive environments.
We build it by:
- offering choices
- pausing and waiting
- creating moments where students need to communicate
- encouraging engagement between students
- Talking to the students. Narrate what you’re doing, or what your thinking or feeling. Students do not learn to communicate if there is no one communicating with them.
- Also, one of my favorite everyday reminders from my early childhood education days – “Repeat and extend”. When a student comes up and says, “scissors”. I reply back to him, “You would like a pair of scissors?” This seems like a small thing, but it goes a long way in developing language.
I’ve noticed that we sometimes only communicate with students to direct them, redirect them, stop them, or even to test them “what’s this?”. But we give our students way more opportunities to engage, respond, and learn from us when we talk to them like we would to a general ed student. Because they are students. They are here to learn and grow just like their peers.
Honor Every Attempt
Not every attempt to communicate will be clear. Not every attempt will be “correct.” But every attempt deserves a response. Because when students feel understood, they are more likely to keep trying. And that’s how communication grows.
Final Thoughts
Communication is not just a prerequisite for learning. It is a right. And when we give students access to communication, whatever form that takes, we give them access to connection, independence, and dignity. That’s the goal.
If you’re looking for simple, accessible communication supports to use in your classroom, I’ve created tools based on what I use every day. You can explore them here.
