Building Communication Through Practice With Speech and Play
Help me give my students pretend play during Speech Therapy! They need a kitchen set, community helper costumes, and toys to engage in creative role play. We also need oral motor speech therapy tools.
$753 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
I teach children ages 5-13 with a range of abilities who have Autism, Intellectual Disability, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Hearing/Visual Impairments, or are medically fragile. Their speech and language levels are varied. Some of my students communicate verbally but many others are either non-verbal or minimally verbal, and thus require augmentative/alternative communication systems (sign, picture symbols, iPad communication applications). They all require multi-sensory learning techniques and unique therapeutic practices to maximize their learning potential.
My students have high level needs when it comes to their social , language, feeding, and speech skill development.
They are in small self-contained classrooms (12 students or less) in a special needs school located in an urban setting. Our school community serves many children who come from low-income families. Yearly funds to support our students are often limited.
My students mean the world to me and everyone they encounter. I feel lucky to be their speech therapist! They all have their own set of strengths and challenges. Yet they amaze everyone daily with their happiness, intelligence, and resilience!
My Project
Research consistently shows us that young children learn through play. And as the late Mr. Rogers reminds us, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” My early-learner students (Grades K-2) learn best through pretend play and role play, with adapted supports. I am looking to provide this group of students with more toys and speech tools to use within the context of supported pretend play.
My students require more play-based learning opportunities in order to support their social, emotional, language, and speech skill development in meaningful ways.
For them, play is when they are most engaged, where they learn most effectively, and where language concepts and communication skills really stick with them. Traditional book and worksheet therapy sessions do not work well with them for a variety of reasons. Pretend play is also something they do not get to engage in often outside of school.
Speech tools are also needed for many of my students with orofacial muscle weakness in order to support their speech and feeding skills. We use these tools within play as many of the students are averse to the exercises that go along with each tool. Play allows me to work on difficult tasks with those who have weakened muscles and/or poor oral awareness.
Teamson Kids - Little Chef Wooden Toy Play Kitchen with Accessories - Burlywood
• Amazon Business
$75.99
1
$75.99
Born Toys 8 PC Premium Washable Kids Fireman Costume Toy for Kids,Boys,Girls,Toddlers, and Children with Complete Firefighter Accessories
• Amazon Business
$25.49
2
$50.98
Melissa & Doug Personalized Construction Worker Role Play Costume Dress-Up Set (6 Pcs) Costume
• Amazon Business
$24.99
2
$49.98
Melissa & Doug Police Officer Role-Play Costume Set, Pretend Play, Materials, Machine Washable, 17.5" H x 24" W x 0.75" L
• Amazon Business
$22.92
2
$45.84
Brand New World Community Helper Mail Carrier Dramatic Dress Ups
• Amazon Business
$33.74
1
$33.74
Play Tent with Police Car Design Lavieen Happy Time Play House Kids Play Tent with for Indoor & Outdoor Use Instant Set-Up + Easy Storage
• Amazon Business
$30.97
1
$30.97
TalkTools Jaw Grading Bite Blocks (Red) - 2 Pack - Full Instructions Included - Reusable & Durable - Speech Therapy Tools
• Amazon Business
$30.95
1
$30.95
Ankecity Fire Engine Truck Pop-up Play Tent Kids Pretend Playhouse
• Amazon Business
$29.99
1
$29.99
Talktools Sensory Friendly Bite Blocks (Purple) - 2 Pack - Reusable & Durable - Full Instructions Included - Speech Therapy Tools
• Amazon Business
$29.95
1
$29.95
Melissa & Doug Stamp and Sort Wooden Mailbox Activity and Toy, Developmental Toy, Construction, 14 Pieces, 7.5” H x 7.5” W x 13.4” L
• Amazon Business
$27.48
1
$27.48
CHEWY TUBE COMBO 4 PACK
• Amazon Business
$25.95
1
$25.95
Melissa & Doug Doctor Role-Play Costume Set, Pretend Play, Materials, Machine Washable, 17.5″ H × 24″ W × 0.75″ L
• Amazon Business
$25.19
1
$25.19
Melissa & Doug Server Role Play Costume Dress-Up Set with Realistic Accessories
• Amazon Business
$23.27
1
$23.27
Battat - Dalmatian Vet Kit - Interactive Vet Clinic and Cage Pretend Play for Kids (15 pieces)
• Amazon Business
$23.00
1
$23.00
Chicco 4-in-1 Eat & Swing Highchair for Baby Dolls, Pink [Amazon Exclusive]
• Amazon Business
$19.99
1
$19.99
Chengu 6 Pieces Kids Chef Hat Apron Set, Boys Girls Adjustable Cotton Aprons Kitchen Bib Aprons with 2 Pockets for Kitchen Cooking Baking Wear (Large, Color 1)
• Amazon Business
$15.99
1
$15.99
Melissa & Doug Condiments Set Toy
• Amazon Business
$14.99
1
$14.99
ORAL PRODUCT Y CHEW XT
• School Specialty
$8.51
1
$8.51
GRABBER COLOR:PURPLE/PINK
• School Specialty
$8.51
1
$8.51
ORAL PRODUCT GRABBER XT COLOR:LIGHT GREEN
• School Specialty
$8.51
1
$8.51
ORAL PRODUCT BABY GRABBER LT BLUE
• School Specialty
$8.51
1
$8.51
ORAL PRODUCT Y CHEW
• School Specialty
$8.51
1
$8.51
Materials cost
$596.80
Vendor shipping charges
$4.26
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$8.95
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$640.01
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$112.94
Total project goal
$752.95
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$752.95
11 Donors
-$499.13
Donations toward project cost
-$431.76
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$67.37
match offer
-$245.00
Match offer toward project cost
-$208.25
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Marsha and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
