Sweet "K" is one of my many students that have autism. She is a beautiful, sensitive, curious 3-year old girl. Like many children with autism, K can't talk. She can imitate words and sounds, but she cannot initiate any speech on her own. Imagine helping K to learn how to communicate!
My students demonstrate many communication difficulties.
From simple sound errors, to being entirely nonverbal, these challenges greatly affect the child's life. I currently work with approximately 80 students with communication deficits. They are kind, compassionate and hard-working children who simply want to be able to say what they are thinking.
My Project
Imitation is one of the greatest learning tools. However, I cannot be with all students at all times to provide them with the words/phrases that they need. These buttons will allow me to prerecord important messages/words that the students are motivated to communicate to others. The student can simply press the button, hear the message spoken and attempt to imitate! Even if the student is unable to imitate the words, the repeated exposure to functional phrases helps to shape the brain so that the words become more meaningful to the child. There is such great potential for my students with the use of these buttons!
My students will begin to learn that they can communicate by themselves!
This will be a huge victory for the children. They will begin to learn that if they want a puzzle, they can push the "puzzle" button. It will then speak "I want a puzzle please." The child has suddenly become a communicator! The consistent use of these buttons will help to shape the students' ability to use their words with others to gain what they need, or to ask for help.
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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 Mrs. Coseo and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.