Blackmore Elementary’s fourth graders are diving into an inspiring story this fall with their current read-aloud, Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. The book tells the story of Melody, a young girl with cerebral palsy who cannot walk or talk but is exceptionally bright. With the help of a special communication device called a MediTalker, Melody shows the world just how much she knows.
“The book is about not giving up and proving people wrong,” explained Fourth Grade Teacher Paige Onek.
To connect the story to real life, Blackmore’s speech-language pathologists (SLPs) visited the fourth-grade classrooms to demonstrate communication devices and share how they support individuals who cannot use their voices in traditional ways. A classmate who uses a communication device even demonstrated firsthand how the technology works.
Students then had the opportunity to try it out themselves. Working in small groups, they used an iPad set up as a communication device to share information with their peers. Each student got to choose and express their favorite animal and also create a complete sentence to announce their favorite color.
Communication devices often feature pre-programmed buttons with common words or phrases, along with a keyboard for typing out unique messages. The devices can be personalized with a custom voice, giving each user their own identity. SLPs reminded students that it can take a lot of time and practice to learn where everything is located on the device, and that it’s important to be patient and give people plenty of wait time to respond.
“Having access to a communication device is important,” the SLPs emphasized. “It’s just like everyone else having their own voice wherever they go.”
To further explore alternative communication, students also created their own communication boards—low-tech versions of the iPad system. These boards use pictures that can be pointed to for asking and answering questions. Students were given pre-designed symbols but also got to make four custom buttons of their own. After lunch, they planned to practice conversations with their handmade boards.
This engaging activity not only connected directly to their classroom novel but also helped students build empathy, patience, and an understanding of how different communication tools give everyone the ability to share their voice.