Spelling to communicate
Rhythmic Integrations is part of a national group of practitioners that offer Spelling to Communicate (S2C) services across Australia/NZ.
Allowing non speakers to access communication by helping them with the movement and motor planning skills to point to letters and words.
Communication is a basic human right.
For individuals with motor planning difficulties who might be non speaking, minimal speaking or unreliably speaking, communication requires lots of hard work and support. Spelling to Communicate (S2C) has allowed thousands of non speakers to access communication by helping them with the movement and motor planning skills to allow them to point to letters and words.
What does S2C involve?
S2C involves working with someone with motor planning difficulties (aka apraxia/dyspraxia) to build the neural pathways in the brain to successfully point to letters on an alphabet board.
The method is structured to ensure successful movements. In the initial stages, letter targets are large to reduce the chances of error, and prompting support is provided to achieve synchrony between the brain and body (ie. I plan a movement and my body can carry this out). With repeated practice, prompting is reduced and communication moves from concrete (‘spell this word’) to abstract (open conversational language).
S2C sessions are based around educational content that is age appropriate for the individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is S2C right for my nonspeaker?
We won’t know unless we try. If your loved one is non speaking, minimally speaking or unreliably speaking (ie. has some speech but does not have complete control over it or can’t express their full thoughts and engage in conversation), then it may be worth exploring S2C. Many individuals have achieved success through this method. Some individuals also find that it has improved their ability to point to their existing communication method (eg. LAMP or Proloquo 2 Go) and improved their abilities in day to day movements and activities.
Is S2C speech therapy?
S2C is not a replacement for speech therapy but we do work on communication. I explain to the spellers that they can think of me as their ‘motor coach’. I help train their body to better receive the messages from their brain, so that they can gain the motor skills needed to communicate via pointing.
What if my son/daughter can’t read?
Whether they have demonstrated the ability to read or not, in terms of S2C this doesn’t matter. Not being able to speak does not impact the ability to think or understand. We work from a presuming competence approach. We believe that individuals can and want to learn. They simply require the support to do so. Individuals with movement difficulties have been around language (both written and aural) their whole life and often pick up the ability to read without implicit instruction. However, whether someone can already read or not, S2C is structured in a way that supports their learning regardless.
S2C is governed by the International Association for Spelling as Communication (I-ASC).
You can find more information including videos and free resources here:
What our clients are saying...
Success story
“I just don’t know how to put into words, just how life-changing she has been for my son and family.”
My young man is now 24 years old and lives with a very rare genetic disorder. He is non verbal and his only form of communication has been with the use of switches, picture cards and some gestures – that is until we met Rebecca!
Through the use of alternative methods of communication, Rebecca has my son “chatting” about anything and everything that is important to him – he has been asking and answering questions and his understanding about life and his situation is simply remarkable. Needless to say I have been brought to tears (good tears) a number of times since the first session. Each session with Rebecca keeps unlocking other amazing experiences and the positive effects it’s having on our whole family has been without doubt, truly life changing and has helped us immensely in understanding our son’s needs and concerns.
I couldn’t list a single surprise that we have had working with her because there has been so many, but if pressed, it would be the revealing of my boy’s concern more for the happiness and kindness of others, rather than any complaints about his situation, despite the very hard circumstances he has to deal with every day.
My boy has written two songs with Rebecca, the first was titled “Freed” and the second Titled “Wellness” and to sum up in just a few (of his words) what he thinks of Rebecca, “Bec is great”.
– Rob, Jo and Kyle
