Celebrating Better Speech and Hearing Month in the Classroom
May is Better Speech and Hearing Month. It's a great opportunity for educators to promote awareness of communication disorders. Here are some ideas for celebrating the month in your classroom:
Read aloud from books with characters who have communication differences
Here's a booklist with novels geared toward middle school students:
- El Deafo by Cece Bell (features a protagonist who uses hearing aids to communicate with others)
- Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (features a nonverbal protagonist who uses a communication device)
- Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (includes characters who are Deaf and communicate with American Sign Language)
- Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
- Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (features an autistic protagonist that uses sign language)
Invite speech language pathologists and audiologists to be guest speakers in your classroom
Invite a speech-language pathologist or audiologist to speak to your students. They can educate the class about the importance of good speech and hearing health, share tips for effective communication, and provide interactive demonstrations. This experience will not only broaden your students' knowledge but also inspire them to take care of their own communication abilities.
Complete a word search puzzle with speech and hearing vocabulary terms
Distribute this fun word search puzzle to celebrate Better Speech and Hearing Month. Measuring 8.5 x 11 inches, this puzzle features a wide range of words related to speech, hearing, and communication, including audiologist, phonetics, decibel, and articulate.
Teach communication tips and strategies
Dedicate some time during Better Speech and Hearing Month to teach your students practical communication tips and strategies. These may include:
- Active listening techniques, such as maintaining eye contact, nodding, and asking relevant questions.
- Encouraging turn-taking and respecting others' opinions during class discussions.
- Providing clear instructions and speaking at an appropriate volume and pace.
- Discussing the importance of nonverbal communication cues, such as body language and facial expressions.
Decorate your classroom with coloring pages
Your students will love decorating the illustration of people communicating in this Better Speech and Hearing Month coloring page. This activity is perfect for bulletin board decorations, cards to give to SLPs, and more!
Incorporate activities that increase sensory awareness and empathy
Help your students develop empathy and understanding for those with hearing impairments or speech difficulties by creating sensory awareness activities. Some ideas include:
- Use earplugs or headphones to simulate hearing loss, and have students engage in conversations or complete tasks to experience the challenges faced by individuals with hearing impairments.
- Provide students with tongue twisters and have them try speaking them while wearing dental mouthguards to simulate speech difficulties.
- Watch videos or read stories about individuals who have overcome speech or hearing challenges and engage in class discussions about their experiences.
Collaborate with parents
Involve parents in your Better Speech and Hearing Month activities by sending home informative newsletters, organizing parent-teacher conferences, or hosting workshops on speech and hearing health. This collaboration will reinforce the importance of communication development both at school and at home.
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