Communications board at Pat Henry Elementary School helps students express themselves

Students at Pat Henry Elementary School have more than 80 new ways to talk to their classmates thanks to a communications board.

The board was requested by Stephanie Shipley, former Pat Henry assistant principal and special education teacher, and funded through a grant from the Lawton Public School Foundation.

“I wrote the grant for the communication board due to the large number of autism students at Pat Henry, many of which have non-verbal or low-verbal communication skills. The board provides a way for them to communicate with each other, teachers and staff, as well as other students about what they would like to do on the playground,” Shipley said.

The board was installed in September, said Arvella Walton, Pat Henry autism teacher.

“The board helps kids tell us what they need and what they want,” she said. “Kids can pull a friend over and tell her, ‘I want to play with you.’”

That conversation is made possible by students touching one of 80 brightly colored icons on the board, which is located on the playground. Each icon has a photo and picture of what actions or feelings students might want to convey. For instance, students can point to a photo of a swing or a slide or to a photo of children running a race if they want a classmate to play with them.

The words are printed underneath the photo, which helps students learn the words.

Not only can students indicate what actions they would like to do, they can convey emotions also. Some of those icons include a mad face for feeling angry, a sad face and a happy face.

If students need a drink of water, they can point to a water bottle or signal a restroom break by pointing to the appropriate icon.

If students need to communicate something not represented by a picture on the board, they can use individual letters to point out a word. Numbers also are on the board if a student needs them.

The board is helpful for students who are non-verbal or who struggle to communicate, Walton said.

“If they can’t find the right word, they can use the board,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of little ones come up and touch it.”

Walton said since the board is visual, it’s an easy transition for her students since she uses pictures in her classroom.

“They are used to having visuals. They can just go right over here,” she said.

While the board will help students communicate with their teachers and peers, Walton thinks the biggest benefit is building confidence in students.

“This gives them a voice. This is a way for them to express themselves,” she said.