Talking Boards Give CCPS Students a Voice at Recess -
Reported bySoMD ChronicleBy David M. Higgins IIDavid M. Higgins II's page at the publisher (opens in a new tab)
Student groups in this story
Why these groups?
- Disabilities: Mentions “Special education”, “disabilities” in our keywords
- LGBTQ+: Mentions “pronouns” in our summary
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AI-assisted preview
Charles County Public Schools is placing large printed communication panels, known as core word boards, on elementary school playgrounds. According to the school system's Oct. 16 article, a student points to words on the panel to express what they want to say. The panels feature the words that make up roughly 80% of everyday speech. Special education and adaptive technology staff have long relied on comparable tools for students with little or no spoken language, and the district says putting them outdoors extends that support to all children.
The layout resembles an oversized bingo card, with color-coded squares: purple for question words, green for action words, and yellow for pronouns. A district speech-language pathologist and a colleague who helps train staff say recess demands constant communication, including taking turns, asking for help, solving problems and following safety rules. Staff also wear pocket-size versions on their lanyards.
Four schools tested the boards last school year, and a teacher donated them. The speech-language pathologist estimates every elementary school will have one by the end of this school year. The district serves 27,904 students at 38 schools.
Why it matters
The effort shows how a low-cost tool built for students with communication needs is being offered to all children during unstructured play. Families and staff may be interested in how recess communication is supported and how widely the boards will reach.
- Students with disabilities
- Special education services
A short preview written with AI from the publisher's article. It may contain errors; the full story has the details and is the authoritative source. Our editorial standards.
Read the full story at SoMD Chronicle (opens in a new tab)Questions to discuss
- How can schools make sure communication supports at recess work for students with and without disabilities?
- What kind of training or feedback would help staff and families judge whether the playground boards are useful?
- What other low-cost tools might help students take part in unstructured parts of the school day?
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