Back and forth book for nonverbal students
When a child starts school, a range of emotions can be present in BOTH the parent and the child. When Ashlynn started preschool at three years old, she had only ever been watched by family. This was fortunate for us because since she was essentially nonverbal for her first three years of life, my husband and I knew we wouldn’t know if someone hurt her or abused her.
Conversely, we also wouldn’t know anything about her day if we relied on her to tell us. I wouldn’t know what songs she sang, what friends she made, what activity she enjoyed, what she learned, or even what she ate for snack. Basically, it can be heartbreaking and a little terrifying.
Currently I’m working in a program in the schools for many kids with severe communication needs. Just because they are elementary level, it doesn’t mean the parents still don’t have those range of emotions, worries, and desire to hear about their child’s day.
I came up with this cute back and forth book we’ve been using with some of the kids. We printed the sheets out and laminated them. We then put velcro on and the kids can pick the pictures and put them in the circles for that day.
For example, in the picture below, our little friend said today he liked the jungle gym, played on the slide at recess, and went to PE.
You can also get pictures or have names of the child’s classmates that can be put on with velcro or written in with dry erase marker on the bottom circle, “I played with ____.”
