Creating a Communication Board for a Nonverbal Child in Class

A communication board can give a child a reliable way to express wants, needs, ideas, feelings and social messages during the school day. For a child who is nonverbal or speaks very little, the board should be treated as a genuine communication system rather than a worksheet or behaviour tool. It needs to be available when the child is calm, busy, excited, tired and unable to access spoken language.

In an Australian classroom, the best board will reflect the child’s actual routines. A Foundation student in Brisbane may need symbols for lunch, the playground, the library and “help with my hat”, while a secondary student in Melbourne may require vocabulary for subjects, timetable changes, public transport and social boundaries. A board designed around real activities is more useful than a generic page filled with disconnected pictures.

Communication supports should also sit within the child’s broader planning. Families, classroom teachers, education support staff, speech pathologists and occupational therapists may all contribute valuable information. Rachel Jones shares practical professional resources through this SLP blog, with a focus on functional communication and usable ideas for everyday settings.

Begin With Communication That Matters

Start by observing what the child is already trying to communicate. Look for eye gaze, gestures, reaching, leading an adult, vocalisations, facial expressions, body movement and changes in behaviour. A child who pushes materials away may be saying “finished”, “I don’t like this”, “too hard” or “I need a break”. The board should give that message a clear, socially understood form.

Speak with the family about communication at home. Ask which words, signs, objects or routines are familiar and whether the child uses an AAC app, picture cards, key word signs or a communication book. In Australia, a child may already have supports funded through the NDIS, but school staff still need to understand how those supports work during class routines. Consistency across home, school and therapy reduces the effort required to learn a new system.

Include vocabulary for more than requesting preferred items. A strong classroom communication board may contain words for refusing, commenting, asking for assistance, greeting, choosing, repairing a misunderstanding and talking about emotions. “My turn”, “I’m not ready”, “I need space” and “I don’t know” can be as important as “biscuit” or “tablet”.

Choose a Format the Child Can Access

The format should match the child’s motor, visual, sensory and cognitive needs. A single-page board may be appropriate for a child who can scan a small set of symbols, while a larger board, flip book or topic folder may suit a child who needs more space. Some students need high-contrast symbols, large print, a stable mount or a sloping surface to make pointing easier.

Use photographs when the child benefits from recognisable people, places and objects. Symbol-based vocabulary may provide greater flexibility as language expands. Written words can be added alongside symbols, even for early communicators, because they support literacy and help adults use consistent language. A board may also include alphabet access, numbers and a clear way to indicate “spell it”.

Think about where the board will be used. A desk board should be within reach during instruction, independent work and group activities. A portable version can travel to the oval, canteen, music room, library and school assembly. For students who move between classrooms, a lanyard card or small key-ring board may provide backup, but it should not replace a fuller system for complex communication.

The child should be able to communicate without waiting for an adult to find the board. Keep it visible, protected from spills and attached to commonly used equipment when appropriate. If the student uses a speech-generating device, the paper board can provide a low-tech backup for charging problems, excursions and noisy outdoor settings.

Organise Vocabulary Around the School Day

Organise the page so that important words are easy to find. A useful layout often places core words in a consistent location and adds activity-specific vocabulary around them. Core words such as “want”, “more”, “go”, “stop”, “help”, “look”, “different”, “same” and “finished” can be used across many lessons.

Activity words should reflect the child’s timetable and interests. For a primary classroom, this might include paint, glue, scissors, book, blocks, iPad, toilet, drink, lunch, playground and home. Add people and places that matter, such as teacher, aide, friend, office, sick bay, library, oval and bus. In many Australian schools, “canteen” may be more familiar than “cafeteria”, and “recess” or “lunch” should match the language used by the school community.

A board can also support participation in Australian classroom customs. Include messages for joining a yarning circle, taking turns in a group, choosing a library book, asking to play a footy game or telling an adult about an unsafe situation. Cultural and family preferences should guide the vocabulary, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and multilingual families.

Communication purpose	Possible board vocabulary	Classroom example
Requesting	want, more, different, drink, toilet, break	Choosing a material or asking for a pause
Refusing and repairing	no, stop, finished, not that, help, try again	Rejecting an activity without pushing it away
Social interaction	hi, bye, look, my turn, your turn, funny	Joining peers during play or group work
Learning	I know, I don’t know, show me, read, write, spell	Participating in literacy or maths
Safety and wellbeing	hurt, sick, worried, unsafe, space, adult	Reporting discomfort or seeking protection

Use a clear visual hierarchy. High-frequency words can be larger or placed in predictable positions, while topic words can change with the lesson. Avoid covering the entire board with too many tiny pictures. A student who can technically see 60 symbols may still be unable to use them efficiently when the classroom is noisy or fast-paced.

Teach the Board Through Real Interaction

Adults need to model the board while speaking. Point to “help” as you say, “You need help with the lid,” or point to “finished” when an activity ends. This approach, often called aided language stimulation or modelling, shows the child how the system works without demanding an immediate response.

Model a few words repeatedly across ordinary routines rather than presenting every symbol in a formal drill. During a Brisbane summer day, staff might model “hot”, “drink”, “hat” and “outside” before going to the oval. In a Melbourne classroom, “rain”, “wet”, “coat” and “inside” may become useful during a sudden weather change. Follow the child’s interests and accept all valid forms of communication, including pointing, eye gaze and vocal sounds.

Allow generous processing time. Ask once, pause and wait before repeating or guessing. When the child selects an unexpected symbol, respond with curiosity and check the meaning rather than assuming the choice is wrong. If a student points to “go” during handwriting, the message might mean they want to leave, want the teacher to move closer, or want to start the next step.

Teach peers how to interact respectfully. Classmates can learn to wait, watch the board, offer genuine choices and respond to messages. They should not grab the board, speak for the child or treat it as a toy. A short lesson about communication differences can support inclusion without making the student perform in front of the class.

Build Staff Confidence With Simple Routines

A communication board is more likely to succeed when every adult uses it in a similar way. Create a one-page guide explaining where the board is kept, how to model it, which words are currently important and how the child indicates yes or no. Include instructions for relief teachers and specialist staff, since casual teachers may otherwise rely on guessing or repeated verbal questions.

Useful professional reflection can strengthen implementation. When supervising a student clinician or new staff member, discuss access, modelling, wait time, vocabulary selection and the child’s right to refuse. The guidance in supervising an SLP intern can help speech-language pathologists structure reflective support while keeping classroom practice practical.

Review the board after observing real use. Record which messages the child attempted, which symbols were difficult to locate and which classroom situations created communication breakdowns. Avoid changing the layout every few days; familiarity matters. Make small, purposeful updates and explain them to everyone who supports the student.

Quick Checks for Daily Use

• Is the board available before the child needs it?
• Can the child reach, see or indicate symbols independently?
• Are “help”, “stop”, “finished” and “break” easy to locate?
• Do adults wait long enough for a response?

Signs It Is Ready to Expand

• The child uses existing symbols in more than one activity.
• Staff can model core words without prompting from the SLP.
• The child communicates comments, refusals or social messages.
• New vocabulary reflects current interests and classroom routines.

For families exploring additional communication, developmental or disability supports, Princess Rising may also be a useful organisation to investigate alongside local clinical advice. Any resource should be considered in relation to the child’s individual needs, communication preferences and existing support plan.

Keep Communication Inclusive and Functional

The goal is participation, autonomy and connection. A board should help a child answer attendance questions, join a science experiment, choose a partner, report pain, make a joke and say no. It should never be limited to compliance, requesting snacks or answering adults’ questions.

Make space for changing communication needs. A child may need different vocabulary during swimming lessons, school camps, excursions or assemblies. During an excursion to a museum in Sydney or a community outing in regional New South Wales, add words for transport, crowds, waiting, toilets, food and returning to school. A small portable board can preserve access when the usual classroom materials are unavailable.

Measure progress by looking at meaningful outcomes: more spontaneous messages, fewer communication breakdowns, greater participation with peers and increased ability to express discomfort or preferences. Speech may develop over time, but the child should not have to wait for speech before being given a dependable voice.

Create the first version with the people who know the child best, trial it during predictable routines and revise it from observation. A carefully chosen board can become a bridge into learning, friendships and self-advocacy across the whole school day. Begin with the words the child needs now, print or assemble them in an accessible format, and make consistent modelling part of everyday classroom practice.