Spelling to Communicate

At Spell to Connect, S2C is more than a method: it is our foundation.

Through S2C, we equip spellers and their families with tools that unlock authentic expression, dignity, and belonging.

What is Spelling to Communicate (S2C)?

Speller and Rachael working together during an S2C session

Spelling to Communicate (S2C) is a motor-sensory, neuro-affirming method that teaches individuals with motor planning challenges how to point to letters to spell their thoughts. By shifting focus from speech production to purposeful gross motor skills, S2C provides a reliable way to access language and unlock communication.

As spellers gain accuracy, they progress from letterboards to typing on keyboards.

Through consistent practice, students gain the ability to share their ideas, feelings, and knowledge — giving them independence, dignity, and a true voice.

Why it Matters

Even when words exist, they may not tell the whole story. Some individuals may have some speech, but not in a way that allows them to reliably communicate their full thoughts, feelings, and needs. S2C bridges this gap by offering a dependable, consistent way to access language, ensuring every person — regardless of how much they can speak — has reliable access to their full voice.

Who can benefit from S2C?

S2C is for adults and children, and is designed for a full spectrum of speech abilities:

Minimal speech

A person who may be able to use some speech to produce a number of words or phrases, but do not have enough speech for robust and flexible communication.

Unreliable speech

A person who may have the ability to speak, but is not always able to access their speech intentionally or communicatively.

Little or no speech

A person who may or may not be able to produce a small number of words and struggle to communicate using speech.

The Research

S2C is grounded in peer-reviewed research on motor-sensory learning, communication, and apraxia. Studies support its effectiveness in helping nonspeaking, minimally speaking and unreliably speaking individuals access and express their intelligence.
“An inability to speak has often been equated with an inability to think. Such presumptions of incompetence are based on assumptions that uncritically privilege speech as a preferred mode of communication and expected means through which competence is demonstrated.”

“Professionals have an ethical obligation to seek methods for communicating with people with ASD that will access their intelligence and free their voices.”

“Autistic children learn to read through an inverted, non-communicative, pathway.”

“Hyperlexia, or a hyperlexic-like profile, characterises a substantial portion of the autistic spectrum, in which the subcomponents of the typical reading architecture are altered and dissociated. Autistic children follow a chronologically inverted path when learning to read, and make extended use of the perceptual expertise system, specifically the visual word form recognition systems.”
Over 180 peer-reviewed articles have been written which support the use of S2C and other AAC teaching methodologies used to teach someone how to spell and type independently.

These articles can be found here.

Stories on Screen

Speller Stories

“I wholeheartedly endorse Spell to Connect. She is highly intelligent, extra patient with my son, and neuro-affirming. I found Rachael through a forum introducing S2C to neurodivergent people. We have been attending for 3 months and my son is making remarkable improvement. She is very experienced and has a great understanding for different needs to accommodate strengths and weaknesses, and to adjust the learning content to be age appropriate.”
– Neurodivergent parent
“I first started S2C sessions for my autistic son, which is 9 years old and non-verbal, because I had not had any improvement with the usual speech therapies. It has always been a struggle to get him to his usual speech therapies, and he did not ever want to participate no matter how fun we tried to make his sessions. If it wasn’t for S2C I would not have even been aware of my son’s high reading and spelling abilities. I was amazed at how much attention he paid to the information Rachael was reading, and at his interest and determination to spell out words that had been read when he was asked. I am excited to see what the future of communication holds for my son as we continue S2C. Throughout the time Rachael has worked with our son, and had great results with him, she has been very thoughtful and patient. I would definitely recommend trying this therapy.”

– Parent
“After watching the Spellers Movie over a year ago, I knew I had to give it a go for our son Matt. Thankfully, we found Rachael, and I cannot put into words how grateful we are to have found Spell to Connect and the S2C method. It has profoundly shifted things as Matt learns to communicate with us (not just with pictures, but fully and openly communicates his thoughts), and not only that but through other Spell to Connect programs achieve his full potential in other areas. Matt’s support workers now treat Matt as an equal, and a great friend, and they have the tools to help Matt achieve his goals. I am now on a mission to make sure every nonspeaking family is aware of this service. It is truly revolutionary.”

– Anne (Parent)
“My son is a 12 yr old non-speaker with autism. Several years of attending traditional speech therapy, with anxiety, frustration, body dysregulation and meltdowns and refusing to even enter the building had me searching for alternative options. Spelling to Communicate has unlocked explanations as to why tasks for my son using fine and gross motor skills are so challenging for him. Rachael has patiently worked with him over the past few years to strengthen these skills and his confidence to be presently able to accurately point to spell answers on the letterboards, and he has just begun to answer open ended questions and share his thoughts. I am overjoyed learning how intelligent my son is, and his reading and spelling is surpassing all my expectations. This way of communicating has unlocked his potential to explore his thirst for knowledge, and I can see that is is giving him a voice to show the world who he is, and to reach for his dreams. Trips to the Spell to Connect office are always met with enthusiasm and excited giggles and smiles, and he runs inside eager to start his sessions. I can't thank Rachael enough for giving him this opportunity to be heard.”
- Grateful parent
“I just want other parents to know that no matter how your non-verbal child may seen, they are brilliant and this can work for absolutely any child. Rachael Earwaker is so supportive and has helped children with all different obstacles. I’m just so very pleased to have been guided to her and to work with her. If you know anyone struggle as we did, please show them this and try Spell to Connect.”

– Carmen (Parent)