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My Voice, My Choice

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Angela Scott

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

My Voice, My Choice

Students will learn that there are many ways people communicate and will be able to identify different types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Understanding diverse communication methods fosters empathy, inclusivity, and ensures all students feel seen and heard in the classroom.

Audience

Kindergarten

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual examples, and a hands-on communication activity.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Slide Deck: My Voice, My Choice, Pictures/symbols (from AAC systems or printed out), and Small objects for communication activity (e.g., toy animals, blocks, favorite snacks)

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

  • Review the Slide Deck: My Voice, My Choice and ensure projector/whiteboard is ready.
    - Gather or print visual symbols/pictures representing common classroom requests (e.g., "bathroom," "help," "more," "drink," "break").
    - Gather small, familiar objects for the communication activity.
    - Review the My Voice, My Choice Script to familiarize yourself with the talking points and questions.

Step 1

Introduction: How Do We Talk?

5 minutes

  • Begin with a warm-up discussion: "How do we tell people what we want or need?" (e.g., using our words, pointing, gestures).
    - Introduce the idea that everyone communicates differently.
    - Show Slide 1: My Voice, My Choice and Slide 2: How Do We Talk?.

Step 2

Introducing AAC: More Than Just Words

10 minutes

  • Explain AAC simply: "Sometimes people use different tools to help them talk."
    - Show examples of AAC using Slide 3: Many Ways to Talk and Slide 4: Picture Power!.
    - Demonstrate picture symbols and simple gestures.
    - Discuss why someone might use these tools (e.g., they can't use their voice right now, it helps them think of words).

Step 3

Activity: Show Me What You Want!

10 minutes

  • Organize students into small groups or pairs.
    - Distribute a few picture symbols and objects to each group.
    - Instruct students to use the pictures or gestures to 'ask' for an object without using their voice, or to 'tell' a friend something simple (e.g., "I want the block," "Help me").
    - Circulate and provide support, encouraging creative communication.
    - Use Slide 5: Your Turn To Communicate!.

Step 4

Wrap-Up: Every Voice Matters

5 minutes

  • Bring the class back together.
    - Ask students what they learned about different ways to talk.
    - Emphasize that all ways of communicating are important and valued.
    - Show Slide 6: Every Voice Matters and conclude with a positive message about respecting everyone's voice.
    - Distribute the Cool Down: My Voice, My Choice activity.
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Slide Deck

My Voice, My Choice: All About Communication!

How do you tell someone what you want or need?

Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of how we share our thoughts and feelings. Ask them to think about different ways they communicate every day.

How Do We Talk?

We can use our words.
We can use our hands.
We can use our faces.
What else?

Lead a brief discussion. Encourage students to share their ideas, such as speaking, pointing, or making faces. Validate all responses. Explain that sometimes people need extra help to share their thoughts.

Many Ways to Talk: Our Special Helpers!

Sometimes, people use special tools to help them talk.
These tools help them share their ideas and feelings.
They are called AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication!

Introduce the idea of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) in simple terms. Explain it's like a special helper for talking. Show examples like picture cards or simple communication boards.

Picture Power!

Look at these pictures!
They can help us ask for things or tell stories.
What do these pictures tell you?

Show specific examples of picture symbols. Ask students how these pictures could help someone say something. Emphasize that pictures are a powerful way to communicate.

Your Turn To Communicate!

Let's practice!
Use pictures or your hands to tell a friend something.
Try to ask for a toy or tell them you need help.

Explain the activity. Students will use provided picture cards or gestures to communicate simple requests or ideas without speaking. Circulate and support, encouraging creativity and problem-solving.

Every Voice Matters!

Every single one of us has important things to say.
And every way we communicate is special and important!
Let's always listen and understand each other.

Bring the class back together and discuss what they learned. Reiterate that all voices and communication methods are important and should be respected. Thank them for being good listeners and communicators.

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Script

My Voice, My Choice Script

Introduction: How Do We Talk? (5 minutes)

(Display Slide 1: My Voice, My Choice)

"Good morning, everyone! Today we're going to talk about something super important: how we share our thoughts, feelings, and what we want. It's all about how we communicate!"

(Display Slide 2: How Do We Talk?)

"Look at this slide. How do you tell people what you want or need? You can use your words, right? Like, 'I want the red block!' or 'Can I have some water?'"

"What are some other ways you tell people things without using your voice?"
(Pause for student responses, prompt with examples like pointing, nodding, shaking head, making faces)

"Great ideas! We use our voices, our hands, our faces, and sometimes even our whole bodies to tell people things. Everyone communicates, but not everyone does it the exact same way. And that's okay!"

Introducing AAC: More Than Just Words (10 minutes)

(Display Slide 3: Many Ways to Talk)
"Sometimes, using our voice or hands can be tricky for some people. Maybe their voice isn't working that day, or it's hard to find the right words. When that happens, there are special helpers they can use to talk! These helpers are called AAC, which stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It just means different ways to communicate!"

"Think of it like this: If you want to ride your bike, but it has a flat tire, you might use a scooter instead. Both get you where you want to go! AAC helps people 'get where they want to go' with their words."

(Display Slide 4: Picture Power!)
"One way people use AAC is with pictures! We can use pictures to show what we want or how we feel. Like these!"
*(Hold up or point to example picture symbols: e.g.,

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Warm Up

My Voice, My Choice Warm Up

How Do You Tell?

Think about how you tell people things every day. Circle or draw how you tell your grown-ups what you want!

  1. I tell my grown-up I'm hungry by:





  2. I tell my grown-up I'm happy by:





  3. I tell my grown-up I want to play by:





  4. Sometimes, I use my hands or point to show what I want. Why do I do that?





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Cool Down

My Voice, My Choice Cool Down

My Communication Helper

Today we learned that there are many ways to communicate!

  1. Draw one way someone can communicate without using their voice.











  2. Why is it important to understand that everyone communicates differently?










  3. What is one new thing you learned about talking and sharing ideas?










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