Suncoast Spelling Center
Opening March 2026 in Sarasota on Florida’s magnificent Suncoast. At Suncoast Spelling Center, we believe every individual deserves to be heard, and we’re here to support that journey.
What We Do
At Suncoast Spelling Center, we are dedicated to empowering nonspeaking individuals through spelling on letterboards. Many of our clients have spent years or even decades without access to dependable communication due to motor challenges such as whole-body apraxia. We provide the guidance, structured motor coaching, and compassionate support they need to communicate and confidently participate in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Spelling As Communication?
Spelling as communication is a form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) that uses a letterboard or keyboard to support individuals who cannot reliably communicate through speech.
This approach is often used with individuals who have apraxia, a motor planning difference that affects the ability to consistently and intentionally produce speech or movement. With guidance from a trained practitioner, students are coached to develop the intentional motor skills needed to accurately select letters.
As accuracy and a consistent motor rhythm are established, students progress from selecting letters to spelling words, answering questions, and eventually sharing more open, independent thoughts and ideas.
Through the careful use of prompts and systematic prompt fading, students work through increasingly complex motor skills with the goal of independent typing on a keyboard and access to voice output technology.
At Suncoast Spelling Center, we follow the Spellers Method, which places strong emphasis on understanding and adapting to each individual’s unique motor profile. This includes thoughtful consideration of:
- Ocular motor strengths and challenges
- Intentional gross motor skills
- Sensory and regulation needs
Our goal is to create a respectful, supportive pathway to communication that honors each individual’s capabilities and potential.
Who Can Benefit From Spelling?
Individuals who may benefit from spelling as communication include those who:
- Have limited or unreliable speech
- Use few spoken words or scripts
- Have difficulty accessing traditional AAC methods
- Are presumed to understand more than they can currently express
- Demonstrate intentional communication through movement, gestures, or behavior
Spelling as communication provides a pathway to authentic self-expression by supporting motor planning, accuracy, and independence over time. With appropriate instruction and gradual prompt fading, many individuals work toward independent typing and access to voice output technology.
What Age Range Works Best For Spelling?
There is no single “right” age to begin using a letterboard. Many children are ready to start exploring this form of communication as early as 4 or 5 years old, depending on their individual motor, sensory, and attentional profiles.
Readiness is less about age and more about the child’s ability to engage, attend, and participate with support. Every child is different, and we encourage families to reach out so we can talk through your child’s unique strengths and needs together.
It’s also important to know that it is never too late to begin spelling as a form of communication. Individuals of all ages can benefit from being given access to meaningful communication.
"We are going to change the world through spelling."
Gabe Alto, Spelling Advocate
Our 'Why'
Contact Us
Better yet, see us in person!
Hours
Today | By Appointment |
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