132 | unlocking communication: an introduction to Spell to Communicate with Kaley Stymeist

In this episode, Dr. Tay interviews Kaley Stymeist about "Spell to Communicate" (S2C), a method used to support non-speaking autistic children in expressing themselves. Kaley shares her journey with her son Hudson, who is progressing his communication through S2C after language regression. The discussion covers the methodology of S2C, emphasizing its neurodiversity-affirming approach and the importance of motor planning. Kaley also addresses common misconceptions and the need for structured training. Listeners learn where to find S2C practitioners and how to get started.

00:00 Introduction to Spell to Communicate

00:42 Meet Kaley Stymeist

01:03 Dr. Tay's Background and Podcast Mission

02:20 Kaley's Family and Autism Journey

03:07 Hudson's Birth and Early Challenges

06:49 Discovering Spell to Communicate

15:38 Hudson's Progress and Motor Planning

25:32 Starting with Presuming Competence

25:50 Introduction to Three Letter Boards

26:16 Transition to 26 Letter Boards

26:54 The Importance of Prompting

28:32 Building Motor Control and Accuracy

30:08 Progressing to Open Communication

33:18 The Goal of Spell to Communicate

39:09 Addressing Concerns and Misconceptions

44:50 Finding a Practitioner and Training

47:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

RESOURCES

⚡️ connect with Kaley on Instagram @kaley_and_3 and learn more about her S2C practice @autismsoulspeak

⚡️ find a local S2C practitioner >> https://i-asc.org/

⚡️ want to learn more about Dr. Tay's Whole Family Approach and current services offered? visit drtaylorday.com

⚡️ join the Evolve Facebook community to participate in the episode Q+As >> facebook.com/groups/evolveautism

⚡️ learn from me and submit your questions [could be featured on a future episode] >>

Instagram @the.dr.tay

TikTok @the.dr.tay

LinkedIn @the-dr-tay

*please note: in this episode, many terminologies and phrases are used to describe autism. Dr. Tay honors what each child and family prefers, and intentionally chooses to use affirming and identity-first language after listening to autistic adults and their preferences. various guests on the podcast are likely to use the language that they have been exposed to the most.