10-Minute Speech Practice That Doesn't Require Sitting Still

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is a communication board, and how does it help a nonverbal child?

A communication board is a grid of pictures, photographs, or symbols that a child touches or points to instead of using spoken words. It sits in the category speech-language pathologists call augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association defines AAC as 'all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas,' and low-tech boards are one of the oldest and most studied forms ^[1].

Boards don't replace speech. The research is clear on this. There is no evidence that giving a child a communication board slows verbal development, and several studies suggest the opposite. A 2006 systematic review in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology found that AAC 'did not impede and in many cases facilitated natural speech production' across the studies examined ^[2]. That worry, that handing a child a picture board will make them stop trying to talk, is one of the most persistent myths in pediatric speech therapy. The data doesn't back it.

For a child who is nonverbal or minimally verbal, a board does something urgent. It gives them a way to communicate right now, before any oral speech arrives. Frustration from not being understood is one of the most common triggers for meltdowns in young children with autism and other communication disorders. A board cuts that frustration on day one.

Who should use a communication board?

Any child who cannot reliably use spoken words to get their needs met is a candidate. That includes children who are completely nonverbal, children who have some words but lose them under stress, and children who use echolalia (repeating phrases they've heard) instead of spontaneous communication. You can read more about why children echo language in our article on echolalia.

Age is not a barrier. Boards have been used successfully with toddlers as young as 18 months and with older children and adults who have complex communication needs. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who are not meeting communication milestones, including no words by 12 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, or any loss of previously acquired language, be referred for early intervention services without delay ^[3].

You don't need a formal diagnosis to start. If your child is struggling to communicate, building a simple board is something you can do this week while you pursue evaluation. A speech-language pathologist can refine it once they've assessed your child's needs. Waiting for a diagnosis before trying a board means weeks or months of unnecessary frustration.

Children with autism spectrum disorder, childhood apraxia of speech, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and global developmental delays are among the most common users. But a communication board can help any child who needs a bridge.

What symbols and images should you put on the board?

Start with what matters to your child, not what seems logical to an adult. High-motivation vocabulary gets used immediately: preferred foods, favorite toys, key people, and basic feelings. A symbol for 'more' is almost always worth including because it generalizes to dozens of situations.

The most widely used symbol libraries in clinical practice are Boardmaker's Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and Widgit Symbols. Both are proprietary but have free samples and lite versions. The Mulberry Symbol Set is a free, open-licensed alternative used internationally ^[4]. For young children, real photographs of their own toys, foods, and family members often work better than abstract line-art symbols because the referent is immediately obvious.

How many symbols should you start with? Most SLPs recommend 6 to 12 for a first board. That range is small enough that the child isn't overwhelmed and large enough to cover the basics: eat, drink, more, stop, help, go, yes, no, a few favorites. You can expand quickly once the child understands pointing is communication.

One category parents often miss: feelings. Even a board with just 'happy,' 'sad,' 'scared,' and 'angry' gives a child a way to name internal states, which reduces meltdowns and builds self-awareness over time. The CDC's Learn the Signs, Act Early materials include basic emotion vocabulary as a communication target from 24 months onward ^[5].

Avoid putting too many symbols on one page early on. Crowding increases scanning time and reduces accuracy, especially for children with motor or visual processing differences.

How do you lay out and organize a communication board?

Layout matters more than most parents expect. AAC specialists recommend a grid format because it's predictable: your child learns where to look for each category, motor memory builds over time, and pointing gets faster.

Place the highest-frequency symbols in the top-left area. Most people, and most children even without reading experience, scan from left to right and top to bottom. 'More,' 'help,' and 'stop' belong in accessible positions, not buried in a corner.

Color coding by category is a practice called Fitzgerald Key, named after the educator who developed it in the early 20th century and still widely used in AAC. Common color assignments: people (yellow), verbs and actions (green), nouns and things (orange), descriptors (blue), social words (pink), and 'little words' like prepositions (white). Not every SLP uses Fitzgerald Key consistently, and the evidence base for specific color choices is modest. The broader point, that visual grouping by category helps navigation, is well supported ^[6].

Page size depends on your child's motor control. If pointing is difficult, larger cells (at least 5 cm x 5 cm) give more target area. If the child can point accurately to small targets, a denser grid allows more vocabulary per page. A speech-generating device evaluation (formal AAC assessment) will measure this, but you can do rough testing at home. Print a simple 4-square grid and see if your child can reliably touch individual squares on command.

Laminate every board you make. A laminated sheet survives puddles, dropped lunches, and outdoor use. A basic laminator costs $25 to $40 at any office supply store, and pouches cost pennies each. Velcro on the back of individual symbol cards lets you rearrange as vocabulary grows.

What materials do you need to build a communication board at home?

You don't need to spend much. Here's an honest breakdown of what works at different budget levels.

For a truly minimal first board: print 12 symbols on a single sheet of cardstock, cover with clear packing tape, done. You can have something functional in under an hour with zero special supplies.

If you want a system that grows with your child, buy velcro dots and laminate individual symbol cards. This way you can swap vocabulary in and out without reprinting the whole board. A small three-ring binder with sheet protectors works as a portable communication book that holds multiple pages by category.

Some families go straight to apps. Several AAC apps for iPad (Proloquo2Go, TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life) function as dynamic communication boards with unlimited vocabulary. These cost $200 to $300 as a one-time purchase or have subscription tiers. Insurance sometimes covers them when prescribed by an SLP. If you want to compare the full range, our overview of AAC devices covers both low-tech and high-tech systems side by side.

How do you teach a child to use a communication board?

Having the board is step one. Teaching the child that pointing to a symbol causes something to happen is the actual work, and it takes repetition.

The technique with the strongest evidence base is aided language stimulation (sometimes called modeling or ALgS). You, the communication partner, use the board yourself throughout the day. You point to 'eat' when it's time for lunch. You point to 'more' when your child reaches for a second cracker. You point to 'stop' when you stop tickling. You're not drilling your child; you're showing them that the board is how communication works. Research suggests modeling by communication partners is associated with increased AAC use and more diverse vocabulary in children ^[7].

Don't wait for your child to initiate. In the early days, engineer situations where they need to communicate. Hold a desired item up and wait. Pause a preferred video midway through. Offer a tiny amount of a favorite food and watch for any attempt to request more. When they reach, look at you, or vocalize, physically help them touch the relevant symbol on the board, then immediately deliver the item. Behavior analysts call this a mand training procedure; SLPs call it creating communication opportunities. The label doesn't matter. The principle does: communication works, and your child needs to feel that.

Physical prompting (hand-over-hand guidance to the symbol) is fine to start. Fade the prompt as soon as possible. The goal is independent pointing, not prompted pointing.

Keep the board accessible at all times. A board in a drawer is useless. AAC specialists talk about 'aided language input' as something that has to happen across every environment: home, car, playground, grandma's house. The board needs to be there whenever communication might happen, which is always.

Expect a learning curve measured in weeks to months, not days. Some children pick it up fast. Others take longer. Nobody has clean population-level data on exactly how long it takes, because it depends on cognitive level, motor skills, vision, and how consistently adults model. The closest guidance from clinical practice is that consistent daily modeling for 4 to 6 weeks usually produces some independent symbol use, but that's a rough average, not a guarantee.

How is a communication board different from a PECS system or an AAC app?

These terms get mixed up constantly, so here's a clear breakdown.

A communication board is a static display: all the symbols are visible at once, and the child points to them in place. The board doesn't move; symbols stay on it.

PECS, the Picture Exchange Communication System, is a specific protocol developed by Bondy and Frost in the early 1990s. In PECS, the child picks up a physical picture card and hands it to a communication partner. The exchange is the key feature. PECS has a six-phase training protocol that starts with physically exchanging a single card for a desired item and progresses to building simple sentences. It has a solid evidence base for early-stage communicators, particularly children with autism ^[8]. A communication board can coexist with PECS, or you can choose one approach over the other depending on your child's profile.

AAC apps and speech-generating devices are dynamic. They have multiple pages you navigate, synthesized voice output when you touch a symbol, and the ability to store thousands of vocabulary items. They're more powerful and more expensive. They also require device management, charging, and some technical literacy from the communication partner. For many children, starting with a low-tech board and moving to an app later makes sense. For others, especially those with good pointing accuracy and strong receptive language, jumping straight to an app is reasonable.

The framing that a paper board is a 'starter' you outgrow is misleading. Low-tech boards stay the primary system for many people throughout their lives because they're durable, don't need charging, work in water, and cost almost nothing to replace. An SLP with AAC training can help you think about which system or combination fits your child. See our guide to speech therapy and speech therapists for help finding someone qualified.

Should the board have words, pictures, or both?

Both, if your child is at a reading level or close to one. Pairing written words with symbols is standard AAC practice for any child who might develop literacy, because it exposes them to print in context and makes the board more useful to communication partners who aren't trained in the specific symbol set.

For children who are pre-literate and not yet showing interest in letters, pictures alone are fine. The symbol doesn't need a word underneath it to be functional. The goal is accurate, consistent symbol use, not reading.

For children with childhood apraxia of speech, who often have strong receptive language and emerging literacy despite speech motor difficulties, written words alongside symbols can be especially motivating because they recognize the gap between what they understand and what they can say.

Choose symbols your child can actually discriminate visually. Some children respond much better to real photographs than to line-art icons; others find photos visually noisy and prefer the clean outline of a PCS symbol. The answer is usually 'try both and see what your child looks at and points to more accurately.' That's not a cop-out. It's genuinely how clinical decisions get made in AAC assessment.

How do you make the board work at school and with other caregivers?

Consistency across environments is the single biggest predictor of whether AAC use generalizes. A child who uses a board at home but has no access at school makes slower progress, period.

If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), AAC tools including communication boards must be considered as part of the assistive technology assessment. IDEA defines assistive technology as 'any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability' ^[9]. Boards clearly meet that definition. You can request an assistive technology evaluation through your child's IEP team at no cost to the family.

Send duplicate boards to every setting: home, school, grandparents, therapists. Print multiples. The cost of an extra laminated sheet is trivial. The cost of inconsistency is real.

Train everyone who interacts with your child to model on the board. A five-minute orientation is enough to get started: here are the symbols, here's how you point to them when you talk. You don't need to turn grandma into an SLP. You need her to pick up the board and point to 'eat' before lunch.

Document what's working. Keep a simple log of which symbols your child uses independently, which ones need prompting, and what new vocabulary they seem interested in. Bring that log to every therapy appointment. It saves the SLP time and makes your child's progress visible.

What free tools and templates can you use to build a board quickly?

Several legitimate free tools make board-building much faster.

Board Builder on the Boardmaker share site has thousands of free pre-made boards in multiple languages. SymbolStix has a limited free tier. The Mulberry Symbol Set is completely free and licensed for commercial and personal use ^[4].

PracticalAAC.com (run by SLP researchers) has free downloadable core vocabulary boards and how-to guides. CommunicationFIRST.org and the Communication Matrix (by Charity Rowland at OHSU) have free resources for assessing where your child is communicatively and what vocabulary to target ^[10].

For parents who want AI-assisted layout and vocabulary suggestions without building everything from scratch, apps like Little Words (littlewords.ai/start) can generate a personalized starting point based on your child's age, communication goals, and interests. The quiz takes about five minutes and produces a vocabulary list you can print or use digitally.

Google Slides and Canva both work as layout tools if you want to arrange symbols in a grid and print. Neither requires design skill. Search 'AAC board template Canva' and you'll find community-made templates that are free to copy and edit.

Make Print Go (makeprintgo.com) is a browser-based tool built specifically for low-tech AAC boards with integrated symbol search. It's free for basic use.

When should you talk to a speech-language pathologist about the board?

Now. Seriously. A communication board built with SLP guidance will match your child's actual communication level better than one built from a generic template. That said, you don't have to wait for an SLP appointment to start. Build the board this week. Bring it to the appointment and refine it together.

ASHA recommends that any child with suspected communication delays be evaluated by a certified SLP. The earlier an evaluation happens, the earlier appropriate intervention begins, and the evidence for early intervention in communication disorders is strong ^[11]. If your child is under age 3, contact your state's early intervention program (Part C of IDEA) directly. There's no referral needed in most states, and services are free or low-cost based on income ^[9].

If your child is school-age, request an evaluation through the school district in writing. The district is legally required to respond within a set timeframe (typically 60 days, though this varies by state). An early intervention specialist or school SLP can run a formal AAC assessment that includes feature matching, a process where they test which symbol types, grid sizes, and vocabulary sets best fit your child's motor, visual, and cognitive profile.

Children with autism spectrum disorder often do better with SLPs who have specific AAC and autism training. Our article on autism spectrum speech therapy covers what to look for when choosing a provider.

Telemedicine evaluation is now widely available and often covered by insurance after the expansion of telehealth post-2020. Online speech therapy can include AAC support, board review via video, and parent coaching, which is often more practical than weekly in-person visits for busy families.

How do you know if the board is working?

Set concrete, observable targets before you start so you know what 'working' looks like. An example: 'Within four weeks, child independently touches the 'more' symbol at least three times per day without physical prompting.' That's measurable. 'Communication is improving' is not.

Track these things: which symbols the child uses independently versus with prompting, how often they initiate communication versus only responding, whether they're combining symbols (even two symbols in sequence is a big milestone), and whether frustration-related behaviors are dropping.

If, after 6 to 8 weeks of consistent daily modeling, there's no sign of any symbol use or interest in the board, that's a signal. Get an SLP evaluation if you haven't already, or revisit the vocabulary and layout with your SLP if you have. Sometimes the board is calibrated wrong: too many symbols, wrong symbol type, vocabulary that doesn't match the child's real motivations, or a layout that's hard to point to given the child's motor abilities.

Success looks different at different ages and ability levels. For a child who was completely nonverbal, touching one symbol to request one thing is genuine progress. Celebrate it. Then build on it.

Frequently asked questions

What age can you start using a communication board?

There's no minimum age. Boards have been introduced successfully with children as young as 12 to 18 months. For very young children, start with just 2 to 4 high-motivation symbols, use real photographs instead of abstract icons, and focus on modeling rather than expecting independent use. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports early AAC introduction as soon as a communication delay is suspected ^[3].

Will a communication board stop my child from trying to talk?

No. This is the most common concern parents raise, and the evidence does not support it. A 2006 systematic review in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology found that AAC use 'did not impede and in many cases facilitated natural speech production' ^[2]. Giving your child a way to communicate reduces frustration, which often makes it easier, not harder, for speech to emerge.

How many symbols should be on a first communication board?

Start with 6 to 12 symbols. That range covers basic needs and a few favorites without overwhelming the child. Common first symbols: more, stop, help, eat, drink, yes, no, and 2 to 3 preferred items or people. Expand the board as the child uses existing symbols reliably. Most SLPs suggest adding vocabulary incrementally rather than building a large board all at once.

What's the difference between a core vocabulary board and a fringe vocabulary board?

Core vocabulary words are high-frequency, cross-context words: more, help, want, go, stop, like, no. They make up roughly 80% of what most people say. Fringe vocabulary is specific to a person or context: a favorite character's name, a specific food, a location. A good board has both. Start heavy on core vocabulary because those words generalize; fringe vocabulary fills in around them.

Does insurance cover communication boards or AAC devices?

Low-tech paper boards are cheap enough that insurance is rarely needed. High-tech AAC devices (speech-generating devices) are often covered under Medicaid for children, and many private insurance plans cover them when prescribed by a physician or SLP and documented as medically necessary. The process usually requires an AAC evaluation report, a physician prescription, and a letter of medical necessity. Coverage and process vary significantly by state and insurer.

Can a child use a communication board and sign language at the same time?

Yes, and many children do. Using multiple modalities at once is called total communication, and it's a common approach for children with complex communication needs. Signs, board pointing, vocalizations, and gestures can all work together. The rule of thumb: never take away a communication tool that's working; add new ones alongside it. An SLP can help coordinate multiple modalities without creating confusion.

Where can I find free communication board symbols and templates?

The Mulberry Symbol Set is a free, open-licensed library available for download ^[4]. PracticalAAC.com has free printable core vocabulary boards. Make Print Go (makeprintgo.com) is a free browser tool for building boards with integrated symbol search. Google Slides or Canva work for layout. For quick personal photographs, your phone camera plus a printer is enough to build a functional first board at zero cost.

What is aided language stimulation and why does it matter?

Aided language stimulation (ALgS) is when communication partners model the board by pointing to symbols as they speak naturally throughout the day. Instead of asking your child to use the board, you use it yourself constantly. Research links consistent ALgS by caregivers to increased spontaneous AAC use and broader vocabulary in children ^[7]. It's the single most effective teaching strategy for communication boards, and it costs nothing.

How is a communication board included in an IEP?

Under IDEA, AAC tools including low-tech boards must be considered as part of the assistive technology evaluation for children with disabilities who receive special education services ^[9]. You can request an assistive technology assessment through your child's IEP team in writing. If a board (or a fuller AAC system) is recommended, it should be listed in the IEP with specific goals, and the school must provide it at no cost to the family.

My child ignores the communication board. What should I do?

First, audit the vocabulary: are those symbols for things your child actually wants? If the board has vegetables and the child hates vegetables, there's no motivation to use it. Second, check the format: try real photos instead of icons, or vice versa. Third, increase your own modeling dramatically. Most children go through an observer phase before they initiate. Consistent adult modeling for 4 to 6 weeks often precedes the first spontaneous use. If nothing shifts after that, consult an SLP.

Can a child with apraxia of speech use a communication board?

Yes, and many do. Childhood apraxia of speech is a motor speech disorder where the brain has difficulty planning the movements needed for speech. Children with apraxia often have strong receptive language and good understanding despite limited verbal output, which makes AAC tools like boards a natural bridge. Communication boards reduce the motor demand while keeping communication active. Read more in our overview of childhood apraxia of speech.

How do you transition from a paper board to an AAC app or device?

The vocabulary and layout principles transfer directly. If you've been using a color-coded core vocabulary board, look for an AAC app that uses similar color coding and grid layout so the transition feels familiar. Work with an SLP for feature matching, a formal process of comparing your child's motor, visual, and language profile to available device options. Many AAC apps offer free trials. The transition often takes several weeks of parallel use before the child prefers the new system.

Sources

1. ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association), AAC overview page: ASHA defines AAC as 'all forms of communication (other than oral speech) that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas,' including low-tech communication boards.
2. Millar, D.C., Light, J.C., & Schlosser, R.W. (2006). The impact of augmentative and alternative communication intervention on the speech production of individuals with developmental disabilities. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 15(3), 228-237.: Systematic review finding that AAC 'did not impede and in many cases facilitated natural speech production' in individuals with developmental disabilities.
3. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Developmental Surveillance and Screening Policy: AAP recommends referral for evaluation when children do not meet communication milestones, including no words by 12 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, or any loss of language.
4. Mulberry Symbols, open-licensed AAC symbol set: The Mulberry Symbol Set is a free, open-licensed symbol library available for personal and commercial use in AAC boards.
5. CDC, Learn the Signs, Act Early developmental milestones: CDC Learn the Signs, Act Early includes basic emotion vocabulary as a communication target from 24 months onward.
6. Beukelman, D.R., & Mirenda, P. (2013). Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Supporting Children and Adults with Complex Communication Needs (4th ed.). Paul H. Brookes Publishing.: Fitzgerald Key color coding by category (people, verbs, nouns, descriptors) is a widely used AAC organizational strategy described in the primary AAC textbook.
7. Sennott, S.C., Light, J.C., & McNaughton, D. (2016). AAC modeling intervention research review. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 41(2), 101-115.: Aided language stimulation modeling by communication partners is associated with increased spontaneous AAC use and broader vocabulary in children.
8. Bondy, A., & Frost, L. (1994). The Picture Exchange Communication System. Focus on Autistic Behavior, 9(3), 1-19.: PECS is a specific six-phase protocol where the child exchanges physical picture cards, with an established evidence base particularly for children with autism.
9. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. § 1401, U.S. Department of Education: IDEA defines assistive technology as 'any item, piece of equipment, or product system...that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a child with a disability,' and requires AT be considered in IEP planning at no cost to the family.
10. Rowland, C., Communication Matrix, Oregon Health & Science University: The Communication Matrix, developed at OHSU, is a free tool for assessing where a child is communicatively and informing AAC vocabulary targeting.
11. ASHA, Early Intervention under IDEA Part C: ASHA recommends evaluation by a certified SLP for any child with suspected communication delay; children under age 3 can be referred directly to state early intervention programs under IDEA Part C.