Supporting students with social, behavioral, and communication challenges in special education requires strategic, scalable solutions that empower both educators and administrators. 

At Washington County School District, Special Education Teacher Markay Thorkelson knows firsthand how important these support resources are for students with severe disabilities and communication barriers. Tasked with helping these students, Markay turned to Everyday Speech to bring structure, innovation, and progress to his classroom.

The Challenge: Supporting Special Education Students

For Markay, the challenges were clear:

• Students faced significant communication disabilities, making social engagement difficult.
• High school SEL resources were scarce, often leaving educators with few age-appropriate options.
• Limited time for planning and resource development added to the workload.

“A lot of the students that we work with have communication disabilities. So, I know that being able to structure, to role-play, to see a video has helped to allow them to see how communication would work,” Markay explained.

These barriers often left interventionists like Markay piecing together lessons from disparate resources, which is  time-consuming and inefficient.

The Solution: Everyday Speech 

Markay discovered that Everyday Speech was an invaluable resource for teaching communication and social-emotional skills. The platform’s tiered, research-based materials gave him access to engaging tools that resonated with his students. Here are some highlights of how Everyday Speech made a difference:

1. Intentional Tools for Student Engagement: Everyday Speech’s high school-specific videos and interactive lessons filled a critical gap in tiered resources for all students.
   
   Markay noted, “The interactivity of the lessons is so great. Yesterday, we did the comic strip that went with Tuning In, and it was nice because high school kids can relate to a comic strip. We can sit and talk about it…How do you think they are feeling at this point?”

    

2. Structured Practices for Self-Regulation: Incorporating Everyday Speech’s breathing techniques became a daily practice in Markay’s classroom. “By doing that every day, as they start to have behavior or feel anxious in other settings, we can say, ‘Do you want to try the box breathing method or color breathing technique?’”

    

3. Efficiency Gains with Time-Saving Materials: The platform’s comprehensive curriculum saved Markay significant time, allowing him to focus on student progress. “It saved me a lot of time because it applies to high school students. There isn’t a lot out there that helps with those social skills lessons…It’s been huge.”

The Results: Improved Outcomes at Washington County

By implementing Everyday Speech, Washington County saw measurable improvements across their special education programs:

• Enhanced Engagement: Students became more willing to participate in lessons, even discussing emotions and behaviors during activities.
• Improved Self-Regulation: Daily breathing exercises helped students transition smoothly between activities and manage stress effectively.
• Faster Progress: The structured, tiered curriculum enabled students to grasp and generalize skills more quickly.

Markay also highlighted the impact on his teaching workflow. “It’s been a huge time saver, and the fact that it’s a really good curriculum means that I don’t have to spend time outside of my day trying to gather different areas to create a lesson.”

Key Takeaways

Washington County’s outcomes highlight three key insights for districts seeking to improve special education programs:

1. Use Tiered Resources: Age-appropriate materials like those from Everyday Speech ensure relevance and engagement, particularly for high school students.
2. Incorporate Daily Practices: Simple techniques, like breathing exercises, can have a profound impact on students’ emotional regulation and readiness to learn.
3. Save Time with Comprehensive Tools: A well-structured curriculum not only enhances student outcomes but also frees educators to focus on teaching.

Empower Your District with Everyday Speech

Everyday Speech’s curriculum is designed to address the unique challenges faced in special education. Everyday Speech equips your district with scalable, ready-to-use resources that teach essential social skills, streamline intervention workflows, and drive measurable outcomes.

Want to learn more? Schedule a demo, or sign up for a free 8-week pilot.