Students throughout Valley Stream District 30 at Clear Stream Avenue, Forest Road and Shaw Avenue elementary schools have been practicing effective communication and emotional understanding during Speech Week from May 15-19.

Organized by speech teachers and therapists, the week featured many events and activities that reminded students the importance of expressive communication and to be receptive of their peers’ ideas and needs. Speech therapists and students visited classrooms throughout each building during Speech Week to share important lessons about various aspects of speech, reinforcing how essential communication is in achieving future success. Grades were faced with different challenges, such as expressing emotions that pre-kindergarteners through second graders have felt and practicing conversation starters for grades three through six.

On May 18, select Global Leaders of Tomorrow and speech therapists shared lessons on American Sign Language. At Shaw Avenue, members of the ASL Club visited classrooms to share some basic signs, including how to request a water or bathroom break and how to say, “I love you.” Learning about sign language showed students how some individuals with disabilities communicate, while also giving them a new way to communicate in the classroom.

Date Added: 5/23/2023