In this episode, Betsy and Libby sit down with Natalia Meehan and Maria Welch to map the major spelling pathways supporting non-speakers today. They explore and explain core concept underneath it all: apraxia (the brain–body disconnect). They break down why spelling is a motor-based communication method, why you can’t just “buy a letterboard,” and why communication partners hold and reset the board. The conversation also goes into presuming competence, what non-speakers report about being underestimated, and the emerging language around telepathy (non-local communication), including how Natalia and Maria are building a new curriculum and training called The Bridge that acknowledges what many families are already experiencing.
The Bridge Spelling Method by Maria Welch and Natalia Meehan