Skip to content
I-ASC_logo_only_white (1)
New to I-ASC?
Start Here
Find a Practitioner
  • HOME
  • About
    • Newsletter
      • Newsletter Archive
    • Press & Media
    • Get Engaged
  • Spellers Stories
  • Community
  • Spelling to Communicate (S2C)
    • Get Started with S2C
    • Shop Boards & Supplies
  • Training
    • Become an S2C Practitioner
  • Education
    • S2C Lessons in English
    • S2C Lessons in Spanish
    • Motoriety Hack Videos
    • Book Resources
    • Resources BY nonspeakers
    • Resources FOR nonspeakers
  • Advocacy
    • About Spellers & Allies Advocacy
    • Spellers & Allies Campaigns
    • Advocacy News
    • Advocacy Resources
  • Research
  • Events
    • Become a Sponsor
    • Motormorphosis
    • Boards & Chords
      • Boards & Chords Archive
    • Neurolyrical Cafe
    • SpellX
      • SpellX Archive
    • Spring Into Spelling
  • Give
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • FAQ
give
en_US EN
en_US EN es_ES ES fr_FR FR pt_PT PT

College Bodies

I-ASC Blog

College is one of the most exciting and terrifying topics amongst the spelling community. We finally have an outlet of which we are able to display our intelligence, but we still are stuck in an impulsive body. Where is the balance between the two? What accommodations do we need to appear tame in the classroom? 

I am a very regulated guy, so it is hard to believe the impulses I struggled with in the past. I was a runaway fueling further chaos. My body was not my own, it never allowed me a peaceful moment. How did I become so regulated? How can you do the same? Well, the answer is something only you know. For me, acupuncture, massage therapy, and energy transfer worked. The holistic route resonated at the frequency matching my own and neutralized it. 

For others, body engagers like sticker books, puzzles, and legos are helpful in achieving a calm, regulated body. It is important to remember that everyone is different, and each person will need their own set of accommodations. Some will need support staying in class, others will need extra time with the professor, and most will need double or triple the time for exams. There are even some who will need to attend class remotely, and that’s okay!  Inclusion at its core is embracing individuality, so embrace yours! Do not shy away from any detail that supports your regulation. Try new things and once you find something that works, master it. The world is ours, we can do anything we desire.

Image description: A photo of a man in a yellow T-shirt walking away from the camera on a boardwalk in a forest.

If college is a goal of yours, start preparing now. Build stamina by sitting at a desk or table, up the amount of time your spelling sessions last for, practice with the communication regulation partner (CRP) you will be attending with, and experiment with methods to keep your body calm and quiet during lectures. Practice makes permanent!   Practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more!

Reinforcers are great, utilize them. If you’re able to do even two minutes more of spelling than usual, reward yourself. This is a method called stimulus pairing. Pairing your efforts with something you enjoy will encourage your body to work with you, thus making you successful in your goals.

Most important of all is not being too hard on yourself. We all know that leads to dysregulation-station.  Dysregulation=negative feedback for your body that is working overtime to reach goals. Be kind to yourself and remain aware of all of the small accomplishments you achieve. Small victories are still victories!

Never shy away from asking for the things you need. Request any and every accommodation you believe is necessary. Build a rapport with your professors and guidance team right away. It is crucial to your success.

Professors, please keep an open mind to the requests made. Needing to color or stand every 10 minutes to jump for a few seconds or knit during class could be the only way we are able to remain regulated enough to sit through a lecture. Be kind and support your students, we are there to succeed! Outsides do not always match insides, so it is best to let the CRP present address any concerns, they are more familiar and know how to help us through our hard times. Always presume that we are paying attention and understand the material being presented unless we directly state otherwise. And never ever shy away from asking questions to help you better understand us, we want to build connections with you!

If you are a college professor interested in learning more about nonspeaking people, the Spellers & Allies Advocacy Network offers presentations to help with this. Get in touch with us about scheduling a presentation or a meeting: spellers-allies@i-asc.org.

To all my neurodivergent friends, this is our time! Chase your dreams and don’t let anything get in your way.

 

 

Anshil Kumar is a 22-year-old minimally speaking male from Orlando, Florida. His passions are blogging and advocating for disability rights, oftentimes he combines the two. He is an avid member and supporter of Spellers and Allies, a group whose primary goal is to guide society in the way of being more inclusive to the neurodiverse community. He plans to attend university within the next two years. He enjoys quality time with his friends, family, and nature. One of his favorite things to do is wade in the calming waves of the ocean – this is where he feels the most peace.

Learn More

what is S2C?

The mission of I-ASC is to advance communication access for nonspeaking individuals globally through training, education, advocacy, and research.  I-ASC supports all forms of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with a focus on methods of spelling and typing with the hope that other methods of AAC using spelling or typing will join our association. 

TRAINING

Education

Advocacy

Research

read more from our spellers

Planning an inclusive holiday season

Strategy to Create a New Beginning

The Importance of Changing the World One Step at a Time:

Daily Decisions Taken for Granted

5 Tips for Working with Littles

6 Responses

  1. LUKE BATROW says:
    12/14/2022 at 8:10 PM

    YES ANSHIL, WE NEED TO PRACTICE IN THE INTEREST OF DOING WELL IN COLLEGE BUT IT IS SO HARD. MAYBE I SHOULD TRY MASSAGE IF IT HELPED YOU. IT’D BE WORTH A TRY. THANKS – LUKE

    Reply
  2. MAC CHITTUM says:
    12/14/2022 at 8:06 PM

    REALLY GREAT ARTICLE ANSHIL! THE SUGGESTIONS YOU MADE ARE GOOD ONES. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON STAYING IN THE CLASSROOM IN PREPARATION OF TAKING MY COLLEGE CLASS NEXT SEMESTER. HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. YOUR FRIEND, MAC

    Reply
  3. AUSTIN KEEFER says:
    12/14/2022 at 8:04 PM

    ANSHIL IS SUCH A COOL DUDE. I MEAN LITERALLY CALM AND SO PEACEFUL TO BE AROUND. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID AND I’M EXCITED TO START MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. CAN WE STAY IN TOUCH AND COMPARE NOTES ABOUT OUR CLASSES? TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE. MISS YOU MY FRIEND – AUSTIN

    Reply
  4. JAKE FINE says:
    12/14/2022 at 8:02 PM

    I REALLY APPRECIATE ANSHIL’S POINT OF VIEW. SO MANY OF US ARE IN THE SAME POSITION NOW AND NEED OUR PROFESSORS TO READ THIS. THANKS! JAKE

    Reply
  5. Mary Moore says:
    11/23/2022 at 1:56 AM

    Your an outstanding young man Anshil You have so much to contribute to the world for those who have the patience to listen .You have come a long way and now coming into all you can be Your stepping out in leadership and through your Love Patience and past experiences you can guide others .You can be there Hero .As you understand there frustrations there to encourage and lift there spirits .You can show them it is extremly hard work but liberating in every way Proud of you beyond words .Your Courage is contagious.Your smile is from the heart .So be all you can be Anshil.Your Life .Your Future .One Word at a time .

    Reply
  6. Perla says:
    11/23/2022 at 1:30 AM

    Anshil, you always have the best words for everyone, my heart is always with you. We are so proud of the man you became.

    Love you my dear. Mrs. Perla 💓

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Got FOMO?

(FO-MO – noun Slang. – the fear of missing out)

Join us and stay informed about events, advocacy, research, and all the fun happening in our community by subscribing to our newsletter!

Subscribe Today!

The personal beliefs and opinions of our community members are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of I-ASC or its employees.

  • 703.454.0202
  • info@I-asc.org
  • P.O. Box 136, Herndon, Virginia, USA, 20171
  • Annual Report
  • FAQ
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Annual Report
  • FAQ
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
Instagram Linkedin Facebook

© 2023 International Association for Spelling as Communication

S2C, Spelling to Communicate, and I-ASC are all trademarks of the International Association for Spelling as Communication