FAQs

The Sketch and Speak approach can be used by students, teachers, speech–language pathologists, parents, and tutors. The approach has no limitations on who can use it, as long as you know how to use it effectively. Our website offers multiple tutorials, modeling resources, and additional materials to help you get started!

Many people can benefit from the Sketch and Speak approach. It is particularly helpful for those who have difficulty understanding or explaining informational texts such as newspapers, articles, or school-related readings, as well as for anyone looking to improve comprehension, memory, and verbal expression of ideas. The approach has been shown to be effective for students with language-based learning difficulties, learners who struggle with writing, spelling, or organizing ideas, and adolescents or older students who are developing their academic discourse skills, such as giving reports or presentations.

The Sketch and Speak approach can be introduced as soon as a child is able to draw simple shapes or pictures and talk about what they represent. At this stage, children can begin using sketches as a bridge to express ideas more clearly. However, the approach is flexible and can be adapted for older students, teenagers, and even adults who want to strengthen their comprehension and expression skills.

The Sketch and Speak approach can help improve a wide range of skills. It supports reading comprehension by making complex texts easier to understand, and it builds stronger note-taking habits through both sketch-based and bullet notes. It also enhances oral expression skills, helping learners practice constructing and delivering reports or presentations. Finally, the approach strengthens organization of ideas, summarizing, and retelling information, while also helping with memory and overall retention of key concepts.

To get started, join our Sketch and Speak community, which gives you full access to resources on the website. There, you will find articles to practice the Sketch and Speak approach, as well as sample notes under the Resources tab. You can also watch step-by-step tutorials in the Learning section to guide your practice. These materials are designed to help you begin with confidence. If you still have questions or would like additional support, feel free to reach out to us!

The researchers of the approach have focused on school-age children and adolescents with language learning needs. However, because the Sketch and Speak approach is flexible, the complexity (length of passages, detail of sketches, amount of scaffolding) can be adjusted for adult individuals with increased language learning needs.

Our website used AI to generate sample texts that demonstrate how the Sketch and Speak approach can be used independently. In the same way, any materials that fit your or your students’ needs and interests such as articles, textbooks, online resources, or content you create yourself, can be used with the Sketch and Speak approach. We also encourage exploring publicly available resources like ReadWorks, Wikipedia, AZ Animals, and museum websites, many of which share engaging and informative articles on history, science, and other subjects.