Shaping Speech, Building Confidence: MMSD’s Phonology Classroom Highlights SLP Excellence

Imagine trying to play a song on a piano where some of the keys are in the wrong place. You know exactly how it’s supposed to sound, but what comes out doesn’t match the music in your head.

That’s what it can feel like for a young child with a phonological disorder. The "notes" of speech–the sounds that make up words–are all there, but they’re not organized correctly. The result is speech that can be difficult or even impossible for others to understand.

At Muir Elementary, MMSD’s Phonology Classroom provides specialized support to help pre-kindergarten aged children reorganize their internal speech sound system and find their voice. Led by speech-language clinicians Jenn Hackel and Beth Gunshor, the program is the only one of its kind in MMSD, serving students from ages three to five across the district who have severe phonological disorders (difficulty sorting sounds) or childhood apraxia of speech (difficulty connecting the brain and the mouth muscles used for speech). 

"We love our job in phonology classroom," Hackel and Gunshor said, adding that one of their favorite parts of the job is "the look of pride on students' faces when they produce a sound for the first time."

On average, typically developing 4-year-olds language is understood about 90% of the time by others; the language of students served in the Phonology Classroom is understood an average of 50% of the time, sometimes as low as 5%. The timing of this advanced therapy is key, Hackel and Gunshor said, as research demonstrates that students with phonological disorders will often struggle with learning to read. By targeting these foundational skills early, it can minimize later academic challenges.

The Phonology Classroom hosts students twice a week for 2.5 hours at a time, much longer than a standard speech-language therapy session. This dedicated time helps student not only grow verbally, but socially.

"For many students, seeing peers in the same circumstance encourages them to start communicating more and to engage in therapy more," Hackel and Gunshor said. "It’s inspiring to watch students who have been in the program be models for new students about what is possible when they work hard on their speech. 

Each week, students receive six target words selected specifically for their individual speech needs. These words, printed onto notecards with a matching photo and looped on a ring, are practiced through themed activities including crafts, movement, games and more. 

The impact is felt beyond the classroom. Families share moments like a child telling a story from school, being understood on the playground, or talking clearly to a grandparent on the phone.

“When a student comes in one day and you realize you’re understanding the story they are telling you–and they realize it too–it's another favorite part of the job," Hackel and Gunshor said.

From pre-kindergarten programs to high schools, dozens of speech-language clinicians across MMSD assist students at every grade level—helping them find their voice, one sound, one word, one breakthrough at a time.