BIO
Professional Consulting and Instruction for Students with Diverse Needs
Whether a student is at a public, private, or home school setting, we assess a student's current ability to learn and demonstrate their understanding. Then, we set incremental goals to increase learning tolerance, ability to purposefully respond, and communication complexity.
For students with motor impairments, limited functional speech, and autism, we have found that developing the skills for reliable communication provides a way for students to mitigate frustration and helps students distinguish between challenges associated with a disability and challenges associated with being a sibling, son/daughter, or member of the community.
Since 2013 we have been cultivating students who are successful in the classroom, at home, and in the community because they have the academic foundation, social support, and clear vision of the instructors at Unspoken Thoughts at their disposal. Unspoken Thoughts provides support for families and students to meet their goals through individual and group sessions, individual support in classes or programs, student-specific training, and consulting for educational or work programs.
SERVICES
1-ON-1 INSTRUCTION
Sessions are scheduled for 30, 45, or 60 minutes at our center or virtually depending on the student. Home sessions can be scheduled for 1 to 3 hours depending on the student, goals, and location. We provide instructors to match specific skills, topics, and age.
Instruction can focus on academic goals, communication goals, regulation strategies, functional skills, hobby building, or a combination.
SMALL GROUPS
These group sessions provide students an opportunity to interact and converse about engaging and provoking topics while working on skills appropriate in a small group setting (2 to 6 students). We build groups around curriculum, interest, or skill goals.
We are currently focusing on independent communication groups and virtual game groups.
Ask about our current openings, both in our center and virtually! You can find some of our groups online!
BOOK CLUBS
Each book group discusses one assigned book each month and meets either monthly (center) or weekly (virtual). We match our students by age, skill, and interest so if we do not have a group already set up for your student we can try to form a new one! See what we have this upcoming semester or email us!
SUMMER ACADEMY
We offer multiple groups when our co-op is on break for students aged 8 through young adult. Each group has a different emphasis including community engagement, higher education, and functional skills or hobbies.
The Summer Academy runs weekly from mid-June through mid-August and the schedule is usually posted by March. Subscribe to the website for updates or check our course listings online in Spring.
CO-OP
We lead daily and weekly group courses for local home school students during the school year at our center or virtually. Our main program is at a high school level, however, we do have middle school and adult level courses available. Our HS aged students are encouraged to obtain internships to gain valuable work experience with the support of our trained job coaches.
We also lead courses for specific subjects for local home school students and can provide trained and supervised instructors for in-home school programs.
CONSULTATION AND TRAINING
We support home school programs and work closely with schools and work placements to coordinate skills and goals for students.
We communicate with specific teachers, administrators, or school staff to provide suggestions to increase independence and expressive language in the academic setting. We also offer in-class support, student-specific training, lesson reviews, video consultation, student advocacy during school meetings, and student support during evaluations and testing.
LIFE SKILLS INSTRUCTION
We work to cultivate independence in the home and community, with an emphasis on skills such as cooking, cleaning, transitions, routines, building hobbies, and internships. Your case manager, a UT instructor, will create an individualized plan to address your specific goals.
TEAM
Get to Know Us
SHANNON ZISH
Founder/Director and Instructor, MA Developmental Psychology, RPM Certified (level II)
Shannon is the Founder and Director of Unspoken Thoughts. Shannon earned her M.A. in Applied Developmental Psychology from George Mason University and a B.A. in Psychology from Arcadia University.
Shannon began her career working for a variety of non-profits and therapy centers throughout the Philadelphia and Northern Virginia areas. Certifications and trainings include: RDI, TEACCH, and DIR/Floor time, ABA, and RPM (level II, post-internship certification)
MEREDITH MUNZERT
Lead Instructor and Curriculum Specialist, BA Special Education, RPM Certified (level I)
Meredith has been an Assistant Instructor with Unspoken Thoughts since 2018. She earned her BA in Special Education from Liberty University and completed the level I RPM training certification. At UT, Meredith works directly with students and their family, coaches CPs for specific students, teaches our History courses, and consults with families working on home school curriculum.
SOPHIA BUCKMAN
Functional Skills Instructor, BA Psychology
Sophia has been an Instructor with Unspoken Thoughts since 2019. She earned her BA in Psychology from George Mason University. At UT, Sophia supervises the co-op, manages local college student support, works individually with students working on broadening communication skills, teaches hobbies and functional skills, and facilitates social groups.
TESTIMONIALS
What Our Clients Have to Say
"Unspoken Thoughts gave my son a voice when he needed to communicate. We now have a different relationship with him with the board, and he grows stronger every day with this communication."
"Shannon and her staff are fantastic. Well trained, professional, kind, inspiring and are changing lives daily! So grateful to have found them!"
"Shannon and her team are unquestionably the finest in the region for taking on the challenge of teaching communication skills to children and young adults on the spectrum."