Initiating substantive, specific communication with teachers about student changes you observe.
At a glance
When: You see a meaningful shift in a student and the teacher hasn't raised it.
Remember: “He's been off” tells them nothing; a specific pattern gives them something to work with.
What strong practice looks like — and why.
The scenario you saw
You've noticed a meaningful change in a student's learning behavior over the past week. The teacher hasn't brought it up. What do you do?
Before you read on — what would you do here? Picture your move, then reveal how strong practice handles it.
You find the right moment — not a quick mention in passing — and describe what you've seen specifically: when it happens, what it looks like, how long it's been going on. You give the teacher enough detail to act on.
Why this works
You spend more time beside this student than almost anyone, so you see patterns the teacher can't. But an observation is only useful if it's specific enough to act on — 'he's been off' gives the teacher nothing to work with; 'he's stopped starting his morning work on his own for about a week, and it's worst right after recess' gives them something concrete. Choosing a real moment instead of a hallway aside signals it matters and keeps it from getting lost.
What to look for
Recall is where it sticks — a few quick scenarios.
Reading is useful, but recall is where it sticks. Three short scenarios, low-stakes, no scoring — about 3 minutes. You can stop any time.
Start the practice set →Short on time? Start with the first one.
Your student receives speech-language services — articulation, language, AAC, social communication, fluency, or feeding — and you're delivering carryover across the day.
Communication structures — including brief check-ins — that make sharing meaningful observations routine.