Vocal Rest Reminder Cards

Visual reminders for voice rest and conservation.

Use with a student — free
Card 1 of 12
Voice rest for 10 minutes — write or point instead.
Say it out loud
This pass0 correct · 0 cued · 0 incorrect · 0/12
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Session summary (SOAP)

Stays on this screen. Nothing is saved or sent.

Mark a card Correct, Correct with cue or Incorrect and the summary writes itself here.

How to run it

Give one card to the classroom rather than the student. A voice rest that the teacher knows about is a rest; one the student has to negotiate mid-lesson usually does not happen. The hand signal card is the most practical, since it gives a student a way to participate without using their voice — otherwise voice rest costs them the lesson.

Cueing ladder

Start at the top. Add support one step at a time.

  1. Step 1IndependentRead the card and wait 5 seconds for the student's answer.Log as correct
  2. Step 2HintAsk 'How would your voice feel after that?'Log as cued
  3. Step 3Two choicesOffer two answers, the right one not always second.Log as cued
  4. Step 4ExplainGive the answer and the reason; the student says it back in their own words.Log as cued

Voice work belongs after an ENT examination. If hoarseness lasts or gets worse, stop and refer back to the physician.

Adjust it

Easier

Use fewer cards and sort into just two groups.

Harder

Plan what the student will do in their own hardest voice situation this week.

Matching IEP goal

Given everyday scenarios, Student will identify the voice-healthy choice and a reason in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 consecutive sessions.

Send it home through the parent portal →

About this activity

Twelve short reminders for voice conservation across a school day: voice rest for ten minutes, write or point instead; no yelling on the playground today; take a water break; do not whisper, use a soft easy voice; no cheering at the game, clap instead; do not talk over the noise, move closer instead; signal with your hand instead of calling out. Every one is a substitution rather than a prohibition.

What to listen for

Watch whether rest is actually possible in the setting. A student told to rest their voice in a class that requires participation has been given an impossible instruction, and adjusting the setting is more effective than repeating the reminder. Notice the whisper card, which contradicts what most people assume and needs saying explicitly. Rest is a sensible response to a tired voice and not an answer to a persistent one. Hoarseness lasting more than about four weeks should be examined by an ENT rather than rested through.

Carrying it home

Quiet time after school is the easiest rest to arrange, and it costs nothing. Ten minutes of not talking after a loud day does more than any exercise.

What's in this activity

  • Use an inside voice.
  • Take a water break.
  • +10 more

Questions

What ages is this for?
Kindergarten through eighth grade, wherever voice conservation is part of the plan.
Is it free?
Yes, all twelve cards are free to use with no account.
Should a student whisper during voice rest?
No. Whispering strains the voice rather than resting it. A soft, easy voice with normal vibration is the better option, and silence with a hand signal is better still.

Use this board with your caseload

With a free account, every correct, cued and incorrect mark is saved to the student and scored against their IEP goal, with the data written up for you. Assign it as home practice through the parent portal.

Track progress free

Free for SLPs. No card, no trial clock.