5 Meaningful Ways to Incorporate Black History Month in the Classroom & Speech Therapy
Black History Month is an opportunity to honor, educate, and reflect on the achievements and contributions of Black individuals throughout history.
Whether you're a classroom teacher, speech-language pathologist (SLP), or special education provider, incorporating engaging, meaningful activities ensures that students develop reading comprehension, language skills, and historical awareness in an inclusive way.
However, finding accessible, differentiated materials that are both historically rich and easy to implement can be a challenge. That’s why we created our Black History Month Reading Passages With Comprehension Questions & Lesson Slides, a no-prep resource designed for speech therapy, special education, and general classrooms.
Find it in our TPT store or included with our Premium Community membership, where members receive unlimited access to over $1000 of exclusive speech and language resources.
How to Incorporate Black History Month In the Classroom and Speech Therapy
1. Use Leveled Reading Passages to Build Comprehension & Language Skills
One of the easiest ways to introduce historical figures in speech therapy and the classroom is through structured, differentiated reading passages. Using carefully designed texts can help students:
- Improve reading comprehension and fluency
- Learn new vocabulary in context
- Strengthen inferencing and WH-question skills
Our Black History Month Reading Passages & Lesson Slides provide information on 10 historical figures in addition to:
- Two reading levels: Single-paragraph passages (Level 1) and double-paragraph passages (Level 2). BONUS vocabulary terms included in Level 2
- Comprehension questions: Multiple-choice & open-ended
- Lesson Slides: Engaging discussion slides with key facts and vocabulary
🍏 Available on TPT → Black History Month Reading Passages With Comprehension Questions & Lesson Slides
🌟 Included in our Premium Membership for unlimited access
2. Promote Critical Thinking with WH-Questions & Discussion Prompts
Beyond memorizing names and dates, historical narratives encourage students to analyze cause and effect, compare perspectives, and engage in meaningful dialogue.
For example, after reading about Rosa Parks, ask:
- Why was her action significant?
- How did people react at the time?
- What impact did it have on today's society?
Incorporating open-ended discussion prompts (also included in our lesson slides) allows students to make personal connections and develop higher-order thinking skills.
3. Pair Literacy with Speech & Language Targets
SLPs and educators can collaborate by using historical narratives to address:
- Fluency & Articulation Practice: Reading passages aloud
- Inferencing & Predicting: Asking students to anticipate outcomes based on historical events
- Summarization & Retelling: Using sequencing words like first, then, next, finally
- Perspective-Taking: Discussing how historical figures may have felt in challenging situations
After reading about Garrett Morgan’s invention of the traffic light, ask:
- What problem did his invention solve?
- How did his invention change the world?
- What modern-day inventions have improved safety?
4. Make Lessons Interactive with Visual Supports & Role-Playing
Many students benefit from multimodal learning, meaning they engage best with a mix of visuals, movement, and hands-on activities.
Ways to bring history to life:
- Use discussion slides with historical photos and vocabulary visuals
- Create a “Fact of the Day” bulletin board featuring different Black historical figures
- Encourage students to role-play figures like Harriet Tubman or Thurgood Marshall and present what they learned
Interactive lesson slides—like those in our Black History Month resource—can be used in small groups, whole-class instruction, or speech therapy sessions.
5. Connect Black History Month to Real-World Applications
To make history meaningful and relevant, encourage students to reflect on:
- Who inspires them today?
- How can they be change makers in their own lives?
- What lessons from history still apply today?
Activity idea: Have students write a letter to a historical figure or research a present-day leader making a difference. This builds expressive language skills, persuasive writing, and real-world connections.
Get Ready-to-Use Black History Month Resources for Your Students!
Still looking for a time-saving, no-prep resource? Black History Month Reading Passages With Comprehension Questions & Lesson Slides are available in two ways:
🍏 Option 1: One-Time Purchase on TPT
- Perfect if you just need this resource for your classroom or speech sessions.
- Black History Month Reading Passages & Lesson Slides
🌟 Option 2: Access This & More with the Communication Community Premium membership
- Unlimited downloads, new monthly materials, and an exclusive resource library for SLPs and educators.
- Join the Membership Here
Black History Month Closing Thoughts
Black History Month is an opportunity to highlight Black excellence, foster critical thinking, and engage students in meaningful discussions. By incorporating differentiated reading materials, interactive activities, and speech therapy-friendly strategies, we can ensure that students of all backgrounds gain a deeper understanding of Black history.