I am Adam Bates, originally from England, but now well and truly ensconced in the hills of Costa Rica. I am a certified Spelling to Communicate practitioner.

One day, and I don’t even remember why, I was compelled to watch the documentary ‘Spellers’. It featured non-speaking individuals and their journeys to communicating their thoughts and ideas to their families. It was hugely emotional to see their lives and those of their families change forever.

I cried my eyes out!

There was one moment in particular when Elizabeth Vosseller, the founder of Spelling to Communicate, said to a new student, Jamie: “I know you are intelligent. You have nothing to prove to me.” He was a teenager. He turned round to his dad and laughed incredulously because nobody had ever believed in him like that before.

It was from that moment I knew immediately, without question, that I needed to dedicate my life to helping non-speakers find their voice through spelling.

I love writing lessons. My previous career was as a sports broadcaster for TV, working at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Grand Slam tennis and much more.

Channelling these communication skills towards compelling lessons for non-speakers is a joy. I really hope you and your speller(s) thoroughly enjoy them.

Please do let me know. I value all feedback - good and bad! Send me a message here.

And, if you’d like to visit the website of my new spelling movement in Costa Rica, head to www.FarosCostaRica.com and click on the ‘English’ button in the top-right.