Consider a new speech deliverability model and energize your therapy!

Around this time of year, thoughts of “What am I going to do this year?” start popping in my head. I wonder if I’m going to run my speech room and therapy exactly the same as last year, or if I am going to change it up.

Let me tell you a little secret. In my 16 years as a speech pathologist, I have never done things exactly the same as the previous year.

Every year, I change my deliverability model and shake up my world. Because really, doing things the same year after year gets boring! I did NOT go into this field to be bored. I went into this field to be passionate, creative, and to change the world (if only in a very small way).

3 deliverability models for SLPs to consider

Merge into a classroom

Merging into a general education classroom means that you schedule a part of each day/week/month to be in one specific classroom or grade level. You provide services for both your students as well as other students in the room that are in the RTI informal or formal process. You may even choose to teach the entire class for that set period of time. You can read more about how I merge into the classroom here.

During the summer, pre-plan by:

1. Chose one great teacher, who you suspect would be excited to have you merge into his/her room.

2. Brainstorm what merging might look like in that room. Here are some suggestions:

• Provide a whole class vocabulary strategies lesson about a book they are reading.
• Work on articulation and literacy development within the context of reading lessons.
• Help a small group in language arts work by focusing on grammar and vocabulary.
• Support several students during whole group carpet time by quietly repeating directions and key concepts.
• Co-teach any lesson with the teacher and emphasize comprehension.
• Instruct the whole class on how to produce a common articulation error and do activities using that sound.
• Provide whole class circle time instruction focusing on core words, language, letters, or social skills.

3. Contact the teacher before students begin school to get their buy-in as well as come up with a tentative plan.

4. Create your plan and make a rough draft of your first few lessons or start with some of the materials that I have already created for articulation, books, social skills, or AAC.

Create a Speech Club

A speech club is a frequent gathering of articulation students to focus on their sounds for a short period of time. Some people call it “5-minute speech” (although I prefer 10 minutes). The students practice their sounds (primarily with each other) with a pre-determined set of materials. They then practice their sounds again with their teacher and parent. Speech Club fosters generalization of their articulation because they are practicing frequently and in multiple contexts. You can read more about my speech club here.

During the summer, pre-plan by:

1. Decide on when, where, and how often. In my speech clubs, students come to my room right before school starts each day. Take into consideration how often you are in the building as well as the best time of day.

2. Choose the criteria for participants. Because my regular speech club activities require at least a 3rd-grade reading level, I only take students that are in 3rd-5th grade. I also will only include a student if they are at the reading or conversational level on their articulation sounds.

3. Write up the rules for speech club. I have a simple set of rules that says that students must be on time, they must do their homework, they must try their best, and the must encourage each other. I also give many incentives (in the form of speech money) to these students since they are working really hard for me.

4. Create letters for teachers and parents. Explain how your speech club will be run, what are the expectations. Explain that the students are expected to practice a quick homework with both their teacher AND their parent each day.

5. Choose a curriculum or way to easily implement the club without doing tons of prep work each day. I use seasonal speech club materials to keep things fun and different.

Co-teach With Your Special Education Teacher

Co-teaching with my special education teacher has been one of the highlights of the last ten years. I have co-taught in a variety of ways and currently, work with her in three different social skills groups. You can read more about how I co-teach here.

During the summer, pre-plan by:

1. Contact your special education teacher to discuss whether they want to try this new model.

2. Brainstorm ways that co-teaching would work in your school.

• Reading lessons (SLP works on vocabulary or comprehension)
• Phonics lessons (SLP works on articulation or phonemic awareness)
• Social skills (SLP works on social communication)
• Writing lessons (SLP works on vocabulary and grammar)
• Math lessons (SLP works on math vocabulary)

3. Decide on the students that you would like to co-teach. Although you should certainly consider including students that you both serve, don’t exclude others who could benefit from your services, even if they are not on your caseload.

Now really think about and consider these ideas. Which one do you want to try this year? Which one would re-energize you and your therapy? Then take the action steps and go for it!