Goal Writing 101 for slps
I have a long history of writing terrible goals, especially for those with complex needs. My history begins in the late 90s when I accepted my first school-based SLP job. One classroom that I served…
Blog
Meeting scheduling stress?
Scheduling meetings takes time. Sometimes a LOT of time. In the first years of my career, I unwisely spent dozens of hours playing email or phone tag to schedule IEPs, evaluations, consults, and other team…
Too much stuff?
Can’t fit in your “speech closet” or on your “speech cart” because of all your STUFF? I know what it feels like to be buried with things you don’t use, and then be unable to…
Partner Assisted Scanning
Partner Assisted Scanning (PAS) is an effective way to increase communication for students with complex needs. PAS relies on the skills of the communication partner (teacher, family member, peer) to talk through (and use visuals…
How to do an informal AAC assessment
Scenario: You have a six-year-old student who is mainly non-speaking and their evaluation is due in two months. The family would like to explore augmentative communication tools. Where do you start? Have you experienced the…
Light, Mid, and High-Tech AAC. Same… but different
When many people refer to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), they have something in particular in mind. They might be thinking of picture exchange. They might be thinking of an iPad app with a voice….
6 steps to communication partner buy-in
You’ve completed professional development. You’ve listened to podcasts. You’ve read the research. You’ve told the team all about WISE strategies. YOU know that a trained communication partner is key for the success of individuals who…
How to be a WISE communication partner
Communication is not completed in isolation. While talking to myself can help me process my own thoughts and feelings, it does not fulfill the social functions of communication such as expressing my wants/needs, sharing information,…
SLPD – Is it worth it?
After what was both an extremely short and extensively long two and a half years, I have completed my clinical doctorate in speech-language pathology from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU). When I began…
Social Skills – In-person & Online Groups
If you are a school-based SLP, you know that groups are a must to serve all of your students. School SLPs have little to no time to work individually with students, even if we wanted…
Using PDFs in Distance Learning
Many SLPs and educators are very familiar with PDFs. These are the files that we download from the internet, print off, and use with our students. Easy. Distance learning and homework, however, has made many…
How to analyze research graphs – a primer for SLPs
In the past, I used the abstracts of research papers to determine what the research was about and the results of the study. I naively assumed that abstracts would not be biased; they would not…
Conversational Scripts
Do you serve students with limited language skills who are unsure of how to interact within a situation? Here is a great example. I give my student five cards and keep five for myself and…
Becoming an exceptional supervisor – an introduction for SLPs
What is one of the number one components to a successful career in speech-language pathology or other education/health related fields? Powerful, exceptional, and amazing mentors and supervisors. I still remember my graduate school supervisors with…