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…
Speech
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….
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,…
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…
Literacy Interventions in Speech Therapy
Speech pathologists have an important role to play in literacy instruciton. Unfortunately, my graduate program never taught me what that role was or what to do about it. So…I have spent at least a decade…
Shared Reading as Evidence-Based Practice
Did you know that shared storybook reading is an evidence-based practice for increasing expressive language skills? Not only does research support shared reading, but it is one of the most natural and universally known adult/child…
Best Practice for Articulation
I don’t know about your speech pathology program, but I really wish I had taken a good evidence-based course in speech sound disorder treatment. When I accidentally fell into the role of school-based SLP, I…
Core Vocabulary for Evidence-Based Practice
The following is a portion of a research paper combined with additional thoughts about using core vocabulary boards in my school. Communication is a basic right for all individuals (Hendricks, 2007; Unicef, 1989). Not…