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 fondness and my clinical fellowship mentors with revere. Conversely, what is one of the number one ways to deter someone… Read more
Viewing category: Speech
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 scoffing at presenters who tell me that I need to take on yet ANOTHER responsibility. Isn’t the SLP’s scope of… Read more
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 bonding interactions! Single subject case studies have found that shared storybook reading can result in significant expressive language increases for… Read more
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 had no background on how to do articulation therapy. So I looked to my right and my left and started… Read more
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 everyone, however, enjoys easy communication. Children with complex communication needs (CCN) may need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to express… Read more
Why Pursue a Clinical Doctorate Degree?
Growing up, I had always assumed that I would have the highest degree possible. I dreamed of becoming a marine biologist, with the requisite Ph.D., of course. It was only after taking my first teaching job that the dream fizzled and died. After a year of teaching, I decided to get my master’s degree in… Read more
Create a home away from home (in your classroom)
(Amazon affiliate links included in this post) Let’s face it, we spend a lot of time in our classrooms! Most of us are there not only during contract hours, but also before and after school, summer, conference times, and even weekends! For years I put up rules and posters around my room. It was functional…. Read more
Data Driven Language Therapy
As I sat at yet another “procedures and paperwork” meeting (aka the training that administrators force you to attend on an all too often basis), I sighed. I am painfully aware that IEPs need to be written to be measurable and precise, but I struggle conceptually and sometimes ethically with this concept. Unlike learning 26… Read more
Core or PECS for students with ASD?
At the beginning of this year, multiple people in my district began discussing communication for children with autism. The early childhood program is primarily using picture exchange communication with their students. However, once these same students enter elementary school, the elementary-high school SLPs begin using core vocabulary as our primary communication modality. At that… Read more
Low-tech AAC: Picture Exchange (Pros and Cons)
Please note before I begin this post that I am aware that PECS is a specific and trademarked system. I have been through the formal training, however, like most, I have adapted it and can no longer officially call it PECS. Over the years, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with picture exchange. I have gone… Read more
Low-tech AAC: Core Vocabulary (Pros and Cons)
Last year, several SLPs in my district attended a fantastic conference by Gail Van Tatenhove. By the end of the two days, we were ready to make some district-wide changes to AAC in our district. Although I have been using core boards and core vocabulary for years, this was going to be a radical collaborative… Read more
Low-tech AAC: PODD (Pros and Cons)
Seventeen years ago I was a brand new SLP graduate. I accepted the only mid-year job that I could find (overage for 2 SLPs with high caseloads) and began on a crazy adventure. One of the classrooms that I was to be serving contained students who were profoundly impacted by a variety of disabilities. I… Read more
SLP Book Club: Ginny Moon
Welcome to the SLP Book Club! This book club has been my dream and my baby as an SLP and a bibliophile. I am so excited to find others out there that want to explore new books with me and discuss them in the comfort of your jammies and slippers! Now…Let’s get this book party… Read more
Progress Monitoring in Speech Therapy
For most of my career as a speech pathologist, I have based my progress reports on the daily data that I take in speech. What I’ve always loved about this method is that it is super quick. I glance down my columns of data for each goal and report on how the student has been… Read more