What is my job as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in a school?

1. What is my job as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in a school? Created and Presented By: Ms. Ashley Ciecko, M.S. CFY-SLP Glen Oak Community Learning Center Peoria School District #150 Peoria, IL Fall 2012

2. How important is communication? • Good communication skills lead to success in… • Reading • Listening • Writing • Speaking • LEARNING! • Bad communication skills lead to problems with… • Understanding & participating in classroom instruction • Developing & maintaining relationships

3. How do Students Qualify to receive Speech Services? • Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) provides speech and/or language services for school-age children who… • Have communication disorders that adversely affect their educational performance

4. A.k.a. “speech therapists” or “speech Teachers”… (or “that speech person”) • Work with children who have communication problems that affect success in… • Classroom activities • Literacy • Learning • Social interaction

5. What does the Qualification and therapeutic process look like? • Prevention • Identification • Assessment • Evaluation • Development of IEPs • Remediation/Therapy • Progress Monitoring …a variety of speech and language disorders

6. What else is an SLP in the schools for? • Documentation of outcomes • Collaboration with… • Teachers • Administrators • Other professionals • Parents/Guardians • THE STUDENT! • Advocacy for teaching practices & implementation of techniques into the curriculum

7. What Types of disabilities/disorders do SLP’s work with? • Language • Pragmatic Language • Articulation/Phonological • Voice • Fluency • Auditory Processing and Comprehension • Hearing Impairment • Oral-Motor • Swallowing/Feeding (a.k.a. Dysphagia)

8. What is a language disorder? • Language disabilities include the slow development of… • Semantics (vocab) • Syntax (grammar) • Concepts • Pragmatic (social) language disabilities include… • Inability to use different communication styles in different situations • Overall… • Child has poor building blocks for understanding/expressing ideas, social development, learning, reading, and writing

9. What is an Articulation/Phonological Disorder? • Children have difficulty producing speech sounds • Substituting one sound for another (i.e. /w/ for /r/) • Omitting a sound in a word (i.e. “top” for “stop” • Distorting a sound (i.e. “thee” for “see”)

10. What is a voice disorder? • Speech that is… • Too high, low, or monotonous in pitch • Interrupted by breaks • Too loud or soft in volume • Harsh, hoarse, breathy, or nasal • Children who have prolonged vocal issues come to therapy to learn how to use their voice properly, without mistreating it • SLPs also refer some children to the ENT(ear, nose, and throat doctor) to rule out any growths that can appear on the vocal chords from prolonged vocal abuse

11. What is a fluency disorder? • A.K.A. “stuttering” • Defined by… • Interruptions in the flow or rhythm of speech • Possible hesitations, repetitions, or prolongations • Can affect individual sounds, syllables, words, and/or phrases • **Side note: Identify as a “child who stutters” NOT “a stutterer”

12. What is an Auditory Processing/Comprehension disorder? • Comprehension disorders are characterized by… • Difficulty with word meaning, sequencing skills, and problem solving • Auditory processing disorders are characterized by… • Difficulty distinguishing and discriminating speech sounds • Overall… • Children with either of these disorders have difficulty understanding (receiving) spoken/written (expressive) language

13. How does an SLP help a child with a hearing impairment? • “Aural Rehabilitation” includes… • Lip reading skills • Articulation and voice therapy • SLPs in the schools also… • Perform hearing screenings • Check hearing aids & other hearing devices • Work with the classroom teacher to develop strategies to maximize the child’s classroom performance

14. What does it mean when a child has oral-Motor issues? • Apraxia of speech or Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) • Children demonstrate difficulties coordinating the movement of structures in the mouth during speech • Problem is due to the inability to form a coordinated “movement plan” to produce speech • Weak tongue and/or lip muscles can decrease the clarity of speech • Treatment includes… • Muscle strengthening and coordination activities • Structured, repetitious practice of movements required to produce accurate speech

15. What is dysphagia? • Child will demonstrate difficulty with… • Sucking • Chewing • Triggering a swallow • Moving food into the stomach • Can interfere with… • Eating snack and lunch • Opportunities to build friendships • Social and communication skills • Learning • SLPs will help by… • Setting up a feeding program that indicates the foods that are appropriate vs. inappropriate • Teaching techniques that help the child eat safely • Modify the texture of foods • Reposition the body

16. What can speech & langUAge disorders be associated with? • Hearing loss • Cleft palate • Learning disabilities • Cerebral palsy or other motor problems/disorders • Autism Spectrum Disorders • Developmental delays • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) • Variety of emotional, behavioral, and/or medical issues

17. What are some signs that may indicate a child has a communication disorder? • Below expectations in the classroom • Difficulty learning to read or write • Late talker • Inability to express thoughts, ideas, wants, and/or needs • Problems understanding others • Difficulty following directions • Issues getting along with others • Problems taking tests

18. How does an SLP go about working with these children? • Combine communication goals with academic & social goals • Integrate classroom and curricular objectives • Help them understand and use basic language concepts • Support reading and writing • Increase understanding of classroom lessons and texts • Services may vary depending on each individual student’s needs • Monitoring/periodic screenings • Collaborating & Consulting • Classroom-based services (“push-in”) • Small group or individual sessions (“pull-out”)

19. What do you do if you think a student in your class has a communication issue or disorder? • COME SEE ME! • Ask me questions and express your concerns • Request an observation or screening • Bring examples and/or details (The more the merrier!)

20. Remember… One of the most important connections between the students and myself is YOU!!!

21. Any questions, comments, or concerns?!

22. References • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). (2010). The role of the slp in schools: a presentation for teachers, administrators, parents, and the community. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org • Lilienthal, Nicole. (2008). What does a speech- language pathologist (slp) do? Speech- Language Pathology Information. Retrieved from http://www.speechpathologyguru.com • Merkel-Piccini, Robyn. (2001). I know you’re a speech pathologist… but what do you do? Super Duper Publications. Retrieved from http://www.superduperinc.com