the speech language pathologist's role in schools
TRANSCRIPT
The Speech Language The Speech Language Pathologist’s Role in SchoolsPathologist’s Role in Schools
ByByYour local SLPYour local SLP
ObjectiveObjective To orient teachers, teacher To orient teachers, teacher
assistants, school staff , principals, assistants, school staff , principals, parents and other administrators parents and other administrators to the changing roles of Speech-to the changing roles of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Language Pathologists (SLPs) in schools.schools.
What we doWhat we do Evaluate and treat students with Evaluate and treat students with
educationally or functionally relevant educationally or functionally relevant communication problems.communication problems.
Participate on committees, complete Participate on committees, complete procedural compliance paperwork and procedural compliance paperwork and engage in many activities to support engage in many activities to support ALL students in achieving Adequate ALL students in achieving Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).Yearly Progress (AYP).
American Speech-Language Hearing American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) workload modelAssociation (ASHA) workload model
http://www.asha.org/slp/schools/examples choose workload clusterschoose workload clusters
From start to finish!From start to finish! Accept referralsAccept referrals Participate in Student Assistance TeamParticipate in Student Assistance Team Plan interventionsPlan interventions Carry out interventionsCarry out interventions Conduct assessmentsConduct assessments Share assessment results with Share assessment results with
Individual Education Program (IEP) Individual Education Program (IEP) TeamsTeams
From start to finishFrom start to finish Make eligibility recommendationsMake eligibility recommendations Serve students who are identified as Serve students who are identified as
eligible for exceptional children's eligible for exceptional children's services in a variety of settingsservices in a variety of settings
Serve some students who are not Serve some students who are not eligible through early intervening eligible through early intervening and prevention programsand prevention programs
Complete state and federal Complete state and federal procedural compliance paperworkprocedural compliance paperwork
Additional Additional responsibilities at this responsibilities at this schoolschool
The Student Assistance The Student Assistance TeamTeam
SLPs are important to include as SLPs are important to include as members of or a resource to the members of or a resource to the team.team.
It is a regular education initiative but It is a regular education initiative but SLP input can be valuable.SLP input can be valuable.
We can help plan interventions and We can help plan interventions and may recognize communication may recognize communication problems under the guise of other problems under the guise of other problems (receptive language problems (receptive language manifest as behavior……).manifest as behavior……).
ReferralReferral SLPs can collaborate with teachers to SLPs can collaborate with teachers to
conduct classroom based conduct classroom based interventions for language, interventions for language, articulation, voice and fluency articulation, voice and fluency interventions.interventions.
If interventions are successful If interventions are successful students remain in the class.students remain in the class.
If interventions are not successful If interventions are not successful SLPs begin the DEC (Department of SLPs begin the DEC (Department of Exceptional Children’s) paperwork.Exceptional Children’s) paperwork.
AssessmentAssessment SLPs use a variety of assessment SLPs use a variety of assessment
tools NOT just standard tests. We do:tools NOT just standard tests. We do:– ObservationsObservations– ChecklistsChecklists– Collect classroom work samplesCollect classroom work samples– Language samplesLanguage samples– Dynamic assessment (test-teach-test-Dynamic assessment (test-teach-test-
teach) over the 90 day assessment teach) over the 90 day assessment periodperiod
– …………………………………………....
AssessmentsAssessments Assessments are for all parties to Assessments are for all parties to
learn more about a student, learn more about a student, parents, administrators, parents, administrators, teachers….. The secondary teachers….. The secondary purpose is to determine eligibility. purpose is to determine eligibility. SLPs may conduct assessments SLPs may conduct assessments with no intention of placing a with no intention of placing a student in speech-language student in speech-language services.services.
EligibilityEligibility Students become eligible for speech Students become eligible for speech
services now through these 3 prongs:services now through these 3 prongs:– A disabilityA disability– That negatively impacts academic That negatively impacts academic
achievement or functional performanceachievement or functional performance– In need of the specially designed In need of the specially designed
individualized instruction an SLP providesindividualized instruction an SLP providesALL 3 prongs must exist and be ALL 3 prongs must exist and be
documented to lead to eligibility!!documented to lead to eligibility!!
Serving StudentsServing Students The Individuals with Disabilities Education The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act (IDEA 04) AND The NC Improvement Act (IDEA 04) AND The NC Policies that Govern Services for Children Policies that Govern Services for Children with Disabilities say Special Education with Disabilities say Special Education BEGINS in regular education settings then BEGINS in regular education settings then moves to more restrictive environments. moves to more restrictive environments. In practice this means that probably many In practice this means that probably many SLI (Speech-Language Impaired) students SLI (Speech-Language Impaired) students should be served in classrooms rather should be served in classrooms rather than speech ”closets”!!than speech ”closets”!!
What in the world do What in the world do SLPs work on???SLPs work on???
We work on Speaking , Listening , We work on Speaking , Listening , Reading and Writing!!Reading and Writing!!
Language, spoken, read or writtenLanguage, spoken, read or written Articulation, (the way sounds are Articulation, (the way sounds are
pronounced)pronounced) Fluency ( stuttering, the rhythm of Fluency ( stuttering, the rhythm of
spoken language) spoken language) Voice, quality (hoarseness, Voice, quality (hoarseness,
raspiness….) raspiness….)
Things we don’t doThings we don’t do Selective mutism (a psychological issue FIRST) Selective mutism (a psychological issue FIRST) Central Auditory Processing Disorder, no area Central Auditory Processing Disorder, no area
of exceptionality for this ONLY if it manifests of exceptionality for this ONLY if it manifests itself as an educationally relevant receptive itself as an educationally relevant receptive language problem!!language problem!!
English Language Learners (teach our English Language Learners (teach our language to non-English speakers) language to non-English speakers)
We serve disorders not differencesWe serve disorders not differences Swallowing (not an educationally relevant skill, Swallowing (not an educationally relevant skill,
we MAY participate on a feeding team) we MAY participate on a feeding team)
Modifications and Modifications and AccommodationsAccommodations
Students with speech and Students with speech and language disorders may have language disorders may have accommodations and modifications accommodations and modifications on their IEP if those on their IEP if those accommodations and modifications accommodations and modifications are necessary and directly related are necessary and directly related to the disability.to the disability.
We WANT to doWe WANT to do Collaborate with teachersCollaborate with teachers Serve students in classrooms, Serve students in classrooms,
regular education, resource, or self regular education, resource, or self containedcontained
Contribute our knowledge to Contribute our knowledge to student assistance teams, literacy student assistance teams, literacy teams, curriculum teams…….teams, curriculum teams…….
DismissalDismissal Speech is not a life time service. Speech is not a life time service.
We set goals , work to meet them We set goals , work to meet them and dismiss most all students. and dismiss most all students.
Students with autism and Students with autism and intellectual disabilities will have intellectual disabilities will have different communication different communication expectations …much more social/ expectations …much more social/ functional, less academic. functional, less academic.
Services on behalf of Services on behalf of studentsstudents
The Related Service Support Description, a The Related Service Support Description, a new part of the IEP helps related service new part of the IEP helps related service providers document services we provide on providers document services we provide on behalf of students.behalf of students.
This is often a more appropriate way to serve This is often a more appropriate way to serve students e.g. engineering communication students e.g. engineering communication rich classrooms, programming augmented rich classrooms, programming augmented communication systems, teaching other communication systems, teaching other students/ teachers /cafeteria workers…. to students/ teachers /cafeteria workers…. to interact with aug. comm. users and other interact with aug. comm. users and other speech impaired students…….speech impaired students…….
Intellectually disabled Intellectually disabled and autistic studentsand autistic students
Evidence exists that these students Evidence exists that these students do not carry over skills taught in do not carry over skills taught in the speech ”closet” through drill the speech ”closet” through drill and practice. They DO use and practice. They DO use communication skills taught where communication skills taught where they are used, (in classrooms, on they are used, (in classrooms, on work sites in the cafeteria, work sites in the cafeteria, playground) so SLPs want to serve playground) so SLPs want to serve students in those places.students in those places.
DismissalDismissal Most students should be dismissed Most students should be dismissed
from speech after having met their from speech after having met their goals or when they plateau ( little goals or when they plateau ( little or no progress over IEP period).or no progress over IEP period).
For self contained students For self contained students communication should and usually communication should and usually does go on all day long every day does go on all day long every day perhaps just requiring the perhaps just requiring the collaborative services of the SLP.collaborative services of the SLP.
CaseloadsCaseloads NC has a caseload capacity of 50 NC has a caseload capacity of 50
with the possibility of waivers for with the possibility of waivers for slightly above that number. Any slightly above that number. Any given caseload should reflect given caseload should reflect multiple service delivery models, a multiple service delivery models, a variety of settings and allow time variety of settings and allow time for planning with teachers, for planning with teachers, completing procedural paperwork, completing procedural paperwork, and committee assignments……and committee assignments……
CredentialingCredentialing NC DPI License to teach in the area of NC DPI License to teach in the area of
speech-language pathology, (must have speech-language pathology, (must have for school service).for school service).
ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) 9 months of study with a master (CCC) 9 months of study with a master clinician past the masters degree, clinician past the masters degree, (recommended and many possess).(recommended and many possess).
NC Board of Examiners License in NC Board of Examiners License in Speech-Language Pathology, Speech-Language Pathology, (recommended and many possess) (recommended and many possess)
MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR SLP!!MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR SLP!!
We want to help you and help ALL We want to help you and help ALL children succeed!!children succeed!!