The Speech Language The Speech Language Pathologist’s Role in SchoolsPathologist’s Role in Schools

ByBy

Your 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 Participate in Student Assistance

TeamTeam 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 It is a regular education initiative but SLP input can be valuable.but 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 SLPs can collaborate with teachers to conduct classroom based to 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 provides

ALL 3 prongs must exist and be documented ALL 3 prongs must exist and be documented to lead to eligibility!!to lead to eligibility!!

Serving StudentsServing Students

The Individuals with Disabilities The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 04) Education Improvement Act (IDEA 04) AND The NC Policies that Govern Services AND The NC Policies that Govern Services for Children with Disabilities say Special for Children with Disabilities say Special Education BEGINS in regular education Education BEGINS in regular education settings then moves to more restrictive settings then moves to more restrictive environments. In practice this means environments. In practice this means that probably many SLI (Speech-that probably many SLI (Speech-Language Impaired) students should be Language Impaired) students should be served in classrooms rather than speech served in classrooms rather than speech ”closets”!!”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 Selective mutism (a psychological issue FIRST) FIRST)

Central Auditory Processing Disorder, no Central Auditory Processing Disorder, no area of exceptionality for this ONLY if it area of exceptionality for this ONLY if it manifests itself as an educationally relevant manifests itself as an educationally relevant receptive language problem!!receptive 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 Swallowing (not an educationally relevant

skill, we MAY participate on a feeding team) skill, 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!!