Download What does a Speech-Language Pathologist

Created and Presented By:
Ms. Ashley Ciecko, M.S. CFY-SLP
Glen Oak Community Learning Center
Peoria School District #150
Peoria, IL
Fall 2012
 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

 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
 Work
with children
who have
communication
problems that
affect success in…
Classroom activities
 Literacy
 Learning
 Social interaction

Prevention
 Identification
 Assessment
 Evaluation
 Development of IEPs
 Remediation/Therapy
 Progress Monitoring

…a variety of speech and
language disorders
 Documentation
of
outcomes
 Collaboration
with…





Teachers
Administrators
Other professionals
Parents/Guardians
THE STUDENT!
 Advocacy
for
teaching practices
& implementation
of techniques into
the curriculum
 Language
 Pragmatic
Language
 Articulation/Phonological
 Voice
 Fluency
 Auditory Processing and
Comprehension
 Hearing Impairment
 Oral-Motor
 Swallowing/Feeding
(a.k.a. Dysphagia)
 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
 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”)

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
 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”
 Comprehension
disorders are
characterized by…

Difficulty with word
meaning,
sequencing skills,
and problem solving
Overall…
 Auditory
processing
disorders are
characterized by…

Difficulty
distinguishing and
discriminating
speech sounds
Children with either of these disorders have
difficulty understanding (receiving)
spoken/written (expressive) language
 “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

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

Child will
demonstrate
difficulty with…



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
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
 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
 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

Combine
communication goals
with academic &
social goals



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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


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Monitoring/periodic
screenings
Collaborating & Consulting
Classroom-based services
(“push-in”)
Small group or individual
sessions (“pull-out”)
 COME
SEE ME!
Ask me questions
and express your
concerns
 Request an
observation or
screening
 Bring examples
and/or details (The
more the merrier!)

Remember…
One of the most important connections
between the students and myself is
YOU!!!
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 speechlanguage pathologist (slp) do? SpeechLanguage 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
