About Speech and Language Services in the schools

The goal and focus of Speech and Language intervention in the schools is to optimize a student’s communication skills within the educational environment.

What is a Speech-Language Specialist?

A speech-language specialist (SLS) is a highly-trained professional who evaluates and treats children in schools who have difficulty with speech or language. Although people often think of speech and language as the same thing, the terms actually have very different meanings.

SPEECH If your child has trouble with speech, he/ she struggles with the “how-to” of talking—the coordination of the muscles and movements necessary to produce speech.

LANGUAGE If your child has trouble with language, he/she struggles with understanding what he/she hears or sees. Your child may struggle to find the right words and/or organize those words in a meaningful way to communicate a message or hold a conversation.

Individualized Education Plan

Speech and Language Services in the schools are dictated by an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). That legal document details the areas of concern and educational impact of them, the plan to remediate the areas and strengthen skills, and the frequency, duration and location of the services that are deemed necessary. The development of the IEP is done by the educational team and can be formally modified throughout the duration of the plan, which is most typically one year. Parents have a VITAL role in the development and implementation of the IEP.