Katie McCouch
WHAT IS AN SLP?
You may know us as the 'speech teachers' but there's more to Speech Language Pathology than speech alone.
Find out more by following this link: ASHA SLP fact sheet
SL Guidelines
Come in and have a seat.
Be RESPECTFUL
Do YOUR BEST
Listen
Follow instructions
Look at who is talking
Keep hands and feet to yourself
Take Turns
Thank others for playing or sharing
Filter thought bubbles before making speech bubbles
(who, what, when, where, why, and how)
Use what you learn during SL at home, class, and EVERYWHERE!
OUR ultimate goal is for you to be a great communicator on your own!
S tudents P ractice and E xercise E xcellent C ommunication H abits
*In our sessions, a variety of speech and language needs are addressed; so although often services by the SLP are referred to as going to "SPEECH", not all kids need to work on speech or only speech. Some kids are seen for: stuttering, social skills, language, etc. (see Areas Targeted). Thus, 'SL' (Speech-Language) is a more fitting label.
*Hearing, Vision, Dentition/Oral care, and Breathing are also very important for communication, be sure to follow-up on any concerns you or others may have in these areas with your health-care provider.
*The more students practice their communication skills, the faster they will progress in their needed area so… PRACTICE skills: In the SL (Speech & Language) room- In the Classroom- During Specials-During Recreational Time-At Home- and EVERYWHERE! Communication is needed everwhere and for virtually everything, so practice in all situations is very important!!!
*HOMEWORK*: Generally I do not send home 'homework' for students I serve. If you wish to have homework to work on you may request it if you desire. All parents should consider reviewing their student's latest progress report for what your student works on and work it into your regular day. For example, if your student works on 'categories', as you sort through your closet, you could group what clothing is for winter or for footwear, etc. If your child works on a particular sound, like /r/. You could pick out some words that have that sound, which your child encounters often, and ask them to say that word, or use the word in a phrase or sentence. If your student works at the conversation level, you could ask them to tell what they did during recess or specials classes and tell them to use their 'best speech sounds' for the next 1-3 minutes. For more things to practices visit the 'Speech and Language Resources' portion of this wiki. There you will find webpages with reinforcement ideas and apps that you could download. Again, if you still wish to have specific items sent home, contact me and I will be happy to send it to you.
SL Resources
Presenting Myself Well-Hygeine
Resources for learning more about speech and language:
American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association {This is the national governing body for speech language pathologists- loads of info!}
'Parent Center Hub' SL information
Communication Development by Grade Level
Developmental Milestones Birth-5 years Speech Milestone Development Chart
Phonological Cycles Treatment Explained
National Stuttering Association
Explanation of Speech Hierarchy
Speech Helpers. (Great Resource!)
Strategies and Activities to improve speech and language. (This is not an exhaustive list by any means. If you search the internet you will be able to find many other resources. I would be happy to provide additional resources and materials specific to your child if you let me know.):
An SLP's webpage- resources, games, activities
Words for Practicing Speech and Language
Apps for Speech & Language:
If you have a tablet of some kind, there are many Speech and Language Apps that you could download also. This is a non-exhaustive of some Apps we use in the SL room:
Artic/Phonology: SpeechTutor, R Intensive, ArticPix, Pocket Artic, Oral Motor, Articulate it, Minimal Pairs
Language:
Super Duper: Name That Category, Irregular Verbs, Let's Name Things, Plurals, Understanding Inferences.
Syntax City, Describe It, One Step Two Step, My Play Home
WHAT WE WORK ON IN SL
Language Skills:
Including but not limited to...
- Story Traits
- Synonyms/Antonyms
- Word Meanings
- Idioms
- Parts of Speech (e.g. nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, prepositions, etc.)
- Grammar
- Reading Comprehension
- Question asking/answering
- Comparisons
- Pre-reading skills
- Phonemic Awareness- understanding and manipulation of sounds, e.g. rhyming. This P.A. impacts reading ability.
Producing Sounds:
- Articulation- working on placement of tongue/teeth/lips to make sounds correctly
- Phonology- similar to articulation, but additionally shaping how the mind represents the sound and how it is made
Aural Rehabilitation:
- For those with hearing loss- working on making distinctions between sounds heard and sounds said
Fluency (Stuttering & Cluttering):
- Shaping fluency and modifying stuttering/cluttering using strategies (e.g. pull-out/slide, easy-onset, cancellation, preparatory sets)
- We also address managing the emotional aspects of stuttering/cluttering
Social Skills:
- Building understanding of social conventions and how to carry them out
Voicing:
- Breath support, Pitch, Nasality, and/or Volume being too high or too low; Hoarseness and general qualify of voice if inappropriate for age or gender
Oral Motor Skills:
- May address tongue, teeth, jaw, and/or lips motor abilities in range of movement, accuracy, and speed
Swallowing (Dysphagia):
- This is not often targeted in the school setting, but does fall under the scope of practice for an SLP. This may be associated with oral motor skills also.
IEP INFORMATION
IEPs can be very confusing, if you ever have questions or concerns please contact me, I'm happy to help! Here is some info that may be especially helpful if you are new to IEPs and how they work.
- What IS an IEP?
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are designed specifically for your student based on their specific needs. Speech and Language services are under special education and thus in order to receive services from a speech language pathologist (SLP) in the school, the child would have to qualify as having a disability in an area of communication which impedes academic achievement. More information about what an IEP is can be found by going to the provided link: ED.Gov Guide to IEP.
- Scheduling an IEP
I will contact you in advance to see what time and date work for you to come in. You will be notified by me probably 3 times to set up and confirm your meeting. I use phone, notes sent with your student (check that backpack!), and mail the most. I can also email if you'd like. It is important for me to have the meeting completed within a certain window of days. So if you will need to reschedule, please call me ASAP at the school! I'll be happy to accomodate you in any way possible. (316) 322-4860 is Skelly's phone number; call and ask for Katie McCouch.
- How often do I attend an IEP meeting?
*IEPs are due annually (from the date of the last IEP) at a minimum. Usually your meetings will be around the same month each year. *If goals or settings etc. are changing, your child's IEP meeting may be moved up OR you may have an additional meeting to 'Amend' the IEP. *Every 3 years, your student is due for a re-evaluation, which sometimes you can waive depending on the situation. *A re-evaluation can be done before the 3 years mark if needed.
- Who comes to an IEP or Re-evaluation meeting?
You the parent(s), regular education teacher, special education teacher, and an administrator at the minimum typically are the people at a meeting. You can bring others with you if you like. Also other professionals may be at the meeting if needed to explain information, but you would be notified if that were the case in advance.
- What happens at the IEP meeting?
Meeting content and agenda varies but here is the gist: A DRAFT of the IEP will be presented to you. This is a DRAFT because we want your input because you are an important part of the team! Don't feel that the IEP is set in stone before you get there, we have the draft to have something to work from. *Usually we'll review your contact info (address, phone) to make sure everything is current. Be sure to notify the school if any of this changes. *Your student's progress on prior goals and current performance levels will be discussed. *Proposed services including time and placement will be presented also. *Any changes will be discussed and agreed upon. * New goals will be set for the current IEP. * You will be asked to sign permission for services provided to your student to be charged to Medicaid so the school can get funding for the services give. This DOES NOT in any way impact your personal finances! Even if your child isn't currently Medicaid eligible, we'd prefer to have consent in case they become eligible in the future. When all is finalized, a FINALIZED IEP will be provided to you. Keep this for your records for your own reference and also in the event that you should move.