Each week there will likely be short periods of “open” time due to absences, special events, or structured paperwork time. During this time, the student you are supervising should assist you with administrative tasks. The following are suggestions for how your student may be independently productive during downtime:
Complete unfinished daily treatment notes.
Prepare treatment plans for the following day.
Study assessments and practice administering them.
Create treatment materials.
Help sanitize toys and surfaces.
Grab a few toys or games and brainstorm an auditory, speech and language activity for each one.
Complete any paperwork needed for assessment reports (i.e., scoring protocols, completing intelligibility ratings, completing conversational competence evaluations, SALT analyses, chart reviews).
Write weekly emails to parents regarding current treatment activities and progress with suggestions for carryover in the home and send to supervisor for review.
Complete any assessment report writing assignments.
Observe classrooms or one of another clinician’s sessions (discuss with supervisor prior so that they can make sure this is okay with the teachers).
Complete any assigned readings.
Look at kid’s cumulative file who is on your caseload. Your student can take notes on report formats, history of services and any surprises (e.g. past medical history, home language, etc).
Do research on and develop a plan for a child on your caseload who is new for you or has unusual needs (e.g. Fluency, behavior, AAC, rare syndromes etc).
Observe in a classroom and take notes on the kids who are on your caseload related to engagement, interaction, and challenges in the classroo
The following outline serves as a suggestive guideline for the course of the externship at a school or EI facility.
Week 1
□ Determine externship hours and days.
□ Tour the school/site, learn what is housed in each building and meet faculty and staff.
□ Review employee or volunteer procedures and get name badge.
□ Observe sessions and get to know treatment goals, and activities used.
□ Conduct chart reviews of students.
Week 2
□ Begin assessment with one child and score protocols.
□ Conduct treatment activities for two younger student/groups as planned by supervisor.
□ Conduct treatment activities for two older student/groups as planned by supervisor.
Week 3
□ Conduct treatment activities and do the planning for more groups/individuals.
□ Continue assessment.
□ Write background and history for report.
□ Observe and collect data on groups and individuals.
□ Assist in the completion of daily treatment notes.
Weeks 4-5
□ Plan and conduct treatment for most groups/individuals.
□ Write assessment results (formal measures).
□ Begin a second assessment.
□ Observe and collect data for some groups/individuals.
□ Complete daily treatment notes.
Weeks 6-8
□ Plan and conduct treatment for all groups/individuals.
□ Continue with second assessment.
□ Write up background history and assessment results (formal and informal).
□ Coach parent during for one activity during a session (co-planned) or create training materials for parents to send home.
□ Observe and collect data.
□ Complete daily treatment notes.
□ Complete an IEP or IFSP with guidance.
Weeks 9-11
□ Continue treatment planning and activities.
□ Continue with assessments.
□ Continue report writing of both formal and informal measures.
□ Complete an IEP or IFSP with less guidance.
□ Generate goal ideas for upcoming IEP or IFSP.
□ Coach parent during one activity (co-planned) and teach parent one auditory strategy.
□ Review results from an evaluation with team and parents at an IEP or IFSP meeting.
The SPHR Department at Portland State University prepares graduate students for speech-language pathology positions across employment settings (hospitals, schools, private practice). Many graduate students complete externships in school settings. The graduate students receive training in clinical assessment and intervention for individuals with communication, cognition, and swallowing disorders. They do not receive training in any areas of personal care (e.g., toileting or grooming), safety interventions (e.g., disciplinary measures, restraints, or holds), or other tasks outside of the scope of practice of speech and hearing sciences. Within educational externships, graduate students should not be involved in any aspects of student care or support for which they are not trained due to university liability and safety issues.
Supervisors will receive a 1-year subscription to ASHA Learning Pass. You will receive an email to opt in to this.
We offer free CEUs on supervision to all PSU supervisors