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 materials and surfaces.
Grab a few materials 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, review MBSS videos for increased competency, chart reviews).
Write home programs for clients
Complete any assessment report writing assignments
Observe another clinician’s sessions (discuss with supervisor prior so that they can make sure this is okay with the clinician).
Complete any assigned readings.
Look at client’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, treatment progression, etc).
Do research on and develop a plan for a client on your caseload who is new for you or has unusual needs (e.g. Fluency, behavior, AAC, rare syndromes etc).
Observe in a dining room and take notes on the clients who are not on your caseload related to swallowing, engagement, interaction, and challenges in the dining room.
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 facility/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 clients.
Week 2
Begin assessment with one child/adult and score protocol
Conduct treatment activities for two clients 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.
Complete mid-term evaluation in week 5-6
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 family member during one activity during a session (co-planned) or create training materials for families to send home.
Observe and collect data.
Complete daily treatment notes.
Complete a care conference with guidance.
Weeks 9-11
Continue treatment planning and activities.
Continue with assessments.
Continue report writing of both formal and informal measures.
Complete a care conference with less guidance.
Generate goal ideas for upcoming care conference or discharge planning.
Coach parent during one activity (co-planned) and teach parent one auditory strategy.
Review results from an evaluation with team and family.