This is your site for information on everything you need to know about supervising a PSU graduate student in speech-language pathology. Each of us remember the excitement and the nerves we felt on the first day of our externships. That is the moment where we began to transition from student to professional. As a professional, you have decided to take part in this journey for students and your work has a far reaching impact. You impact not only the graduate student you mentor, but also all the future clients that student works with throughout their career. Congratulations on taking this step to give back to the profession. We hope you find working with students gratifying and invigorating!
We are certain that the student you supervise will gain many new skills this term. In turn, we hope that you will also profit from the experience, perhaps through new insights into your own work as you guide the graduate student or by learning new procedures that the student may use. Along the way, we will be happy to answer any questions you may have, provide you with resources you may need, or share new information with you. Your dedication to the education and training of new professionals within our field is a tremendous contribution! Thank you!
Portland State University and the Speech and Hearing Sciences Department promote the value of diversity, equity, and the recognition that it enriches our campus community by supporting and enhancing an inclusive and culturally respectful environment. The University, College, and Department do not discriminate on the basis of age, citizenship, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and veteran status.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not only a value and a mission of Portland State University and the Speech and Hearing Sciences Department, it is the essential framework of who we are and what we do as an institution and community. Global Diversity and Inclusion is the central division that leads and facilitates the continuous quest for diversity, equity, and inclusion excellence.
The graduate students at PSU participate in rigorous diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings as part of their orientation at the start of their graduate program. They learn to think critically about how their personal attitudes and biases can impact our clients and community. They also engage in self-reflection as part of their learning about our code of ethics as it relates to DEI. Some of the resources we share with students are listed below. We are committed to supporting our supervisors in continuing education in the area of DEI and will keep you up to date on offerings through PSU on this and other topics.
We are excited to share DEI resources with you to support your practice!
● Complete any forms and/or interviews that may be required by the site.
● Plan to be at your externship five days / 40 hours a week.
● ALL compliance documentation including CPR, background check, HIPAA training, and immunizations must be turned in prior to the externship.
● Display professional behavior at all times
● Maintain consistent attendance that meets the needs and demands of the job. (See Attendance and Absences Policy)
● Follow all rules and regulations of the district and specific school sites
● Follow instructions of your supervisor
● Complete the Contract for School or Early Intervention Placement with your supervisor
● Follow the working schedule of your supervisor
● Perform all duties that are expected of your supervisor, such as attending meetings, playground/lunch/bus duty, workshops and participation in service meetings
● Utilize charting, planning and report writing systems of the site
● Contact the PSU coordinator with questions or concerns
● Participate in the following activities as applicable to the placement:
● Identification, selection, and scheduling of caseload
● Speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing evaluations
● Planning and implementing treatment programs, assuming increased independence with the caseload at a pace determined by you and your supervisor
*Students can be in a more passive/observation role in the first couple of weeks, but need to take responsibility for lesson planning and intervention early on in the externship (See attached information on models of taking over or releasing the caseload to the student).
● IEP meetings, parent conferences, grand rounds, and other appropriate meetings with the supervising clinician
● Completion of required paperwork, including IEP’s, reports and other district paperwork
● Logging clock hours into CALIPSO on a weekly basis and submitting clock hours for approval at midterm and the end of the term
Conclusion of externship experience
● Complete any projects or paperwork as directed by your supervisor
● Log any remaining clock hours into CALIPSO and submit clock hours for approval
● Complete Attendance Form and Evaluation of Externship Site and return to the PSU coordinator
● Complete Evaluation of Supervisor on CALIPSO and submit
Recognition of supervisors
● Each supervisor will receive FREE access to the ASHA Learning Pass for one-year.
You will receive an email at the end of the term gauging interest.
If interested, you will then receive a code for your free access.
You can meet all mandatory ASHA trainings and individual interests.
● When contacted by the assigned student clinician, arrange a meeting to allow the student to visit your site if possible. Present expectations and instructions of which the student should be aware
● Verify that your ASHA certification is current
● Verify that you have completed supervising training
● Register with CALIPSO (contact your PSU liaison for registration code)
● Inform the student of the date, place and time to report on the first day
● Be prepared to mentor a student Monday through Friday. If there is a time you will not be there, make arrangements for your student to have another “supervisor” in the building. Students may need to return to campus for classes and the schedule can be adjusted accordingly.
COMMUNICATE with the PSU coordinator. We want to hear from you for any reason, but especially if you have concerns or questions!!!!
● Review site manual with your student
● The student clinician should be expected to perform all activities expected of your position
● Introduce the student clinician to all areas of the site
● Act as a model for all aspects of service, allowing the student sufficient observation time before being given responsibility for various tasks
● Provide supervision according to ASHA guidelines: At least 25% of total contact time must be observed directly by the supervising school clinician (See Supervision Policies)
● Expose the student clinician to a sample of activities performed during a regular week. Provide some experience in as many of the following activities as possible:
● Identification, selection and scheduling of caseload
● Completing speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing evaluations and writing the evaluation reports
● Planning and implementing treatment programs with the student taking responsibility for the caseload for at least two weeks
● Completing IEP’s, participating in IEP meetings, conferences, rounds, and completing other required paperwork
● Register with CALIPSO and complete midterm and final evaluations through CALIPSO
● Contact the PSU coordinator at any time during the term with questions and/or concerns
● Contact sites regarding available supervisors
● Make assignments in cooperation with appropriate site liaisons
● Coordinate with individial site coordinators for non-educational sites and the School of Education Placement Coordinator to follow district procedures and confirm placements for educational sites.
● Visit sites as needed
● Serve as a coordinator between the student and supervising clinician through phone and email contact throughout the term
● Review completed midterm
Conclusion of the externship experience
● Review the final student evaluation
● Verify total clock hours
The policies below apply except in cases of emergency, illness or other exceptions considered on a case by case basis.
● Students on part-time placements may miss no more than 3 days of an externship. Students on full-time placements may miss no more than 5 days of an externship. Any additional absences must also be communicated to the PSU Site Coordinator.
● Planned absences (e.g., planned events) should be a maximum of 1 to 2 days per term unless prior approval has been provided by the PSU Site Coordinator and Externship Supervisor.
● All planned absences must be communicated to the externship site and/or supervisor prior to the externship beginning. Whenever possible, sites and supervisors should be made aware of planned absences during the application and/or interview process.
● Any unplanned absences (e.g., illness, medical/family leave) must be communicated to the Externship Supervisor via phone call or an agreed upon communication method with the Externship Supervisor and via email with the PSU site coordinator. The Externship Supervisor must be notified prior to their workday beginning.
● If students exceed the permitted number of absences, and/or the overall goals set forth by the Externship Supervisor are unable to be met, then the student and/or Externship Supervisor should notify the PSU Site Coordinator.
● If a site celebrates a holiday and their facility is closed, then this does not count towards the total number of absences allowed. If a holiday falls on a day when the student is not generally at the site, students are not permitted to take a day off on an alternative day of the week.