What does the SLP do in my child's school?

-Screen students to find out if they need further speech and language testing.

-Evaluate speech and language skills, including articulation, receptive/expressive language, and social pragmatics.

-Decide, with the team, whether the child is eligible for services.

-Work with the team to develop an individualized education program or IEP. IEPs are written for students who qualify for services under Federal and State law. The IEP lists goals for the student.

-Work with children who are at risk for communication and learning problems.

-Determine if children need specialized instruction called response to intervention or RTI.

-Make sure that communication goals support student’s learning and social skills.

-Keep track of progress on speech-language goals.

-Research ways to help children do their best in school.

-Give resources and information to students, staff, and parents to help them understand communication.

SLPs assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of communication delays and disorders, which includes:

-Articulation – how we say sounds and put them together in words. Children may substitute one sound for another, delete a sound, or have problems saying certain sounds clearly.

-Nonverbal Disabilities - those who are not able to speak and learn other ways to communicate through AAC.

-Language – vocabulary, concepts and grammar. Includes how well words are used and understood. Language problems can lead to reading and writing problems too.

-Social communication – how to take turns, how close to stand to someone when talking, how to start and stop a conversation, and following the rules of conversation.

Voice – how we sound when we speak. The voice may sound hoarse or nasal. A child may lose his/her voice easily, or may speak in a voice that’s too loud, too soft, too high or too low. This is often evaluated by an ENT as well.

Stuttering – also called a fluency disorder is how well our speech flows. Children may have trouble starting to speak or may repeat sounds, syllables, words, or phrases.

-Cognitive Communication (thinking and memory) – includes problems with long term or short term memory, attention, problem solving or staying organized.

​-Feeding and swallowing - also called dysphagia is how well we chew and swallow food and liquid. Swallowing problems can make it hard for your child do to well in school and may lead to other health problems.