A day in the life of a speech language pathologist?

Question

Hi, I am interested in learning more about what speech language pathologists do, especially those who work in elementary school age children or in the arts with people who speak for a living. No I am not looking for a general description via wikipedia, but information from a real SLP/CC. Thank you!

Answer 1

I am not a speech therapist but I have worked with one as an interpreter for the Deaf.  I have always thought it odd that ST's aren't required to take American Sign Language as a foreign language.  If you end up working with the Deaf...it is so beneficial for you to know the language well yourself and not rely on an interpreter.  It slows the process down.  Consider taking ASL.

Answer 2

I am a speech therapist. I'll tell you what I do day to day.

I am currently employed by an imtermediate unit that provides services to school age kids.  I visit 5 different schools a week, mostly high schools.

My schedule is great: I word from 7:30-2:30 and I get all the school holidays and summers off.  I generally see kids back to back in 30-45 minute sessions.  In some classrooms I do a group lesson a week. I get 45 mins for lunch and then I see kids until 2:30

I just left the hospital setting. There my day was generally 9-5:30 or 10-6:30. I also was on an on-call rotation meaning I had to work 1 weekend a month in addition to full time hours.  

In this setting, I saw kids: preschool and school age in an outpatient setting.  The big buisness was after school hours.  During the day time for a few days a week, I would drive over to the main hospital and see adults with swallowing and communication problems, usually following a stroke.

The schools are def. better.

Answer 3

SLP's work on IEP goals that are based upon the student's speech levels.  You would help expand language (semantics, phonetics, morphology, articulation).  You can work 1 on 1 with a child or in small groups.  There are different types of children SLP's work with.  Mine instruct children with hearing losses.  Other ones I have worked with work on speech impediments or specific sounds that a child is missing or mispronouncing.  You will do testing, reports, and present data to parents about their child.  Children can have a variety of speech abilities.  Your job would be to identify it and fix it.  It is a very important job, and is rewarding.

Answer 4

They deliver special education services per what the IEP says for particular students in Elementary School. Some conduct social skills groups, some go in to the classroom and deliver the services per small group or 1:1. Or, they pull the students out and deliver the services via 1:1 or small group. The SLP is part of the IEP team as well and does testing, and parcipates in the IEP process on the team. The SLP in our school does these things, and walks around the halls with her coffee cup, as well.