May is Better Hearing and Speech Month From your friendly, neighborhood Speech-Language Pathologist
To help understand what we do… Many words that SLPs use are unique to their field within special education Resources are available for clarification Our primary goal is to educate the student
Common Terms Difference vs. Disorder Articulation vs. Phonology Organic vs. Functional Fluency vs. Dysfluency Accommodations vs. Modifications Syntax vs. Semantics Augmentative vs. Alternative Communication Pragmatics vs. Cognition
Difference vs. Disorder Difference: distinct or different variations of a language, as in second language learners Disorder: atypical language usage as compared to someone the same age
Articulation vs. Phonology Articulation: producing speech sounds Phonology: how speech sounds work together to make words
Organic vs. Functional Organic: known impairment (Cerebral Palsy) Functional: unknown cause of impairment (no reason for speech sound errors)
Fluency vs. Dysfluency Fluency: speech that is clear, rhythmic, smooth, or effortless Dysfluency: also known as “stuttering, or stammering”; effortful speech, or speech that is disrupted and “bumpy”
Accommodations vs. Modifications Accommodations: tools or strategies to help a student complete tasks or achieve goals Modifications: actual changes made to a task to be at the best level possible in the general curriculum
Syntax vs. Semantics Syntax: grammar Semantics: vocabulary and word meaning
Augmentative vs. Alternative Communication Augmentative: a device to help enhance a person’s current communication Alternative: something to replace another form of communication
Pragmatics vs. Cognition Pragmatics is the functional use of language to get what you need or want. Cognition is how you make sense of your environment.
Resources for Help Private vendors and websites, like Super Duper* Publications, have lots of materials and free information. ASHA is the national association for certification of SLPs. The state has a board of examiners governing SLP licenses. The GA DOE has an entire division that regulates service delivery.
Educational Relevance Students should go through the Response to Intervention (RtI) process in SST before consideration for special services. A disorder must be present AND Showing a negative educational impact because of that disorder. FAPE/IDEA governs how we work to get kids on the same playing field as peers.
Job duties TeachingBilling
Collaboration WITH Teachers Meetings Standards Planning WITH Administrators Professional Learning Training sessions Compliance/Productivity
Communication in the Workplace Ask me We are in this together “I love you, man!” Not an “old dog”