SLPs in the Schools
Spring 2016
What is an SLP?
At the middle school level, the Speech Language Pathologist's (SLP) role is to support and be a resource for our students AND our teachers! We are here to help you with our students who are having issues in your class and with any communication and language questions you have. We can help you brainstorm ways to get some students engaged, participating appropriately, ways to help with specific language concepts they aren't getting, etc. We want to know what struggles they're having in your class that we can try to help alleviate. If they have speech sound errors or stutter let us know if you notice them getting progressively worse or are seeing improvement! When we only pull them once or twice a week, or go into one of their classes, we only see a snippet of their overall functioning. We’re relying on you to help us help you and them! Let us know what we can do to be a better resource for you!
Teacher Articulation Report
You may receive this regarding a student. There is no need to have the student say each word. Most of the time, you have already heard the student's speech sound errors so make a note of it for the SLP on this form. Sometimes it's helpful to look over this sheet before the student's class, then keep an ear out for the specific sounds you hear errors on.
This form is an easy way to give the SLP feedback on how the student is performing in the class.Teacher Language Report
This form has specific language skills laid out in a checklist. Please mark skills you have observed. Don't mark anything if you have not observed the skills or are unsure. The SLP will notify you if there are any further questions.
This form is an easy way to give the SLP feedback on how the student is performing in the class.
The Teacher's Role in the ARD
As a teacher, you are our curriculum expert. The information you provide allows the parents to see either how well their child is able to access curriculum, or how they are struggling to access the curriculum, and what is being done to improve their educational experience. Your primary role is to share any specific feedback regarding the student's performance in your class. Positive feedback are very welcome so that the meeting doesn't become centered on how the child isn’t performing on level with their peers.
This may look like:
Bringing in a few recent work samples to show types of activities done in class. This would be excellent proof that continuing or introducing modified assignments is necessary for them to succeed.
It may look like explaining various aspects of the curriculum to the parents, or suggesting ways that they can help their children at home, reiterating study strategies and resources their children may be forgetting to take advantage of, such as tutorials or practice websites.
If you have a student for advisory, you get to see that student in a less structured environment than most teachers. Whether you’re asked to be present in the ARD or to share information for their PLAAFP, we'd like to know how they’re handling that extra freedom - especially for those of our kids who do great in a highly structured setting, but have a really difficult time when given less expectations, such as in advisory. Do they stand out from their peers? Do they engage with a variety of peers? By initiating conversations or only by responding? Typically with peers, or only with you? Do they participate appropriately in those conversations?
As always, each student and each ARD has needs of its’ own. Your knowledge of the curriculum and of each student as an individual is essential for both to succeed!