Attend a Speech Pathology Study Abroad Program!
Spend a week in another country with other professionals, your family, and friends.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience earning ASHA CEUs and learning how to serve people from diverse backgrounds.
Get Advance Notice When Registration Opens!
Trip size is limited due to the unique places we go, accommodations, and special cultural events. We will let you know when registration opens.
2025 SLP Study Abroad - Cork, Ireland!
July 13th-18th - 20 CEU Hours
Join us for a week of fun, learning, and culture as we spend our next study abroad trip on the southern coast of Ireland. Each day we will spend half our day learning the newest and most innovative approaches to evaluating and treating children from any culture or language background. Then we will venture around Cork and southern Ireland, taking in the food, history, culture, and diversity.
Why Cork, Ireland?
Our goal is that you return to your work re-energized to serve your incredible caseload with the tools to understand cultural & linguistic diversity and can dismiss more kids!
- Cork has an immense history of immigration and emigration. Deepening our understanding of these experiences will help us understand the families we work with better.
- Have you used our Venn diagrams or Difference or Disorder book? Did you know that John Venn based his work on Boolean Logic and Boole did his work at University Cork College?
- The music, culture, people, and food are fantastic.
- It’s a great jumping off point to add extra days for Ireland, Great Britain, or Europe.
Here’s a glimpse of our 5-day journey together…
Sunday, July 13th
Arrival
Sunday arrivals mean the ease of weekend travel and the ability to get settled in before we kick things off on Monday. There are direct flights into Cork and the airport is just 15-20 minutes from the town center. Connecting flights from Dublin and London are relatively short.
Monday, July 14th
Difference or Disorder – Speech Success with Speech Sound Disorders & Train Trip to the Port City of Cobh
We begin the conference by diving into articulation, phonology, and speech sound disorders. You will be able to confidently assess and intervene on the correct sounds regardless of which languages a child speaks.
Then, we jump on a train and head to the coastal town of Cobh (pronounced Cove). We will get a tour of the town learning about one of Europe’s largest emigration points. It also happens to be the last port of call for the Titanic! It is a beautifully colorful town at the base of a hill with an immense gothic cathedral.
Tuesday, July 15th
Difference or Disorder – Language, Dynamic Assessment & Free Day
Language assessment and intervention is all about mastering non-standardized assessment strategies to confidently diagnose, gauge progress and identify perfect targets and goals. We cover this in-depth for an entire day before heading out on the town.
So much to see and do that we couldn’t fit it all into our itinerary. We added a free afternoon because Cork is such a unique city, and the surrounding area is beautiful.
Walk through the old town, buy farm-fresh foods at the English Market and climb the steps at St. Anne’s to ring the bells. Take a train ride to the beautiful shops and port of Kinsale. Visit Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone. Or, head to Midleton for the famed Jameson Distillery tour.
Wednesday, July 16th
Perfecting Referrals, Re-evaluations to Reduce Caseloads & Boat Trip Out of Cork Harbor
50% of work in maintaining appropriate caseload sizes is getting the right students on our caseload and dismissing quickly and effectively. We introduce modern methods and tools that enable massive caseload reductions.
There is no better way to learn about the culture and history of Ireland than to float out on one of the natural calm, safe harbors that have made it famous for centuries. We will board a boat near the hotel and learn from local guides as we venture out towards the Atlantic and back.
Thursday, July 17th
Literacy-Based Intervention, Curriculum-Based Intervention & Farewell dinner and Irish dance and music at the Marina Market
In our final day of content, the cultural and linguistic diversity picture is made complete as we tackle intervention. We share intervention strategies that not only work with children from all backgrounds but accelerate that growth in the classroom.
Alas, all good things come to an end! And, we will celebrate at the Marina Market with a good dose of Irish food, libations, music, and culture.
Friday, July 18th
Departure: Head Home or Plan Another Adventure
We know from our last few trips that the only way to make it better is to not let it end! Tack on a few days to see more of Ireland or Great Britian and Europe are just a short hop away.
How Are You Earning Your CEUs?
There has never been an opportunity like this for SLPs
The Speech Pathology Study Abroad Program offers SLPs an opportunity to travel to beautiful countries like Belize, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic and explore new places, cuisines, cultures, religions, ways of living, and approaches to supporting individuals with disabilities.
Our weeklong study abroad programs offer 20-30 hours of continuing education and address all of the competencies in cultural and linguistic diversity outlined by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), and many more competencies that will advance your cultural competence and cultural humility.
Immersion in Cultural & Linguistic Diversity
Speech-language pathologists need 30 CE hours across three years. And yes, there are other speech and language therapy conferences to choose from. But, how much are you looking forward to going to those? How life-changing will the experience be?
Wouldn’t you rather earn up to 30 hours of CE in a single week? Wouldn’t you rather be in another country to do it?
Bilinguistics has been traveling internationally to present and work for two decades. SLPs routinely share that they would LOVE to study abroad for speech pathology so we were excited when we met Therapy Abroad because they have been putting together speech pathology study abroad programs for undergraduate students for years.
Speech Therapy Study Abroad Program attendees will receive a Certificate in Cultural and Linguistic Diversity showing completion of courses with all the information you need to confidently diagnose and treat diverse populations. Plus, you’ll earn all or most of the ASHA CEUs you need for your 3-year earning period.
Here is an example from a prior weeklong program:
Testimonial
What did this SLP attendee have to say about the trip?
Get notified when registration begins.
WHY THIS TRIP MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER
3 global trends are making all western countries become diverse faster than any time in history.
Where does this leave us? In the perfect position to help!
At Bilinguistics, we love our jobs and some of our best days are meeting families from around the world and learning about their languages and traditions. But, we have been focused on working with diverse populations for 20 years and are comfortable and proficient at it.
We refer, test, treat, and dismiss students from diverse backgrounds confidently. And now, you can too. We will spend the first half of every day during each speech pathology study abroad program teaching you how to get there. Then, we’ll put our lessons into practice in the community in the afternoons.
Here’s is what we will focus on during each speech pathology study abroad program:
- Identify the difference between disorder and native language influence
- Effectively evaluate students from diverse language backgrounds
- Improve your students’ success in therapy
- Successfully treat all types of speech sound disorders
- Reduce therapy planning with literacy-based intervention
- Increase student interest with culturally-rich therapy
- Improve your professional interactions with parents and teachers
When added to the cultural activities in the afternoon, you will walk away with 20-30 hours of ASHA CEUs and won’t have to sit on another Zoom workshop for 3 years!
What Are Previous Attendees Saying?
“I have been traveling to speech and language conferences for over 20 years, from the big ASHA conference to small local conferences. I have traveled abroad for some too. None of them compare to this experience from a holistic perspective. This was the best gathering of speech-therapists, it was almost as if the group was handpicked and put together. Everyone loved being around another, even though most of us were meeting for the first time. Unlike the conferences in the states, I never ate alone a single time!!! People would just invite themselves to the table if you were there, and it would always grow. Priceless. The country was beautiful. The citizens were precious. Our staff from top to bottom–even the drivers—were outstanding.”
“Often times being a school-based SLP can feel isolating. You’re not a teacher but you’re helping with students and a lot of times you’re overlooked and no one really understands what you do. And when it comes to treating in areas with diversity it’s just lacking. I am thrilled to take this new information into my new job and create an environment of cultural competence and diversity from the start. It was a deeeeep breath of fresh air to be in a room with people with a common goal and similar passions. And getting to learn about another culture in the process was the cherry on top. I have already texted other therapy friends (I was nice enough to include OT/PT) and told them to look into Therapy Abroad for future trips! I’m already ready for the next one!”
Summer Speech and Language Therapy Conference FAQ
We do not know of any other speech pathology summer study abroad programs like this one so we are sure you have tons of questions. Thankfully, we have tons of answers! Bilinguistics is teaming up with Therapy Abroad to host this event. Bilinguistics has 20+ years of experience delivering highly impactful, culturally appropriate continuing education. If you have any question about the content, contact Bilinguistics.
Therapy Abroad has made its name creating speech language pathology internships abroad for students and their mentors. We built an extensive FAQ including information on health, safety, cost, and travel at TherapyAbroad.org. Start there and then reach out to them if you have any logistics related questions.
Which country is best for speech pathology internships and study abroad?
The best countries for speech language pathology experiences are safe, fun, and provide real-world interactions with the cultures, people, and languages that we encounter on our caseloads. We have developed partnerships with the governments and university systems in Belize, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Mexico (Oaxaca), and even Iceland and Bulgaria!
When are the SLP Study Abroad trips held?
We set one speech pathology conference in the summer so that school and clinic SLPs can take advantage of their summer schedule and vacation. Plus! very few speech language pathology conferences are attended by professionals from around the world. We wanted this event to be international in the sense that we go to another country but also international by having SLPs from all over the world attend.
Is there a refund policy and what about COVID?
Therapy Abroad has already traveled with students during the pandemic without incident. They choose countries that have been hyper-vigilant about health and safety because of their dependence on tourism. We are confident this speech pathology study abroad program will be successful based on each trip we have hosted so far. If it is cancelled, you are guaranteed a full refund.
Who Can Earn CEUs?
We’ve had people reach out to clarify whether they can earn CEUs if they are in between these stages (e.g. out of graduate school but not yet started in a clinical fellowship). We consulted with ASHA on this and they shared that in order to get CEUs that go into the ASHA CE registry, you either have to be a graduate student, a Clinical Fellow, or a fully licensed SLP. If you do not meet one of those criteria, you can get a certificate showing that you completed the hours to share with your employer, however, the hours will not go toward your 3-year ASHA certification interval (the three-year period in which you need to earn 30 hours of credit). For those of you who are in a CF, your CE Interval will not start until you are fully licensed.
All that said, we encourage you to come even if you aren’t putting hours on your registry. You’ll have fun, learn a lot, and get an experience of a lifetime!
Can friends and family come along?
What has been one of the most common questions about the trip? Can I bring someone? The answer is yes. Not only that, but we are also putting together some plans for them while you attend the workshop (in case the amazing hotels and nearby attractions aren’t enough!).
And remember those grad school friends you never see enough of? Have them come too!
Is it safe to travel and study abroad?
Therapy Abroad takes groups of speech pathology students abroad over 25 times each year. They have a relationship, knowledge, and familiarity with the countries that we choose.
Safety is a systematic and comprehensive process and we understand that safety concerns are a part of planning for any overseas travel. We have organized this program from beginning to end so that we can account for all of the details. Our goal is to provide you with a smooth and worry-free educational travel experience and superior professional development.
Program Pricing and What's Included
What is included in the SLP Study Abroad Program?
- Pre-Departure Support
- 24/7 In-Country Support
- Boutique 3 Star Accommodation (2 Bed Shared)
- Most Meals
- All Domestic Transport
- Private Guides
- All Coursework
- Professional Facilitators
- All Scheduled Activities
- 30 Hours of ASHA CEUs
- Certificate in Cultural & Linguistic Diversity
What is not included?
- International Flights. Example: approx. $450-600 to Belize (Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport)
- Travel Insurance
- Optional Private Single Room
- Friends and Family Reduced Rate (tell us about who you would like to bring to get a quote). Age-related expenses vary depending on the trip.
Is there a refund policy?
All of our programs are covered by Therapy Abroad’s 100% Tuition Refund Policy. If any program is canceled by Therapy Abroad due to SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), we will refund you all of your tuition (including deposit).
How much does the program cost and how did you arrive at this price?
Register for the program with a refundable $500 deposit which holds your spot. Full payment will be due 60 days prior to the trip.
Using prior years as an example, trips cost around $2500. This price is subject to change.
Based on recent attendence to the 4-day national convention, SLPs report on spending $2500-$3500 for flights, entrance, hotel, and food, earning 8-12 CEU hours. We have been able to keep prices about the same, include increadible experiences, and award 30 CEU hours.
DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Ellen Kester, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. Dr. Ellen Kester is the owner of Bilinguistics and receives a salary. Bilinguistics receives royalty payments for online courses. DISCLOSURE OF NONFINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS : Ellen Kester does not have any non-financial relationships to disclose related to the speech pathology summer study abroad programs.
DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Scott Prath, M.A., CCC-SLP is a salaried employee of Bilinguistics. Bilinguistics receives royalty payments for online courses.
DISCLOSURE OF NONFINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS: Scott Prath does not have any non-financial relationships to disclose related to the speech pathology summer study abroad programs.
It's Time to Travel!
Give yourself a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Give your community and team the expert information they need to serve all clients well.
