The Speech Therapy Blog
This speech therapy blog is your go-to location for parent support, speech therapy materials, assessment knowledge, and CEU opportunities. We have summarized research into digestible, usable bullets.
As we share our stories, we want you to be a part of the conversation. Speech-language pathology can be overwhelming at times. There is an intensity to serving children with needs and managing high administrative demands. And yet we love what we do. This blog, like many speech therapy blogs for SLPs is a respite from the hectic nature of our lives.
We are part of your village. SLPs, you change the world—one session at a time. Let’s get to work.
Latest Speech Therapy Blogs & Tips
Articulation Disorder in Schools: A Practical Guide for SLPs
Picture this: you’re in the middle of a packed week and you get that question again about an articulation disorder:“What age should they have /r/?”“Is this articulation or phonology?”“Can you give me a simple chart for parents?”“What do I write for the IEP so it...
Expert SLP Advice on Spelling – A Conversation with Katie E. Squires, Ph.D. and Lisa Barnett, BS.Ed
As speech-language pathologists, we see this all the time: Students who can decode sounds but struggle with spelling, their vocabulary growth feels slow, and reading comprehension stalls even when phonological awareness has been addressed. Too often, spelling is...
When Your District Requires Standard Scores for Developmental Delay
I received this question from an SLP in Arizona: “What do you do when the eligibility category being considered is DD and you have a bilingual child where there is no appropriate standardized test … yet the district still wants a standard score of 1.5 SD to qualify in...
Speech Sound Disorder Deep-Dive You Didn’t Know You Needed
Have you ever thought about how unbalanced our understanding of a speech sound disorder is compared to a language disorder? On the language side we are really comfortable with some very technical words like morphology, syntax, and pragmatic use. But what has speech...
Expert Advice on Determining Disability for Multilingual Learners – A Conversation with Angie Neal, M.S., CCC-SLP
Problem-solving meetings meant to help clarify if a bilingual student should be referred for an evaluation sometimes create more questions than answers. We hear things like: Is this a language difference or a disability? Am I missing something important? Why are...
Expert Advice on Evaluation and Eligibility Related to IDEA – A Conversation with Dr. Lissa Power-deFur
If you have been an SLP for more than five minutes, you've probably attended an eligibility meeting wondering whether everyone at the table is using the same rulebook. Between outdated testing practices, inconsistent district policies, and the ever-growing number of...
4 Quick Rules for Understanding Spanish Phonology
A Spanish and English-speaking child sits in front of you staring longingly at your shelf of games while you contemplate a message from her teacher and a phone call you just had with Mom. They both have trouble understanding her. You have ruled out articulation but...
Expert Advice on Increasing Parent Involvement – 3 Videos, 8 1/2 minutes
Speech therapy progress when working with young children can take place in cars, during mealtimes, and while families navigate their busy daily routines. That’s why involving parents and caregivers in the therapeutic process is one of the most powerful ways to help...
Top 12 Errors in Speech-Language Reports for Bilingual Students
We have the privilege of writing, seeing, and proofing many reports throughout the year because of the number of districts we serve and community members who have reached out to us for help. I say "privilege" because it is truly impressive to see the hard work that...
Phonological Processes Explained: A School-Based SLP Guide
During a recent workshop on Success with Speech Sound Disorders we had the distinct and rare pleasure to work with an entire district for an entire day and focus on nothing but sounds. It is uncommon in our hectic schedules to get a full day of professional...
Expert Advice on Supporting Individuals Who Stutter – 3 Videos, 7 1/2 minutes
Stuttering is more than a speech pattern—it is an experience that can shape how a person is seen, treated, and included in the world. For people who stutter, stigma can appear in classrooms, workplaces, and even casual conversations, sometimes in ways that impact...
Using Standardized Tests for Dynamic Assessment in Speech and Language Evals
As SLPs, we all run into this problem: standardized test scores don’t always tell the whole story. A student may fall below the normal limits on a test, but that doesn’t automatically mean they qualify for services. On the flip side, a child may test within normal...
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The best speech therapy blog essays call it like it is but then give examples, ideas, materials, and products that are real solutions that will work for anyone serving in a real environment. Caseloads, paperwork, and budget cuts anyone? The popularity of our 650+ essays is a testament to the fact that SLPs are not afraid to speak their minds and that we want the same change you do.
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You have been our shoulder to cry on with tears of happiness and dismay when this unique experience we call speech language pathology moves us. So many connections and collaborations have come out of the interactions between the 40,000+ subscribers who have found kindred spirits who share the same passion.
Wow, I love this post! Thank you for illuminating the special nature of being able to enter a person’s home to work with their child.
Sarah
This was such a concrete explanation of how important language specific constraints are…I’m grateful for this excellent resource, and will be sharing it with my grad school peers.
Jamey
Thank you for this thought provoking read! As someone who has been an SLP for over 40 years, I have to agree with the majority of what you reported. I look forward to reviewing the supporting studies in the future!
Cynthia
We have faithfully committed to publishing at least one speech therapy blog essay every Thursday. This isn’t always easy with report deadlines and kids to see.
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