Approximately 10% of the general population requires the services of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) at some point in their life. Children make up a particularly high percentage of the people visiting SLPs.
In certain cases, the need for communication intervention services is very clear. A child may struggle to pronounce or articulate certain phrases or display other clear signs of a speech impediment. In other cases, it’s less obvious. In this article, we take a look at how educators can identify students who might need the services of an SLP and what the intervention process looks like.
Overview
Many schools already have systems in place for flagging students who require SLP services.
Districts that have full-time speech-language pathologists employed will often have them push into preschool and kindergarten classrooms to work on early literacy and communication skills and to flag at-risk students early.
This is important because the sooner a barrier to speech or communication is identified, the quicker and more successful the intervention strategy usually will be.
Even schools that don’t have full-time SLP help still have some level of support for identifying at-risk students.
Often, the first person to flag a student for needing speech intervention services is a child’s pediatrician.
Many of the screener questions at annual examinations are designed specifically to identify communication struggles and start the intervention process if needed.
This means that the burden of responsibility is not necessarily on the shoulders of a teacher who has not been trained in speech-language pathology.
Signs That a Student Would Benefit from SLP Services
The clearest indicator that a student would benefit from SLP services is that they struggle to pronounce certain blends, sounds, phrases, et cetera.
Generally, these indicators will have already been flagged by someone else in the student’s life—a parent, a physician, a friend, et cetera.
Other signs that are a little harder to notice might include:
- Difficulties in articulation.
- Consistently struggling to find the right word, which might indicate that something in the student’s communication process is breaking down. Speech-language pathologists can provide exercises to make these steps clearer and more effective.
- Students seem not to be paying attention. Difficulty following multi-stage directions may indicate that a student is struggling to process information. This can point to multiple factors, some of which are treatable by an SLP.
- Difficulty with peer interactions. Unsatisfactory peer interactions may indicate problems with articulation or expression. While there may be multiple root causes, this is a symptom worth noting.
It’s not necessarily the teacher’s job to call a parent directly and say, I think you should consult an SLP. However, it may be worth making a referral to a school-employed speech-language pathologist or counselor.
What the Process Looks Like for Students
The good news is that once the SLP intervention process has been initiated, the burden of responsibility is no longer on the teacher to identify it, nor on the student’s family to pay for it.
SLP services are generally considered a legally mandatory intervention, which means schools are responsible for providing them to students who require it.
Because of this, it is usually easy for kids to get the support they need in the controlled environment of school. SLPs may push into the classroom in certain contexts or meet with the student individually.
The earlier the intervention, the more successful the treatment process tends to be. Most people who visit SLPs experience noticeable results relatively quickly.
How Important Are These Interventions?
Even in cases where the signs that an SLP might be needed are relatively obscure, the intervention can still be very valuable.
Speech or communication disorders can result in high levels of stress, anxiety, and even depression. They can also be a highly limiting factor in determining eventual professional and personal success.
Interventions are genuinely valuable. They transform not only academic outcomes but personal ones as well.
How Teachers Can Offer Their Own Support
While SLPs are the most impactful and important step in the process toward skill development, the student will still struggle in the short term with communication and sometimes comprehension.
As a teacher, you’re likely going to want to develop strategies for how you can support them in the midst of their SLP treatment. There are several ways you can do this:
- Simplify instructions. Many people requiring the services of an SLP will benefit from shorter instructions that require a limited number of steps to understand and follow.
- Use multiple methods of instruction. Students receiving SLP services often do better with visual forms of instruction rather than purely verbal or text-based methods.
- Patience. Students with barriers to communication may require a little extra time to accomplish certain tasks. This doesn’t mean their mental processes are slower, just that their skills are not fully attuned to the traditional classroom environment. Giving them more time to complete work can be radically beneficial, even if it’s not explicitly stated in an IEP.
Making accommodations for every single student is naturally not always possible, but you can make small adjustments to how you teach here and there. It will make a difference in students’ lives.
Also, consider giving them multiple ways to express themselves, such as illustrative forms of communication like drawing a picture, or independent interactions that allow you to work with them one-on-one.
These types of accommodations are time-consuming and difficult to scale, but if you can manage them, they are worthwhile.
Every little bit helps for students who are struggling. Teachers know that although perfection is unattainable, a little extra effort here and there can go a long way.
Remember that you don’t have to do it alone—if you have a paraprofessional who can provide extra support to struggling students, take advantage of it.
Conclusion
For all of these reasons, speech-language pathologists are a valuable resource within schools and are integral to communities at large.
While children are one of the most common groups to wind up on an SLP’s caseload, aging Americans are often the second most common.
People who have experienced strokes or physical injuries often require SLP services to regain their communication skills.
There are many reasons why someone might require assistance with speech and communication, and the vast majority of them receive help from an SLP. It’s an impactful career that allows a compassionate professional to touch thousands of lives.
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