Have you heard of Gestalt Language Processing? This is something that many SLPs don’t actually know a lot about but understanding it can make a huge impact on your students. We have always been told to redirect echolalia, but kids that communicate that way are gestalt language processors, and it’s important to understand how to help them. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Alexandria Zachos to talk about gestalt language processing and how you can incorporate this knowledge into your therapy practice. Alexandria is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the state of Illinois and has been practicing since 2003. Over the past eighteen years, she has provided therapy for all ages in a variety of clinical settings, including public schools, home therapy, acute care, rehabilitation hospitals, and outpatient clinics. Tune in to learn more about what gestalt language processing is, therapy activities you can do with these students, how to collect data during these types of lessons, and so much more! Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/128 Resources Mentioned: Check out Alexandria’s course and get the FREE handout: https://www.meaningfulspeech.com/ Follow Meaningful Speech on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meaningfulspeech/?hl=en Follow Meaningful Speech on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meaningfulspeech/ Register for the Virtual Speech Retreat: https://speechtimefunpd.mykajabi.com/speech-retreat-recharge Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
Have you ever struggled to diagnose an English language learner because you aren’t sure if it’s a difference or a disorder? Many SLPs struggle with this because we don’t want to be wrong about a diagnosis just because our student is learning the English language. The most effective way for us to really understand our ELLs is to use dynamic assessments and language sampling instead of standardized tests. In today’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Nia Thomas to talk about how you can use dynamic assessments to determine if your students really have a speech disorder or if it’s just a difference. Nia Thomas is a school-based bilingual speech-language pathologist, educator, and storyteller from NYC. She graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders and Black Studies. She went on to obtain her Master’s in Science from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. A two-time Writing Our Lives alumni, Nia has written for Bustle, Remezcla, Fierce by Mitú, ASHA Leader Live, and other online publications. She is also the founder and editor of Bilingual Speech Resources. Tune in to learn about why dynamic assessments and language samples are so much more effective with ELL students, tools and resources you can use, and so much more. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/127 Resources Mentioned: Visit Nia’s website: https://www.bilingualspeechresources.com/ Follow Nia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bilingualspeechresources/ Check out The Bilingual Speech Resources TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bilingual-Speech-Resources Leaders Project free CEU: https://www.leadersproject.org/ceu-courses-2/evidence-based-practice-in-disability-evaluations-asha-0-6-ceu-self-study-course/ Leaders Project Slam Cards: https://www.leadersproject.org/?s=slam+cards Sign up for the virtual Speech Retreat: https://speechtimefunpd.mykajabi.com/speech-retreat-recharge
Do you work with a lot of students with communication difficulties? It can be so hard to watch a child struggle to tell you what they need. We have strategies in place to help them learn, but it takes time and it can be frustrating for children in those situations. In this week’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Natashia Kletter to talk about how she created books that help children with communication challenges tell you what they want to say. Natashia is the mother of an autistic boy who also has a rare genetic disorder and a daughter who has ADHD. She developed an assistive communication system for nonspeaking children, using her Mechanical Engineering degree and what she learned from her own son. She's now helping children around the world communicate in their own homes with more efficiency and fun. Natashia’s books are being used in homes and classrooms with children that have difficulty communicating and the feedback she gets from teachers and parents has been inspiring. The kids are able to express themselves easily and feel heard for the first time. These books are a great addition to any speech therapy classroom. They can be a valuable tool for working with students with autism or other disorders that make speaking a challenge in a way that is fun and easy to understand. To learn more about Natashia and how her books are changing the way nonverbal children are communicating with their parents, caregivers, and teachers, make sure to tune in. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/126 Resources Mentioned: Check out the I Want To Tell You Books website: https://iwanttotellyoubooks.com/ Follow I Want To Tell You Books on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iwanttotellyoubooks/ Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
Have you ever heard of the neurodiversity-affirming approach to therapy? For many years, we have been taught to teach students how to adapt to the world around them, but what if we approach it differently? The neurodiversity-affirming approach means that you work with autistic kids in a way that doesn’t ask them to fundamentally change who they are. In today’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Meg Proctor to talk about how you can start offering therapy that is respectful towards the autistic community and doesn’t teach them to be inauthentic to themselves. Meg offers neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based trainings to OTs and SLPs who want to be more confident, effective, and affirming in their work with autistic kids. Meg also hosts the podcast Two Sides of the Spectrum, designed to help neurotypical therapists better take the perspective of our autistic clients. Meg’s website, learnplaythrive.com, hosts a variety of free resources as well as CE trainings registered for AOTA and ASHA CEUs. We have to let go of our neurotypical biases when working with autistic children. By teaching our students in the way that they need to be taught, we can get much better results and more motivation from them. Tune in to learn more about the neurodiversity-affirming approach to therapy and how you can start utilizing this method in your therapy practice today. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/125 Resources Mentioned: Check out Meg’s website: https://learnplaythrive.com/ Follow Meg on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learnplaythrive/ Listen to the Two Sides of the Spectrum podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-sides-of-the-spectrum/id1514489746 Join Meg’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OTandAutism Listen to Rachel Dorsey’s episode: https://speechtimefun.com/role-of-goals-for-autistic-students-with-rachel-dorsey/ Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
As SLPs, we work with students with all different backgrounds, and for some, that means hearing difficulties. For many SLPs, this is a challenge because students that need hearing aids have unique needs that we may not always feel qualified to assist with. On this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Madison Levine, a hearing instrument specialist, to talk about hearing services for our students and how we can take an active role in helping students make the most of their hearing aids. Madison Levine founded her audiology practice, Levine Hearing, in Charlotte, NC, in 2015. She followed in the footsteps of her mother, who showed her what it looked like to have a successful career and balance a family as well. Besides feeling unprepared to help with hearing aids, one of the biggest challenges is when students are reluctant to use them. Hearing aids can make things feel uncomfortably loud in a way they aren’t used to and it can be jarring, however, this isn’t something that they can avoid. The key to working with students like this is trust. Building rapport is the best way to get through to them when they are struggling to come around to their hearing aids. By building a good relationship, you can get through to them and help them understand why their hearing aids are important. Tune in to learn more about how you can embrace learning about hearing instruments and help your students in the best way possible. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/124 Resources Mentioned: Follow Madison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madisonlistens/ Visit Madison’s website: https://levinehearing.com/ Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
There is an unfortunate lack of diversity within the speech-language pathology profession. With it being a predominantly white profession, that means that a large majority of SLP materials lack diversity as well. In today’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Christina Royster and Courtney Overton from DiveryCity SLP to discuss the things that they are doing to increase diversity and representation within the field so that all children feel included. In 2018, Ana-Maria Jaramillo, Courtney Overton, and Christina Royster created DiverCity SLP in order to increase diversity in the field of speech-language pathology. DiverCity SLP presents at local high schools with a high enrollment of underrepresented communities. They speak with students about the need for more speech-language pathologists of color. Since the pandemic, DiverCity SLP has evolved to include workshops and seminars on a national level. Topics include anti-racist practices, appropriate evaluations and treatment techniques for diverse populations, culturally and linguistically sustaining approaches, and high school career outreach programs. Just because the profession lacks diversity now doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way! There are tools, resources, and other things you can do within your SLP practice that will improve the inclusivity of your lessons. Tune in to hear more about dynamic assessments, the importance of understanding your students’ culture, where to find resources that are more representative of all people and cultures, and so much more. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/123 Resources Mentioned: Get the Diversifying The Field Google Drive Resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FhpF-g27XjOvvufPMMUqO1rG9Ic9XZ_H Follow DiverCity SLP on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divercityslp/ Follow Speech Of Cake, Inc on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechofcakeinc/ Follow Play on Words Therapy LLC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playonwordstherapyllc/ Follow Voz Speech Therapy DC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vozspeechtherapydc/
Do you have routines established for your speech room? There are so many benefits to having an established routine in place in your speech therapy practice that many don’t think of. Routines help students get the practice they need to reach their goals faster, and it helps you with planning and progress monitoring. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Amanda Wilp to talk about collaborating with classroom teachers, teaching strategies, and how to establish effective routines that will set you up for success all year long. Amanda has been teaching for ten years and she loves what she does. As a resource room teacher, she loves having her students year after year and getting to know their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and families. She’s currently teaching 2nd and 3rd grade special education but has spent most of her time with kindergarten through 3rd grade students. After years of basically living at school, she decided that something had to give. She needed to develop a set of interventions to help resource room teachers deliver great intervention without living at school every. single. day. Tune in to learn more about why routines matter, how they help you and your students, tips for working with classroom teachers, organization ideas, and so much more. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/122 Resources Mentioned: Check out Amanda’s website: https://theprimarygal.com/ Free Resource Room Reading Lesson Plans: https://quiet-moon-3462.ck.page/d407fe4df5 Follow The Primary Gal on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePrimaryGal/ Check out The Primary Gal on Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Primary-Gal Follow The Primary Gal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprimarygal/ Listen to The Resource Room Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-resource-room/id1547444481 Join The Resource Room Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheResourceRoom SLP Elevate Membership: https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/slp-elevate-aug Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
How do you feel about AAC devices? If you think everything surrounding AAC is a little scary, you’re not alone! Many SLPs feel this way, but it doesn't have to be scary! AAC devices can benefit our students in so many ways, you just have to understand it and be patient. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Kate Thomson to dive into the topic of AAC and what you need to know about using these devices to help your students reach their speech goals. Kate is a go-getter who established the first SpeechEase clinic in Townsville two days a week while still working full-time in her government job. She saw a huge need for speech therapy services in Mackay when the NDIS started and began providing services there on the weekends until there was enough demand to open a second clinic. Kate is also Branch Chair for the Queensland Branch of Speech Pathology Australia and regularly provides supervision and mentorship to early career and senior Speech Pathologists. As a speechie, Kate loved helping unlock a clients’ communication abilities using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) so they could show the world who they are and what they know. Make sure to tune in to learn more about the magic of AAC devices, how to use them, and how to help your students flourish with them. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/121 Resources Mentioned: Check out the SpeechEase website: https://www.speechease.net.au/ Follow Kate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechease/ Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
How are SLPs different than reading teachers? This is a question I see a lot in my SLP Elevate membership. People want to know how we can differentiate ourselves from a standard reading teacher and show our value without just doing the same thing over and over. Some even wonder why students even come to us for things like this. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I want to really dive into this question. I want to share how we as SLPs are, in fact, very different from reading teachers, and how we can differentiate our instruction. Yes, our students are working on things like the main idea, summarizing, inferencing, and answering questions in their regular classroom. What you have to remember is that decoding times language comprehension equals reading comprehension. A student can’t be an effective reader if they do not have adequate language skills, and that is where we fit into the puzzle. We are the ones that focus on that integral piece of education. We work on sentence structure, categorization, syntax, vocabulary, auditory memory, and so much more. We are the ones going deep into those skills and strategies that our students really need to succeed. Make sure to tune in today to hear my best tips for differentiating your lessons to highlight your unique position in your students' educational experience. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/120 Resources Mentioned: Get my free Critical Thinking Probes: https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/critical-thinking-probes Join my membership to plan with ease and confidence: https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/slp-elevate-aug Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/
Let’s talk about special education! As SLPs, many of us work closely with special education teachers. Collaboration is an important part of helping students reach their goals. Sometimes that’s easier said than done though. There is a lot that goes into each role, and it can be easy to lose sight of that and get frustrated when things don’t go as planned. The key is to come up with a strategy that works for you and your SPED teacher. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with a special education teacher, Ashley Lutz, to talk about things like working collaboratively, how SPED views speech therapy, and so much more. Ashley has been working in Special Education for 10 years. She was a middle school self-contained teacher for 8 years working with students with intellectual disabilities. She just began her third year as a special education inclusion teacher in an elementary setting. If you are ready to ditch the overwhelm and frustration when it comes to collaborating with the SPED teacher and focusing on your students' needs, you don’t want to miss this episode because Ashley is sharing her top tips for making that happen. Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/119 Resources Mentioned: Check out my tips and tricks for the new SLP: http://bit.ly/STF-newSLPblog Visit Spedtacular Days website: https://spedtaculardays.com/ Follow Spedtacular Days on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spedtaculardays/ Follow Spedtacular Days on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spedtaculardays Where We Can Connect: Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007 Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/ Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/