Speech and Language Services in the Schools: Presented by: Heidy Frycke, Speech and Language Supervisor Created by: Vickie Baldy Janet Mascaro, Program Director Speech/Language/Hearing/Vision Allegheny Intermediate Unit

Roles and Responsibilities of School Based SLP’s General Screening of communication skills of students referred by parents, teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, administrators, etc. In depth testing of those students identified as at risk by the screening. Provide Individualized Programs for students identified as Speech and Language Impaired. Consult with parents, teachers, school nurses, guidance counselors, and administrators in regards to communication disorders.

Who Qualifies for Speech and Language Support? A student may be enrolled in Speech and Language Support when an evaluation by a Speech and Language Pathologist indicates that the student’s difficulties reflect a Speech and Language Impairment that negatively impacts on the child’s academic progress. Students with age related developmental delays are not eligible for services.

How do you know if your child needs a Speech and Language Program?

Articulation & Phonology This deals with the way speech sounds are made. A child may have difficulty in producing sounds by omitting, distorting or substituting sounds.

When should you be concerned? Many children exhibit speech sound errors during normal speech development up to the age of 8. Contact your school’s Speech & Language Pathologist If your child’s speech is difficult to understand. If your child is embarrassed by his/her speech. If your child shows frustration when he/she is not understood Hand out Developmental sounds chart and discuss common speech errors seen in elementary grades Handouts from West Mifflin DIBELS presentation

Language This deals with the way information is communicated. There are 2 important aspects of language: understanding or comprehending, and expressing of language. Discuss that language includes speaking, listening, writing, reading, sign language, gestures, facial expressions, body language and other non-verbal communication

When should you be concerned? If your child has difficulty understanding multi-step directions. If your child has difficulty answering or asking questions. If your child has difficulty describing experiences or stories. If your child’s speech contains multiple grammar errors. If your child’s speech is confused or disorganized. Language –developmental difficulty in the areas of vocabulary, concepts, grammar and the ability to express or understand ideas regarding learning , SLP does not work on reading and writing, but may use reading and writing as part of her language interventions

Fluency Speech is characterized by repetitions, prolongations, hesitations, and/or blocks also known as stuttering. Provide examples of the various dysfluencies

When should you be concerned? Your child’s dysfluencies interfere with his/her communication. Your child is upset or frustrated by his/her dysfluencies. Your child’s speech contains blocks; he/she appears to have trouble getting the sound out. Your child exhibits secondary behaviors in conjunction with stuttering. There is a family history of stuttering. Explain secondary behaviors

Voice This deals with the sound of a person’s voice and includes: pitch, loudness, quality, and resonance.

Common Voice Problems Hoarseness Too much nasality Too little nasality Irregular pitch

When should you be concerned? Your child’s voice quality interferes with his/her communication. Your child’s pediatrician is concerned with your child’s voice quality.

Key Point for Eligibility for Speech/Language Support In Pennsylvania, Special Education Standards state that Speech and Language Impairments must be present to such a degree that educational performance is affected. Educational performance refers to the ability to participate in the educational process and must include consideration of the student’s social, emotional, academic, and vocational performance. The student does not need to be below grade level or failing an academic area, but there must be documentation of some adverse effect Areas where there can be educational impact Following oral/written classroom directions Listening Comprehension- Story recall, responding to questions Classroom Participation during discussions, instruction etc. Reading Spelling Writing Vocabulary Reaction of self/peers/teacher Effectiveness of communication Peer Interactions

Areas where there can be educational impact Following directions Comprehension Classroom Participation Expressing ideas Peer Interactions Writing Vocabulary Reading Spelling Phonics

If you think your child has a speech/language problem, contact your school’s Speech and Language Pathologist.

Speech and Language Screening The purpose is to identify those students who may be in need of speech and language evaluation. A student may be referred for a speech and language screening by: Parent Teachers Support Staff Guidance Counselor ESAP/Child Study Team Parental permission is not needed to conduct a speech-language screening. Screening measures used:

The Process Permission to Evaluate (PTE) Evaluation must be conducted and an Evaluation Report (ER) written and given to the parents within 60 calendar days after receipt of signed parental permission. Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meeting is held within 30 days from completion of Evaluation Report. Notice of Recommended Placement (NOREP) is the official document that changes the child’s educational placement from regular education to special education. The parents must agree to the change in placement before services can begin by providing a signature. Services will begin within 10 school days of receipt of the signed NOREP. Refer to screening results for specific speech-language areas to be evaluated All areas that were within normal limits on the screening do not need to be evaluated Obtain parent input Obtain teacher input through teacher checklist Obtain input from nurse regarding hearing, vision and/or medical concerns Conduct classroom observation Review educational records

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) IEP team members include: Parents Regular Education Teacher Speech and Language Pathologist LEA Representative (Principal, Assistant Principal, or Special Ed. Supervisor) Others (Student, OT, PT, Community Agencies, TSS, …) when appropriate These are the people who make decisions on the type of program your child should receive. Although the SLP may come to the meeting with a completed draft IEP. The Team can modify the draft to meet the needs of the child . \ Your child’s program is a team decision

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) What does the team decide? Measurable Annual Goals and Objectives: based on the deficits found in the Evaluation Report and directly linked to the PA State Academic Standards Program Modifications and Specially Designed Instruction: that the child needs to be successful in the academic curriculum Service Delivery Model: individual, small group, classroom, consultation Amount of service: times per week, length of sessions Must be reviewed at least annually

What Makes A Good Speech And Language Progam?

IEP Goals Prioritize needs identified in ER and choose those to be addressed as IEP goals during the current IEP year. Write goals that identify the skill targeted and how progress will be measured. Share what you would like your child to achieve within the next year. Generally prior to the IEP meeting the SLP has collaborated with your child’s classroom teacher and has drafted goals based upon the needs Identified in the ER- taking into consideration the classroom curriculum and developmental speech and language norms. Since the SLP is working in an educational setting – she must consider the relationship between the student’s speech/language abilities and their adverse effect on educational performance. Can’t address every need in one IEP IEP is reviewed at least annually so be specific – Think what can realistically be achieved in one year. This is the important part of the IEP if you don’t understand why a skill was or was not chosen ask. If goals are met sooner great the IEP can always be revised The SLP is the expert in speech and language development and she can let you know if your expectations are realistic at this stage of development. You are the only team member who knows what your child needs outside of the school environment. If you identify something as a need it can often be addressed. Remember this is a team approach – communication is key-

Specially Designed Instruction These are the intervention strategies and modifications that your child needs to be successful in the academic curriculum.

What Kind Of Program Does My Child Need? The delivery model for speech and language services is based on the IEP team’s professional judgment – primarily the SLP’s clinical judgment based on the child’s needs Least Restrictive Environment is always considered in making this decision

Collaborative Consultation Least Restrictive Indirect Model SLP provides the teacher and family with strategies/activities they can do with the child Generally for students with mild impairments or pragmatic deficits May be used as student approaches dismissal Collaborative Consultation- indirect model, SLP works with teacher and family to facilitate the student’s communication skills in the classroom – SLP does not work directly with the student- provides the teacher and family with strategies/activities they can do with the child – generally for students with mild impairments or deficits in pragmatic skills or students approaching the end of services

Classroom Based SLP provides direct services within the classroom May involve team teaching with the teacher May work for certain language disorders May be combined with more restrictive service model, to facilitate carryover Depends on student’s needs and make up of the classroom Classroom Based – SLP provides direct services within the classroom – may involve team teaching with the classroom teacher – certain language impairment may be addressed by this model or this may be combined with more restrictive service model and used to facilitate carryover of skills- Use of this model depends greatly on the student’s needs and the make up of the classroom. Generally difficult to do with lower elementary students because of maturity level , attention, or severity of deficits- disruption to other students

Small Group Pullout SLP provides direct services to a group of 2-4 students Can be in Speech Room or Classroom Allows for more individualized instruction Gives the students more opportunities to respond Most frequently used model in Elementary Schools

Individual Pullout Most Restrictive SLP provides direct one-on-one services Primarily for students who are severely Speech and Language Impaired Also used in cases where a student has behavior issues that prevent him/her from working effectively with other students May be combined with another service delivery model as appropriate Severely speech/language impaired- Unintelligible speech – apraxia, phonologically impaired Non-verbal Autistic Augmentative Communiciation Device Severe Fluency Disorders initially

How Much Service Does My Child Need? The following slides are only general guidelines Actual therapy times are based on the IEP team’s professional judgment – primarily the SLP’s clinical judgment based on the severity of the child’s needs, academic impact, other supports child recieves – avoid duplication of services

Mild Speech/Language Impairment 15-30 minutes per week No more than 2 speech sound errors 1.5-2 standard deviations below the mean on language assessments Speech 2-4% dysfluent Sound pairs count as one sound k/g, p/b, t/d, s/z, f/v, sh/ch/j Don’t count developmental errors Student with mild disorder may provide indirect services – collaborative consultation before actually enrolling for direct services

Moderate Speech/Language Impairment 30-60 minutes per week Multiple sound errors, speech intelligibility 50-80% 2-2.5 standard deviations below the mean on language assessments Speech 5-8% dysfluent with secondary behaviors

Severe Speech/Language Impairment 60-90 minutes per week Multiple sound errors, speech intelligibility20-49% Greater than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean on language tests Speech 9-12% dysfluent with secondary behaviors

Profound Speech/Language Impairment 90+ minutes per week Speech is unintelligible without gestures or cues and/or knowledge of context Very limited communication, may be non-verbal Speech more than 12% dysfluent with excessive tension and/or secondary behaviors

The Key to Success TEAM APPROACH SLP collaborates with classroom teacher Parent involvement is vital, practice skills being taught at home If you have questions or concerns contact your SLP Speech therapy alone is not always effective no matter how many times per week the child is seen. The SLP teaches the skill but the child needs practice outside the therapy – SLP can’t follow the child around Need to practice outside of the therapy room Research shows that students who practice outside of speech make better progress

When Should My Child Be Dismissed From Speech and Language Support?

Dismissal Determination Student’s Speech/Language Skills… Are developmentally appropriate No longer interfere with academic performance in the classroom Can be addressed through the classroom curriculum Targeted on the IEP have been mastered

Dismissal Determination continued Poor student attendance Student lacks motivation/doesn’t want to attend speech/refuses to participate appropriately in therapy sessions Lack of progress over a significant period of time Parent requests termination of services in writing