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As a speech pathologist what type of work do you even do? What does a day in that work force look like?

I never thought of this as a career but it was highly recommended on a test that I took so I would like to get more information. #speech-pathology

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Afifa’s Answer

I am not a speech pathologist, but I worked with some former speech pathologist at my previous company. Some speech pathologist may go into tech now with things like the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. They are coming up with automatic ways to make a computer voice sound natural. Linguistics is a big thing in the industry now in understanding human speech this includes dialects and accents. Also to make the tech accessible and useable by everyone. The device should understand someone that has a speech impairment

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Linda’s Answer

Hi! You are asking a very perceptive question! I have been a speech pathologist for MANY years and I have had such a wonderful variety of positions. If you work in a school system you would be evaluating children for speech/language delays/disorders and working with other members of the evaluation team (classroom teacher, psychologist, special ed teacher, parents) to determine the type and amount the student should receive. You would have a caseload of students that you mat probably see in groups for 1/2 hour sessions. There is more of an emphasis now on SLPs working within the classroom setting with students on one’s caseload, so ‘blending in’ with whatever the classroom teacher has planned is super important, I will tell you that there WILL be paperwork, lesson planning, and meetings in addition to working with students during the day. It is NOT a 8-4 job. I will tell you that once you get used to the school system you can get into your own routine to manage the paperwork, meetings and lesson plans. It IS a wonderful profession and you will know at the end of the day you have made a difference.

Linda recommends the following next steps:

See if you can ‘shadow’ an SLP who works in a school, hospital, and/or clinic to get an idea of what is involved. Each setting has its own specific requirements.
Visit the American Speech Language Hearing Association website www.asha.org for more information and resources.
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James Constantine’s Answer

Dear Alaina,

I am writing to you with information from the Ask Ai Questions Search Engine, www.iAsk.ai, regarding the role of a speech-language pathologist (SLP).

SLPs are vital in diagnosing and treating a wide range of communication disorders, affecting people of all ages. They handle issues related to speech, language, voice, fluency, and swallowing. Let's take a closer look at the key responsibilities and activities of an SLP:

1. Evaluation: SLPs perform thorough evaluations to identify communication disorders and their root causes. This includes assessing speech articulation, understanding of language, voice quality, fluency, and swallowing abilities.

2. Creating Treatment Plans: Based on the evaluation results, SLPs create custom treatment plans to suit each individual's unique needs. These plans may involve exercises, activities, strategies, and interventions to improve communication skills.

3. Providing Therapy: SLPs offer direct therapy services to clients with communication disorders, working on aspects such as speech articulation, language development, voice modulation, fluency enhancement, or swallowing rehabilitation.

4. Collaboration: SLPs frequently work with other healthcare professionals, educators, caregivers, and families to ensure a comprehensive approach to treatment. They can be part of multidisciplinary teams to coordinate care and support their clients' overall well-being.

5. Education and Training: Besides working directly with clients, SLPs also educate individuals and their families about communication strategies, techniques to improve speech or language skills, and ways to support ongoing progress outside of therapy sessions.

6. Advocacy: SLPs champion the rights of individuals with communication disorders by raising awareness, providing resources, and supporting policies that improve access to services for those in need.

To give you a glimpse into the daily life of an SLP, here's a typical day:

- Morning: Reviewing client schedules and preparing materials for therapy sessions. Conducting assessments or therapy sessions with individual clients or groups.
- Midday: Documenting session notes, communicating with colleagues or caregivers about client progress, attending meetings or professional development training sessions.
- Afternoon: Continuing with therapy sessions or consultations with clients. Collaborating with teachers or other professionals in educational settings to discuss student progress or develop intervention plans.
- End of Day: Wrapping up documentation tasks such as progress notes or treatment plans. Researching new techniques or resources to enhance their practice.

Each day for an SLP is dynamic and rewarding, as they strive to help individuals enhance their communication skills and quality of life through dedicated care and expertise.

The top three authoritative sources used for this information are:

1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
3. Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA)

May God bless you!

Best wishes,
James Constantine Frangos.
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