What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

When I first considered attending graduate school for speech-language pathology, I had a vague idea of what the job of a speech language pathologist would look like. It wasn’t until the first week of classes that I realized I couldn’t even define the difference between “speech” and “language.” After I got that figured out (briefly, “speech” refers to the way we say sounds and words, while “language” is the way we put words together to communicate our thoughts), the next realization was how broad a scope those two words covered!

What is Speech-Language Pathology?

The word “pathology” refers to the science of the causes and effects of diseases. Speech language pathologists (commonly shortened to “speech therapists” or “SLPs”) are professionals with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of communication disorders, such as articulation impairments, language disorders, fluency disorders (stuttering), voice disorders, aphasia, and dysarthria. Speech language pathologists working in a health care setting also treat patients with dysphagia (problems with swallowing). In addition, an SLP can provide elective treatment, such as accent reduction services.

What Does a Speech-Language Pathologist Do?

The role of speech language pathologists is to both diagnose and treat. An SLP can only make diagnoses related specifically to speech, language, and swallowing; other disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, are made by psychologists. Diagnoses of speech and language impairments are  based on case histories, formal evaluations, informal observations, language samples, and interviews with the client and others involved in their care, including family members and other professionals.

Following a complete evaluation, an SLP will develop appropriate therapy goals and conduct sessions to target them. As communication disorders encompass a variety of needs, goals could be anything from training a specific speech sound, to developing social skills for an individual with ASD, to providing an alternative method of communication for a patient to use following a stroke.

Who Does a Speech Language Pathologist Work With?

One of the best things about being a speech-language pathologist is that we get to work with people with communication needs of all ages — literally from age 0-100!

Speech Therapy for Children vs. Adults

Therapy services for infants ages 0-3 focus heavily on parent education and training, equipping caregivers with strategies and resources to facilitate better communication with their young ones. For school-aged children, treatment can address problems with articulation (more common for younger kids), fluency (stuttering), language (including sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary), and social skills (referred to as pragmatic language).

In the adult population, SLPs may work with individuals on a variety of communication and swallowing disorders, sometimes caused by strokes, traumatic brain injuries, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. Speech therapy services could also target cognitive skills, such memory and attention.

Where Can a Speech Language Pathologist Work?

Because SLPs can work with individuals of all ages, they also have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. Some of the most common settings are schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), early intervention programs, and private practice. Those who work in SNFs and hospitals are often referred to as “medical SLPs.” Increasingly, private practices are offering teletherapy, which allows clients to receive speech therapy from the comfort of their homes. At Speech Leader, we specialize exclusively in online speech therapy services for kids and adults. 

Although in each setting an SLP is treating some kind of communication disorder, the responsibilities and daily routine can look quite different between them.

Differences Across Settings

A speech therapist working in a school can be responsible for developing an individualized educational program (IEP) for a student. An IEP is a legal document updated annually through a meeting with other IEP team members, including the parent and other educators. A full-time, school-based SLP will typically have a caseload of 40-60 students and will frequently use a small group format to conduct sessions, either by going into the classroom or pulling students out into a separate location. Therapy sessions in the school vary based on the student, but are often 4-8 times/month for 30 minutes each. In a SNF, on the other hand, the SLP will have a much smaller caseload and will meet with each patient individually in most cases. 

Terminology can vary depending on the setting as well; individuals receiving treatment from speech language pathologists in a medical setting are referred to as “patients,” whereas those receiving care in a private practice are called “clients.” While an IEP is developed for a student receiving speech/language therapy in the school, a “treatment plan” outlines the care for a patient in a health care setting and uses input from other members of the patient’s medical team.

In a school, the SLP will collaborate closely with other professionals involved in the student’s education, such as a special education teacher, general education teacher, school psychologist, occupational therapist, hearing specialist, paraprofessionals, and parents. In a medical setting a speech therapist might work with nurses, doctors, radiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, and dietitians. 

Work-Life Balance

Speech language pathologists are likely to find both part-time and full-time positions available. Most SLPs across settings work typical hours, although more flexibility may be available in SNFs or private practices, compared to schools. Although planning or paperwork can follow an SLP home, generally the work day ends when an SLP leaves her setting.

How Do You Become a Speech-Language Pathologist?

Those wanting to become speech language pathologists must earn a Master’s degree. This degree typically takes two years of education to complete. Some graduate programs will accept students who did not major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in undergraduate school.

In addition to coursework, students are required to earn 400 hours of supervised clinical hours with a variety of age groups, communication and swallowing disorders, and settings. Following graduation is the Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the governing body for American speech language pathologists and audiologists, specifies the CF experience be a minimum of 1,260 hours and of 36 weeks of full-time experience or its part-time equivalent. During this time, the Clinical Fellow will receive supervision from a fully-licensed SLP. Once the minimum hours are met, the CF is eligible to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (referred to as “C’s”) through ASHA. Going forward, SLPs are required to maintain their certification, which includes earning continuing education hours.

Parting Thoughts

I am so glad to be able to work as a speech-language pathologist, as it gives me the opportunity to work with amazing clients from all walks of life. If you or a loved one is having difficulty with communication, please reach out to us here at Speech Leader. We’d love to talk with you and see if speech therapy services could be beneficial.