Why is collaborating with other teachers, or integrating courses or curricula, a matter of importance to you or your students, or to their futures?
This big question relates directly to some of the beliefs I discuss in my teaching philosophy. I believe educational speech-language pathologists must collaborate with teachers and other professionals to ensure maximum benefit for their clients; and I believe involving family members and other frequent communication partners is essential to a client’s success. Crossover, or generalization, is a main goal of speech-language services. All of the time and work that client and clinician put in to therapy will be of little, or no, benefit to the client if they still cannot communicate effectively outside of the therapy room.
Providing students with a collaborative service delivery, such as integrating therapy into the regular classroom, encourages generalization of skills. A collaborative, or integrated, therapy approach also provides for a more holistic view of the child; seeing them not only as a client in the therapy room, but also as a full person who needs to be able to use their skills in the “real world”. SLPs and teachers can also work together to enhance a child’s success in the classroom even if therapy service are provided using a “pull-out” method. A SLP could ask a teacher what units their classroom is covering, the SLP may then be able to integrate functional language, or other concepts related to the topic, into therapy. This type of collaborative approach can help enhance learning and encourage carryover as well.
In summary, speech-language pathology is not just about improving communication in the therapy room. In order to really have success, clients should be able to use their newly acquired communication skills in all settings. Success in the therapy room is wonderful, but without carryover therapy will be of little benefit to the student.
2 comments:
I don’t think you could have said this better. Collaborating with other professionals is always key in the education field; however, I believe it is especially important for you as a SLP. You hit the nail on the head when you said, “All of the time and work that client and clinician put in to therapy will be of little, or no, benefit to the client if they still cannot communicate effectively outside of the therapy room.” Without being able to use what the client developed in your therapy, the client has wasted valuable time (and potentially money) with you unfortunately. In addition, I think by collaborating with a student’s teachers will make the therapy more meaningful and give him/her reason to follow through with what you teach. Remember to keep this philosophy in mind as you progress in your career. Although I have not needed services related to speech and language, I feel that this is a key thought for SLP.
Your post really showed how important collboration in the field is to you. I think it's really great that you want to work with the parents in addition to the teachers. Parents can help in their child's success outside the classroom, and it's so important that SLPs and teachers alike can see that.
I also thought it was great how you provided specific examples (i.e. integrated therapy, the "pull-out" method) in showing how you would ensure your students' success. This shows that you've already given this question a great deal of thought. It's so important that we start problem solving our future students' situations now so we can better prepare ourselves and provide the children with the best services possible. You seem so ready for this profession, and I think you are going to do a great job in this field!
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