Session Descriptions

Practical Solutions for Elementary Assessment, Treatment, and Collaboration

February 17–March 1, 2021 | Online Conference

These pre-recorded lectures are on-demand and last about an hour, so you can listen to them whenever time permits! 

Determining Educational Need for Children With Speech Sound Disorders: Practical Tips for Individualizing Assessment and Treatment in Elementary Schools
Kelly Farquharson, PhD, CCC-SLP

This session will discuss practical strategies to adapt speech sound disorder assessment, treatment, and collaborative practices to appropriately determine educational need in line with federal and state laws and regulations. The speaker will review three case studies of elementary-age children who have an impairment in speech sound production: one in which a student exhibits academic need, one in which a student exhibits social-emotional need, and one in which a student exhibits neither.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe how to update current assessment practices to ensure that appropriate measures have taken place to determine educational need
• list the grades you currently serve, with a plan on how to contact classroom teachers to obtain curriculum vocabulary and spelling words
• draft a template for a classroom observation checklist at your school
• design speech sound treatment sessions that include phonological awareness and/or phonics

Reframing Social Supports for School-Age Students on the Autism Spectrum
Laura S. DeThorne, PhD, CCC-SLP

This session will describe how to work effectively within the constraints of school-based structures to improve outcomes for elementary school children on the autism spectrum. The speaker will highlight key differences between a skills-based vs. supports-based approach to peer interaction in a school-based setting. In addition, she will use two case studies to walk through key elements of designing a supports-based approach—including goal-writing, activity selection, and strategy implementation.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• write a least one IEP goal for social interaction that is consistent with a supports-based approach
• select at least one shared-interest activity to support social interaction for a student on your caseload
• document at least one new strategy to support a student’s social interaction

Stuttering Evaluation and Treatment Considerations in Elementary Schools
Bridget Allen Chapman, MA, CCC-SLP 

This session will discuss how SLPs in elementary schools can provide comprehensive fluency evaluations and appropriate treatments for their students who stutter. The speaker will share a checklist of skills to assess, discuss the available tools, and outline treatment activities for children with varied stuttering severity levels.  

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify key components of a school-based fluency evaluation for elementary students
• evaluate treatment methods for fluency disorders in school-age children
• describe service delivery options across stuttering severity levels

Specializing, Centralizing, and Standardizing School-Based Dysphagia Management Services
Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP

This session will explore strategies to maximize the efficacy of dysphagia treatment activities, share relevant resources, and highlight the benefits of implementing a centralized approach for addressing the dynamic needs of elementary-age students who require dysphagia services in the school setting.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• state three benefits of enhanced service delivery to elementary school students who have feeding and swallowing disorders
• discuss opportunities available for implementing dysphagia treatment and improving feeding competence when safe food consistencies are accessible daily
• explain the benefits of utilizing a centralized approach to implementing dysphagia services in schools

An Overview of Service Delivery Models for School-Based SLPs
Perry Flynn, MEd, CCC-SLP

This session will explore the rationale for using a variety of service delivery modes to ensure elementary-age students are being served according to IDEA in the least restrictive environment (LRE). The speaker will share how SLPs can guide IEP teams to consider a variety of service delivery options. Lastly, the session will discuss how to align speech-language intervention to curriculum materials and educational standards.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify multiple service delivery models, and compare them to choose which is best tailored to the needs of individual students
• discuss with parents and IEP teams a variety of service delivery models to consider in acting in the best interest of students
• plan a curriculum-aligned activity for use in a classroom that targets goals for a particular student while providing incidental benefit for all students

Facilitating Social Communication in Elementary-Age Children: How Can I Do All This?
Bonnie Brinton, PhD, CCC-SLP and Martin Fujiki, PhD, CCC-SLP

Social communication involves the integration of language processing, pragmatics, and social and emotional learning, and is a challenge for children who present with developmental language disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and social communication disorder. This session will present a bibliotherapeutic intervention approach that SLPs can implement within a plan-do-review format. This practical approach utilizes brief (~15 minutes) story sharing, story enactment, and journaling activities. The speakers will present preliminary efficacy data for the intervention approach as well as provide materials and resources for its implementation.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• develop a social communication framework for intervention that addresses language processing, pragmatics, and social and emotional learning simultaneously
• plan and conduct a 15-20-minute session that integrates the components of social communication within a plan-do-review format
• integrate and facilitate language processing, pragmatic, and social and emotional learning behaviors within a bibliotherapeutic activity
• access bibliographic materials (scripts) to employ in treatment sessions and share with collaborators

Evaluation and Eligibility: Exploring Requirements and Research for School SLPs
Marie C. Ireland, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL

This session will integrate federal and state regulations for evaluation and eligibility for speech-language services with best practice and research in the field. The speaker will explain how comprehensive evaluation and documentation of all required eligibility criteria can ensure quality services and combat the challenges of overidentification and high caseloads.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify specific requirements for evaluation and eligibility in schools
• document all required steps for eligibility with team members to ensure IDEA compliant decision-making

Improving Oral Language for Academic Success
Nichole Mulvey, PhD, CCC-SLP

This session will explore assessment and intervention strategies to increase efficiency in evaluating discrete oral language skills and providing purposeful and meaningful group-based intervention that improves academic outcomes for elementary school students. The speaker will compare assessment tools and share intervention activities that address improvements in spoken language and academic success for all elementary grade levels.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• outline and compare screenings and assessments for evaluating oral language skills in academic tasks and social interactions
• explain and adapt assessment measures for cognitive processing abilities necessary for efficient oral language production
• use specific intervention strategies for improving semantic, syntactic, and morphological outcomes that relate to academic success

Stop, Collaborate, and Listen: A Deep Dive Into a Continuum of Collaboration for School-Based SLPs
Laura T. Glastetter-Stone, PhD, CCC-SLP and Katelyn F. Slone, MS, CCC-SLP

This session will provide practical guidelines for provision of collaborative, interprofessional services along the continuum of school-based service delivery. The speakers will highlight how to promote collaborative practices and share examples of how we can obtain buy-in and implement these practices with all the students we serve in elementary schools.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• describe the continuum of collaborative models within school-based service delivery and barriers that may preclude selection and use of a particular model
• identify a variety of collaborative partners in your school and broader community, and explain how to create buy-in with these stakeholders
• explain why, how, and when to use a particular collaborative model within the continuum in schools

Learning Environments and Strategies for Elementary-Age Children With CAS
Shelley L. Velleman, PhD, CCC-SLP

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a complex sensory-motor speech disorder that typically requires both intensive individualized intervention and systematic opportunities for generalization and carryover. CAS also has significant academic and functional impacts, especially on participation, language, and literacy. This session will use case studies to explore areas of need requiring different service delivery models in the school setting. The speaker will discuss potential areas of collaboration to support the learning and full participation of children with CAS.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• identify speech and nonspeech characteristics of children with CAS that impact school participation and success
• explain varying service delivery models in the school setting for elementary-age children with CAS
• identify areas for collaboration with other school staff to support children with CAS, especially regarding participation, language, and literacy

Educational Relevance of Voice Disorders and Practical Solutions for Collaborative Screening, Assessment, and Treatment
Casey Oliver, MS, CCC-SLP

This session will review how to collaboratively determine educational need for voice disorder treatment within the school setting. The speaker will discuss how school-based clinicians can advocate for students with voice disorders and their families by facilitating improved access to high-quality and comprehensive voice diagnostic and treatment services. The session will explore practical strategies for collaboratively screening, assessing, and treating voice disorders as well as strategies for recruiting and leading a team of medical and educational professionals, school staff, student peers, and family members. Lastly, the session will explore how to advocate for students with voice disorders in the classroom and how to create a school environment that supports healthy voice use.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• explain how collaboration is essential for all parts of the screening, assessment, and treatment process for pediatric voice disorders
• identify unique contributions and strengths of the school-based SLP in the voice evaluation/treatment process, and outline responsibilities of all team members
• advocate for students using the collaborative screening and assessment process to determine true educational need, develop an effective treatment plan in the least restrictive environment, and help create an overall school environment where vocal health is encouraged and supported
• implement accessible and evidence-based clinical voice screening, assessment, and treatment techniques, and identify available resources to reinforce skills and knowledge

Language Essentials for Structured Literacy Success
Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, EdD, CALT, CCC-SLP

Speech and language skills are essential for literacy development. Structured Literacy is a comprehensive approach to literacy that is based upon language skills. This session will explore the components of the Structured Literacy approach and discuss how SLPs can enhance students’ success not only in language but also in literacy using this approach. The speaker will demonstrate model lessons and share a framework for intervention.

After completing this session, you will be able to:

• design effective and efficient Structured Literacy lessons based on language skills
• explain the importance of differentiating instruction for diverse populations, such as English learners
• identify effective features of Structured Literacy instruction that have the strongest connection to language skills
• incorporate Structured Literacy features and use new strategies for intervention