I just got to present at the SLP Summit and had the. best. time!

Missed us live? The replay is available until January 30th!

I presented a simple framework to help SLPs streamline their therapy planning.

Here are some of the questions that came up during the presentation:

General

How long are your sessions?

It depends, but my average session length is 30 minutes.

What do you accomplish in a typical session?

It depends (again)! I spent 2-5 minutes checking students in and collecting the probe data. I divvy up the rest of the time for teaching and practice. In a 30-minute session, I may spend 25 minutes teaching. Or I may spend 25 minutes practicing. Or it may be an even split between the two! It really depends on the students’ needs for that session.

Session Planner

Would you use the planner to plan for multiple days?

You absolutely could! I created the planner for this presentation as more of a thought exercise. It’s a scaffold to help you wrap your head around how to organize your sessions.

If you’re curious about next steps, we have an entire course in the SLP Now membership about how to implement this across sessions + across different groups!

Can you share your filled-in planner?

Yes! You can find the examples here: slpnow.com/planner

Assess

What is the difference between baseline data and a probe?

I collect baseline data when I’m completing an evaluation and/or updating a student’s goals. I collect probe data at the beginning of each session to monitor students’ progress and determine which supports they need to be successful within that session.

How many items do you include in your probes?

It depends (again)! It varies depending on the student and the goal, but a 5-item probe typically does the trick for me.

How long does it take to do a probe with a mixed group of 4-6 students?

I would account for ~1 minute per student.

Do you actually use these probes every time at the start of a session?

I do! It only takes me a few minutes, and I use the data to maximize my session. It’s well worth the time!

Where can I find the probes in SLP Now?

If you go to the Materials page and click “Assess” in the sidebar, you’ll see all of the probes! Here’s a direct link.

Are you using the same probes each week?

Generally, yes!

I rotate through one goal each session (per student). If a student has 4 goals, I’ll probe each goal every 4 weeks.

Because I’m not providing feedback on accuracy/performance, the students typically don’t learn the stimulus items–especially since they only see the probe every 4 weeks.

There may be exceptions for certain types of goals, but I like using the same probe so that I can more confidently assess progress over time.

How do you plan your sessions if you probe at the beginning of the session?

I plan month-long thematic units. (I have a course on that in the SLP Now membership too!)

I also make sure I have all of my teaching tools ready to go.

I have a general idea of what I’d like to accomplish in any given session, but I have all of the tools I need to quickly adjust and meet my students’ needs in the moment.

Will this take up too much time at the high school level when I might have to read multiple short passages to multiple students if I’m only focusing on one student per probe?

This is where we can get creative! For those types of goals, I’ll typically read the passage as our first activity, and then collect probe data about that passage–before doing any teaching!

Teach

What is a goal card?

You can read all about goal cards here.

Where is the goal card template?

You can download the template here!

What ages are the goal cards appropriate for?

I’ve used this with all ages. That said, it may not be appropriate for every student. Use your clinical judgment and adjust as needed (e.g., using visuals for students who aren’t reading yet).

Practice

Who developed the literacy-based therapy framework?

Dr. Ukrainetz! Contextualized Language Intervention is a fabulous resource if you’re looking to learn more!

Membership

What grade levels does SLP Now cover?

PK-12. This article explains in more detail!

Is SLP Now helpful for teletherapists?

Yes! We have a blog post for that too.

How can district SLPs go about getting their district to pay for SLP Now for the whole district?

This article provides resources for district SLPs!

Where can I find the backpack?

You can find all of the backpack goodies here!

Can members purchase laminated visuals?

Yes! Email us at hello@slpnow.com!

Tags:

marisha-mets-about-mobile

Hi there! I'm Marisha. I am a school-based SLP who is all about working smarter, not harder. I created the SLP Now Membership and love sharing tips and tricks to help you save time so you can focus on what matters most--your students AND yourself.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Share
Pin