Identification of Gaps in Training, Research, and School-Based Practice: A Survey of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
John Heilmann ◽  
Andrea Bertone
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Preservice Training ◽  
Perceived Needs ◽  
School Based ◽  
Training And Research ◽  
Training Research

Purpose Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) encounter many challenges in the school environment. We sought to identify school-based SLPs' needs in the areas of training and research to support school-based practice. Method We collected surveys from 145 school-based SLPs practicing in Wisconsin. Respondents were asked to describe aspects of preservice training that most and least prepared them for school-based practice. Respondents next described training needs for early-career SLPs and desired topics for general professional development. Respondents then described research topics that require further study to advance school-based practice. After completing this series of open-ended questions, the respondents completed a series of preferential-ranking questions about general needs for training and research. We employed mixed methods to analyze the data, using grounded theory for the qualitative analysis. Results During preservice training, respondents most valued the applied aspects of their training. Respondents noted that early-career SLPs require significant support, particularly with the professional responsibilities of school-based practice (e.g., individualized education programs, interprofessional practice, and scheduling). When describing general professional development and research needs, the respondents placed high value on practical topics that have clear implications for school-based practice. Conclusions Understanding the perceived needs of school-based SLPs can assist in designing training supports and ensuring that the developing evidence base is relevant to SLPs practicing in the schools. This exploration-stage study established a foundation for future testing of implementation initiatives to fill gaps in school-based practice.

School-Based Professional Development Programs for Beginning Teachers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Madalińska-Michalak
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Quality Teachers ◽  
High Quality ◽  
School Based

School-based professional development for beginning teachers must be seen as a dynamic identity and decision-making process. Teachers as lifelong learners from the beginning of their career should be able to engage in different forms of teacher education that enable them to progress their learning and development in ways that are relevant to their own individual needs and the needs of their schools and pupils. Teacher individual professional learning is necessary but not sufficient for sustainable change within groups in school and within school as an organization. It is helpful to consider three elements. First, note the importance to schools of recruiting and developing high-quality teachers. Teachers are among the most significant factors in children’s learning and the quality school education, and the questions why and how teachers matter and how teacher quality and quality teacher education should be perceived require serious considerations from academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Second, understand teacher education as career-long education, and problematize the issue of teachers and coherent professional development within schools, asking key questions including the following: “how do schools create effective opportunities for teachers to learn and develop?” Third, focus on the particular journey and the needs of beginning teachers because their early career learning and development will have an impact on retention of high-quality teachers. It is important that coherent lifelong professional education for teachers is planned and implemented at the level of education systems, individual schools, teaching teams, and individual teachers.

scholarly journals Considerations for Individual-Level Versus Whole-School Physical Activity Interventions: Stakeholder Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7628
Author(s):  
Byron Tibbitts ◽  
Kathryn Willis ◽  
Tom Reid ◽  
Simon J. Sebire ◽  
Rona Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Whole School ◽  
School Based ◽  
School Based Interventions ◽  
Whole School Approach

Strategies to address declining physical activity levels among children and adolescents have focused on ‘individual-level’ approaches which often fail to demonstrate impact. Recent attention has been on an alternative ‘whole-school’ approach to increasing physical activity that involves promoting physical activity throughout all aspects of the school environment. There is, however, a lack of evidence on how whole-school physical activity approaches could be implemented in the UK. This qualitative study explored perspectives of key stakeholders on potential reasons for the lack of impact of individual-level school-based interventions on children’s physical activity, and key considerations for adopting a whole-school approach. Nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of stakeholders involved in the implementation of physical activity programmes in UK schools. Data were analysed using an inductive approach. Respondents suggested that individual-level school-based interventions to increase physical activity often failed to consult end users in the design and were typically implemented in environments unsupportive of long-term change. They subsequently outlined specific barriers and key facilitators for the adoption and implementation of whole-school approaches in UK settings and recommended a shift in research foci towards building an evidence base around educational outcomes and whole-school implementation insights.

An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Professional Development on Speech-Language Pathologists' Literacy Knowledge and Practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 1110-1120
Author(s):  
Megan Mahowald ◽  
Jill Rentmeester-Disher
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Literacy Practices ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Literacy Assessment ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Literacy Outcomes ◽  
School Based ◽  
Literacy Knowledge ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Targeted Professional Development

Purpose This study explores how knowledge of and practice in literacy assessment and intervention change following targeted professional development (PD). Method Thirteen school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who participated in a literacy PD course completed pre- and postcourse assessment measures to assess changes in knowledge and practice. Classroom observations were also completed. Results Increases in literacy knowledge and practices were found across all pre- and postcourse measures. Additionally, SLPs' literacy practices were maintained over the course of 1 year. Conclusion The results offer preliminary evidence that targeted PD can impact SLP literacy knowledge and practices, which in turn may positively impact student literacy outcomes.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Perceptions of School-Based Services for Children With Hearing Loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-478
Author(s):  
Sarah Allen ◽  
Robert Mayo
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
School Based ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Positive Feelings ◽  
Children With Hearing Loss ◽  
Perceptions Of School

Purpose School-aged children with hearing loss are best served by a multidisciplinary team of professionals. The purpose of this research was to assess school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) perceptions of their access to, involvement of, and working relationships with educational audiologists in their current work setting. Method An online survey was developed and distributed to school-based SLPs in North Carolina. Results A significant difference in access to and involvement of educational audiologists across the state was found. Conclusions This research contributes to professional knowledge by providing information about current perceptions in the field about interprofessional practice in a school-based setting. Overall, SLPs reported positive feelings about their working relationship with educational audiologists and feel the workload is distributed fairly.

What Does Evidence-Based Practice Mean to You? A Follow-Up Study Examining School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Perspectives on Evidence-Based Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 688-704
Author(s):  
Katrina Fulcher-Rood ◽  
Anny Castilla-Earls ◽  
Jeff Higginbotham
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Research Evidence ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Clinical Expertise ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
School Based ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Ebp Implementation

Purpose The current investigation is a follow-up from a previous study examining child language diagnostic decision making in school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The purpose of this study was to examine the SLPs' perspectives regarding the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) in their clinical work. Method Semistructured phone interviews were conducted with 25 school-based SLPs who previously participated in an earlier study by Fulcher-Rood et al. 2018). SLPs were asked questions regarding their definition of EBP, the value of research evidence, contexts in which they implement scientific literature in clinical practice, and the barriers to implementing EBP. Results SLPs' definitions of EBP differed from current definitions, in that SLPs only included the use of research findings. SLPs seem to discuss EBP as it relates to treatment and not assessment. Reported barriers to EBP implementation were insufficient time, limited funding, and restrictions from their employment setting. SLPs found it difficult to translate research findings to clinical practice. SLPs implemented external research evidence when they did not have enough clinical expertise regarding a specific client or when they needed scientific evidence to support a strategy they used. Conclusions SLPs appear to use EBP for specific reasons and not for every clinical decision they make. In addition, SLPs rely on EBP for treatment decisions and not for assessment decisions. Educational systems potentially present other challenges that need to be considered for EBP implementation. Considerations for implementation science and the research-to-practice gap are discussed.

Facilitating Parental Involvement in Speech Therapy for Children With Speech Sound Disorders: A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Practices, Perspectives, and Strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 1987-1996
Author(s):  
Sherine R. Tambyraja
Keyword(s):  
Parental Involvement ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Speech Therapy ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Speech Sound Disorders ◽  
Speech Sound Disorder ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
School Based ◽  
Homework Completion

Purpose This study investigated the extent to which speech-language pathologists (SLPs) facilitate parents' completion of homework activities for children with speech sound disorder (SSD). In addition, this study explored factors related to more consistent communication about homework completion and strategies considered particularly effective for supporting this element of parental involvement. Method Licensed SLPs serving at least one child with SSD were invited to participate in an online survey. Questions relevant to this study gathered information regarding (a) frequency of communication about homework distribution and follow-up, (b) demographic and workplace characteristics, and (c) an open-ended question about the specific strategies used to support parental involvement and completion of homework activities. Results Descriptive results indicated considerable variability with respect to how frequently SLPs engaged in communication about homework completion, but that school-based SLPs were significantly less likely to engage in this type of follow-up. Strategies considered effective, however, were similar across therapy contexts. Conclusion These results suggest potentially important differences between school-based services and therapy in other contexts with respect to this particular aspect of service provision for children with SSD.

Maximizing Expertise and Collaboration to Support Students With Brain Injury: A Case Study in Speech-Language Pathology

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 1267-1282
Author(s):  
Jessica Salley ◽  
Sarah Krusen ◽  
Margaret Lockovich ◽  
Bethany Wilson ◽  
Brenda Eagan-Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Injury ◽  
Medical Setting ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Team Members ◽  
School Activities ◽  
School Based ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Specialized Education

Purpose Through a hypothetical case study, this article aimed to describe an evidence-based approach for speech-language pathologists in managing students with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly within a formal statewide-supported school-based brain injury team model, such as the BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program operating in Pennsylvania and Colorado. Conclusion Upon transitioning from the medical setting back to school, children with TBI present with unique educational needs. Children with moderate-to-severe TBIs can demonstrate a range of strengths and deficits in speech, language, cognition, and feeding and swallowing, impacting their participation in various school activities. The specialized education, training, and insight of speech-language pathologists, in collaboration with multidisciplinary medical and educational team members, can enable the success of students with TBI when transitioning back to school postinjury ( DePompei & Blosser, 2019 ; DePompei & Tyler, 2018 ). This transition should focus on educational planning, implementation of strategies and supports, and postsecondary planning for vocations or higher education.

School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists' Adherence to Practice Guidelines for Assessment of English Learners

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Virginia L. Dubasik ◽  
Dubravka Svetina Valdivia
Keyword(s):  
Professional Practice ◽  
Practice Guidelines ◽  
Case History ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Federal Legislation ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
School Based

Purpose The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which school-based speech-language pathologists' (SLPs) assessment practices with individual English learners (ELs) align with federal legislation and professional practice guidelines. Specifically, we were interested in examining SLPs' use of multiple tools during individual EL assessments, as well as relationships between practices and number of types of training experiences. Method School-based SLPs in a Midwestern state were recruited in person or via e-mail to complete an online survey pertaining to assessment. Of the 562 respondents who completed the survey, 222 (39.5%) indicated past or present experience with ELs, and thus, their data were included in the analyses. The questionnaire solicited information about respondent's demographics, caseload composition, perceived knowledge and skills and training experiences pertaining to working with ELs (e.g., graduate school, self-teaching, professional conferences), and assessment practices used in schools. Results The majority of respondents reported using multiple tools rather than a single tool with each EL they assess. Case history and observation were tools used often or always by the largest number of participants. SLPs who used multiple tools reported using both direct (e.g., standardized tests, dynamic assessment) and indirect tools (e.g., case history, interviews). Analyses revealed low to moderate positive associations between tools, as well as the use of speech-language samples and number of types of training experiences. Conclusions School-based SLPs in the current study reported using EL assessment practices that comply with federal legislation and professional practice guidelines for EL assessment. These results enhance our understanding of school-based SLPs' assessment practices with ELs and may be indicative of a positive shift toward evidence-based practice.

Forum: Morphological Awareness as a Key Factor in Language-Literacy Success for Academic Achievement

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-513
Author(s):  
Ashley Bourque Meaux ◽  
Julie A. Wolter ◽  
Ginger G. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Literacy Development ◽  
Morphological Awareness ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
School Based ◽  
Literacy Success ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Language And Literacy Development

Purpose This article introduces the Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools Forum: Morphological Awareness as a Key Factor in Language-Literacy Success for Academic Achievement. The goal of this forum is to relate the influence morphological awareness (MA) has on overall language and literacy development with morphology acting as the “binding agent” between orthography, phonology, and semantics ( Perfetti, 2007 ) in assessment and intervention for school-aged children. Method This introduction provides a foundation for MA development and explores the influence MA has over the course of school-aged language and literacy development. Through summaries of the 11 articles in this forum, school-based speech-language pathologists will be able to convey the importance of MA to promote successful educational outcomes for kindergarten to adolescent students. The forum explores researcher-developed assessments used to help identify MA skill level in first- through eighth-grade students at risk for literacy failure to support instructional needs. The forum also provides school-based speech-language pathologists with details to design and implement MA interventions to support academic success for school-aged students with varying speech-language needs (e.g., dual language emersion, vocabulary development, reading comprehension) using various service delivery models (e.g., small group, classroom-based, intensive summer camps). Conclusion MA is effective in facilitating language and literacy development and as such can be an ideally focused on using multilinguistic approaches for assessment and intervention. The articles in this issue highlight the importance in assessment measures and intervention approaches that focus on students' MA to improve overall academic success in children of all ages and abilities.

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