Episode Details

I share a mindset shift for school-based SLPs when a teacher says, “I don’t know what to do with them”, and I show how that moment can point to classroom needs not just student needs. We move beyond the pull-out-only default and into a workload approach where collaboration, consultation, and Tier 1 support expand our reach and reduce the referral treadmill over time.
• reframing the hallway conversation from instant referral to classroom signal
• defining the “client” as the student plus the classroom environment and teacher support
• why pull-out therapy alone cannot carry language and literacy change
• using MTSS to think across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 supports
• building mutual respect with teachers through agreed consultation and shared strategies
• leaning on SLP strengths in observation, task analysis, UDL, and neurodiversity-informed practice
• addressing time pressure by comparing proactive Tier 1 investment to the cost of nonstop referrals
• handling role confusion and resistance with scope clarity and small pilots
• focusing on reach and long-term impact beyond the therapy room
Just one thing. Find one classroom touch point. It might be a quick check-in with a teacher about a student you share. It might be sitting in on a classroom lesson and noticing what the communication demands actually are. It might be following a student around for a morning to truly see what they are experiencing.

https://sarahdowlingschoolslpcoaching.com

Music: Daniel Chui