Supports for Students
Speech and Language Services
Who We Are
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are specially trained professionals who have earned a master’s degree and are registered with the Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. SLPs work closely with educators, school teams, families, and other professionals to support students with communication challenges to achieve their academic and personal potential.
School Supports
Language Support
SLPs support students who struggle using language to express themselves and/or have difficulty understanding language. This support may include strategies for vocabulary development, understanding and use of sentences, following directions, asking and answering questions, and understanding and telling stories.
Functional Communication
SLPs support students’ ability to communicate with school staff and peers for a variety of reasons (initiating conversation, clarifying their message, advocating for their needs), and strategies may include the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools.
AAC Trials
SLPs coordinate trials of communication devices (e.g., iPad, dedicated speech generating device), communication apps and software, and/or low-tech AAC tools (e.g., communication book). They also submit applications for funding through Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) or other sources, as appropriate.
Coordination of Student Supports
SLPs coordinate services with the school team and other professionals to meet the student’s communication needs. This may involve SLPs working with teachers to include language strategies into classroom programming or SLPs collaborating with Occupational Therapists to improve access to equipment (e.g., switch access, eye gaze system, joystick, accessibility settings) and mounting systems (e.g., wheelchair or table mount, head mount for switches).
Service Delivery
SLPs work collaboratively with school learning teams to provide a variety of communication supports from student specific to universal/whole class strategies, which may include:
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observing students in the classroom
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consulting, coaching and collaborating with school staff on specific student and/or classroom needs
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suggesting strategies and tools to support participation
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modelling strategies and equipment to support the student and classroom team
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providing resources (e.g., visuals, handouts, tools) to help implement supports
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assessing the student’s communication skills, when appropriate
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offering learning sessions to school staff and parents to provide them with strategies to build the student’s communication skills
Access to Speech-Language Pathology
The
SLP Kindergarten - grade 2 team supports students from Kindergarten to grade 2 who present with language and complex communication challenges. Priorities for SLP services are determined by early intervention considerations, school-identified need and students with communication challenges that are significantly impacting their learning and participation in the classroom.
The
SLP-AAC team supports students with complex communication needs who:
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are needing repair of their current Speech-Generating Communication Device (SGCD)
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have outgrown their current AAC system, or it is no longer meeting their needs
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have an AAC system, and the student and/or school team, requires support to use it effectively in the school setting
These services are available to students in all schools and programs within the CBE and are assigned based on school-identified needs and therapist availability. The CBE is a recognized Alberta Aids to Daily Living (AADL) Level 3 Speech-Generating Communication Devices (SGCD) Service Centre and the SLPs on the SLP-AAC team are AADL authorizers.
Before an SLP becomes involved in directly supporting your child, they will reach out to explain potential services and obtain your consent.
Contact your child’s school to discuss Speech-Language Pathology services with your child’s teacher or school leadership.
Alberta Health Services (AHS)
AHS Pediatric Community Rehabilitation Services provide family-centered services that prioritize functional goals within home and community environments. Their Speech and Language Services are offered at AHS locations and focus on supporting children and their families with speech sound disorders (including apraxia), fluency/stuttering, and feeding/swallowing. CBE SLPs do not provide direct support for services that can be accessed through AHS.
Visit
Pediatric Rehabilitation at Alberta Health Services for a complete listing of services and how to access them. Parents may self-refer their children at 403-910-2070.
