Speech and Language

Professional Development Manual Home | Special Event Offerings | 2024-25 Learning Opportunities

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S-1 Assessment and Treatment: Speech Fluency Disorders

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

Time

3 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Fluency disorders (stuttering and cluttering) are multifaceted, and many factors impact the listener's perception of disfluencies. Within the school setting, speech-language pathologists are tasked with addressing fluency disorders. This training will address the current methods of evaluating speech fluency disorders. This training will also describe key features of common treatment approaches to change communication behaviors as well as address social and emotional perspectives. The training will provide evidence-based practice in addressing fluency disorders.

Participants will be able to

• Identify types of disfluencies
• Discuss assessment tools for speech fluency disorders.
• Describe key features of common treatment approaches that support the development of speech fluency.
• Identify the psychosocial issues that may impact a person who stutters and how these issues affect treatment and outcomes.

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S-2 Building Social Skills Groups for Diverse Learners

Presenters

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist
• Laura Lavery, M.A., Education Specialist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Special and General Education Teachers, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), School Psychologists, Parents, Adapted Physical Education Specialists, Special Education Administrators, Program Specialists, and Paraprofessionals

Time

6 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

Social skills are the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language and our personal appearance. Some kids learn to say "please" and "thank you" and to wait their turn by watching others. Kids with learning and attention issues might not pick up on common social interactions simply through observation. Social skills include far more than the ability to communicate with other people. Social skills are crucial to making friends, succeeding in school and later in life, as well as getting and keeping a job. Social skills groups are small groups (typically two to eight kids) led by an adult who teaches the kids how to interact appropriately with others their age. They can help kids learn conversational, friendship, and problem-solving skills. They can also be useful in teaching kids to control their emotions and understand other people's perspectives. This training will discuss how to assess social skills and determine strategies to support individuals with social needs.

Participants will be able to

• Discuss assessment instruments that can assist the team in determining social/pragmatic needs.
• Evaluate evidence-based practices to support performance deficits or acquisition deficits of social skills.
• Analyze and apply information utilizing case studies.

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S-3 Differential Assessment and Interventions for Students with Significantly Reduced Speech Intelligibility

Presenter

• Michelle Austin, M.A., CCC/SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/Assistive Technology Specialist

Intended Audience

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)

Time

6 hours

Format

Virtual

Summary

The differentiation of childhood apraxia of speech from severe phonological disorder is a common clinical problem. Severe speech impairment may result from a variety of etiologies and may represent linguistic impairment, motor speech impairment, or both. Differential diagnosis typically refers to the process of determining the appropriate classification or label for the speech sound disorder, such as phonologic impairment, childhood apraxia of speech, or dysarthria. More important than the label, however, is the determination of the relative contribution of cognitive versus linguistic versus motor impairment because children with speech sound disorders frequently exhibit impairment in more than one area. Determining the degree to which the child is struggling to learn the rule-governed system of phonology, compared with having problems planning and programming movement gestures for speech, directly affects appropriate treatment planning. Each disorder lends itself to specific treatment approaches. Determining the correct diagnosis can improve the child's ability to make progress on specific speech and language goals. This training will discuss the differential diagnosis and various treatment approaches specific to each disorder.

Participants will be able to

• Differentiate between:
  • articulation disorder
  • phonological disorder
  • apraxia
  • dysarthria
• Determine appropriate assessment tools.

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S-4 Language Processing Disorder: Assessment and Treatment Considerations

Presenter

• Katey Kuyumjian, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist

Intended Audience

Speech-Language Pathologists

Time

1.5 hours

Format

Virtual or in person

Summary

Students with language disorders may not exhibit deficits in language acquisition, but rather the processing of language-based information. Language processing is the "ability to attach linguistic meaning of increased complexity to auditory information received and then formulate a response" (Richard, 2017, p. 69). It involves the ability to process, store, and formulate a response and the ability to attach increasingly complex meaning to language. Such difficulties may be subtle to severe and interfere with daily functioning and learning. Children develop language processing through a hierarchy of skills with each level of processing dependent on learned skills from the previous level. As such, it is essential for Speech-Language Pathologists to administer appropriate language processing assessments so as to effectively tailor intervention to where a student is exhibiting difficulty within the hierarchy.

Participants will be able to

• Understand basic definitions of information processing and different types of processing disorders.
• Understand language processing disorder including basic hierarchies of language processing skills.
• Effectively administer different formal and informal assessment measures to accurately diagnose a language processing disorder.
• Use the assessment information to tailor an intervention program that utilizes a hierarchical and multimodal method of instruction.