What is an SLP? Let’s break this down…
What is an SLP and what do they do?
SLP stands for Speech Language Pathologist, and they do a lot.
They evaluate and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders in people of all ages.
If you’re looking for a parent / family friendly handout explaining what a speech-language pathologist does, I have one available for free on my TeachersPayTeachers store... and it is in Spanish 😉
These three things might seem limited, but they actually represent a huge scope of work with dozens of different areas of specialization.
Apart from the “normal” SLP jobs, there are a lot of other things they do too.
Have you ever heard of accent coaches? They’re probably SLP’s.
Have you ever attended a workshop on communication? SLP’s do those too!
You know in the movies when they show scientists hooking up wires to your head and measure brain waves? Guess what… SLP’s do that too.
You might be thinking, “Well, that sounds cool, but what does it look like on a day to day basis?” The answer to that is going to depend a lot on the specific SLP and what environment they work in. Most SLP’s have the same basic education and certification, but with experience they tend to specialize in different areas…
- Early intervention (newborns to toddlers)
- School age populations
- Swalloing disorders
- Pediatrics
- Specific Disorders such as apraxia or autism
- Voice disorders
- Cognitive disorders
Where do they work?
Speech Language Pathologists can be found in a variety of settings doing a variety of different things:
Schools:
About 53% of Speech Language Pathologists are employed in school settings according to the American Speech & Hearing Association (ASHA). This could mean anything from a primary or elementary school to high school or even a university.
School SLP’s have a lot of work to do. They might…
- Conduct screenings or evaluations
- Provide therapy or treatment to individuals with disorders or disabilities. This could be individually, in small groups, or in a whole classroom
- Help teach communication skills in a general education classroom
- Train coworkers and other school professionals to help foster language skills
- Write reports snd service plans (this can take up a lot of time)
- Supervise clinical fellows or student clinicians who are in training to become SLP’s
Health Care
After schools, health care institutions employ the largest number SLP’s. ASHA estimates this number to be around 39% but divided into 3 subcategories which are:
- 16% in nonresidential health care facilities (clinics, doctor’s offices, etc)
- 13% in hospitals
- 10% in residential facilities (retirment homes, assisted living, etc)
Each setting has its own unique jobs for an SLP to do.
Nonresidential health care facilities are offices or clinics independent of hospitals. Many SLP’s operate out of their own home or travel to their client’s home. In these settings, SLP’s are often providing specific therapy or treatment. Working in this kind of setting allows an SLP to specialize in certain disorders or populations that they prefer or treat a range of clients.
In hospitals, practitioners may see patients of all ages and conditions. An SLP might
- diagnose and treat cognitive-communication or language disorders
- diagnose and treat swallowing problems
- Be part of a care team for a patient
- Teach other professionals about language disorders, communication issues, and swallowing disorders
In a residential health care facility, an SLP will do many of the same things that they would do in a hospital but for longer term. In a hospital, the focus is often on evaluation and diagnosis. In residential facilties, care givers focus more on functional skills and helping residents to become independent.
How do you become one?
The steps to becoming a Speech Language Pathologist are fairly simple but they’re not easy and they’re not quick.
It is going to require an undergraduate and a graduate degree, hundres of hours of supervised clinical training, credentialing certifications, state licenture, and on going education for the rest of your career.
Let’s break it down…
Bachelors Degree
First, you’ll need an undergraduate (bachelor’s degree). A degree in Communication Disorders or even Speech Language Pathology (if your school offers it) are the best options to go directly into graduate school. You can earn a degree in something else and still get into graduate school IF you’re willing to do a little extra work. Not having a degree in CommDis significantly limits the number of programs that you can apply to for a masters. It is possible to get in, but you will have to do a bit more work.
Masters Degree
Once you have an undergraduate degree, you’ll need a masters degree (graduate degree). This is where things get tricky. There is a huge variety of programs and there is a lot of information about getting into programs that I’ll cover in another post. For now, just know you need a masters
Accreditation & Credential
After completing your masters, you’ll apply for accreditation through the American Speech & Hearing Association. This requires a masters degree and 400 hours of supervised clinical experiences. This process will earn you a Certificate of Clinical Competenece in Speech Language Pathology or CCC-SLP.
State Licensure
You’re pretty much finished at this point. The CCC-SLP will allow you to work in most states and in most settings. However, there are a few states or employers that will require a license specific to that state. They will typically help you through the process of obtaining it.
Continuing Education
The field of SLP is constantly changing and growing. There is new research being conducted every day that affects how we best serve clients. Many states requires that to maintain your CCC, you must keep learning. This might mean formal classes at a university of attending conferences and seminars in the field.
Why would you become one?
This is the really tricky question: Why?
Why spend years studying for a degree that will require you to keep studying for years to come? Why get a job that will constantly challenge you with new situations and conditions and disorders? Why get a degree that opens the door up for dozens of possibilities in ever changing field? If you need someone to answer those questions for you, than maybe you should look into another field.
Here’s just some of the many reasons why people become Speech Language Pathologists:
- You make a positive impact on people’s lives.
If you’ve ever received speech therapy, you already understand the difference it can make. If you haven’t, try to imagine. You’re unable to communicate with the people you love because you’ve suffered a stroke… until an SLP helps you to take back your speech. Imagine you’re a child with a stutter and an SLP helps you learn to manage it. The things SLP’s help people to do and overcome are meaningful and long lasting.
2. You get to be creative and be a scientist
Many people think of science and creativity as not interacting much, but as an SLP those things have to mix! Not only are you coming up with novel ways to assess clients, you’re making sure those assessments are targeting specific neurological disorders. Or perhaps you’re in the school setting and you’re turning the latest research into a board game that your 8-year-old student will like
3. Good pay
According to the U.S. government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for an SLP in 2012 was $69,870 per year (around $34 per hour). A newer report (2013) from ASHA indicates that SLP’s working in the medical setting make around $75,000 per year. Obviously you shouldn’t pursue a career just for the money, but it is comforting to know that you’ll make a livable wage when you graduate with your very expensive degree
4. Good job prospects (especially if bilingual)
Job security is a good reason to consider entering a field. The demand for Speech Language Pathology’s is growing at an above average rate (aka faster than other fields!). This means there is a need for SLP’s and jobs available!
Also consider if you’re bilingual there are even more job opportunities available working with non-English speaking populations
5. New stuff to learn all the time
Being an SLP means constantly improving your practice by incorporating new techniques and staying up-to-date on research all in order to provide your clients with the best care possible. This means the field is never stagnated and burn-out is low because there is always something new to learn
6. Diversity in the work environment – you can go and do anything
As aforementioned, SLP’s work in a variety of settings. Becoming one means that you’ll have endless opportunities to explore new ways to work. You can work in a hospital, a school, a private clinic. You can start your own business or get hired by a university to conduct research. There are so many possibilities.
7. Specialize… or don’t!
There are many disorders that SLP’s diagnose and treat. As you gain more experience, you might find that you’re passionate about one in particular. So you can specialize in it and hone your skills! Or… you can remain a generalist seeing and treating all types of disorders. This is another component to the flexibility of the field.