When you need a speech-language professional for your school, the obvious choice may be to seek out and hire a speech-language pathologist. But hiring a speech-language pathology assistant can be a cost-effective and timely solution for filling that same need.
What Can a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Do?
A speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) can perform a number of duties in the classroom, including – but not limited to – the following:
- Provide therapy services to help meet the treatment goals and needs of students;
- Adjust and document the amount and style of support provided to students;
- Administer and score screenings for clinical interpretation by a speech-language pathologist;
- Develop and implement activities and materials to aid in teaching and practicing student skills;
- Address the goals of the student documented through their IEP;
- Provide treatment through several service models such as individual, group, classroom-based, co-treatment with other disciplines; and
- Document student, patient, or client performance.
Why Hire an SLPA Instead of an SLP?
Although your district will still need on-staff SLPs, having SLPAs around can greatly reduce their workload, take care of administrative burdens, and provide extra hands – all of which improve the quality of therapy SLPs are able to provide.
In addition, when SLPs are not overburdened with their workload, they don’t have to miss or reschedule therapy appointments, and students can be more comfortable with their consistent sessions.
Want to Learn More About Hiring for Speech-Language Professionals?
Spotter Staffing has decades of hiring experience, ready to be put to use for your school. Contact us today and we can connect you with our pool of talented speech-language professionals who are qualified, vetted, and available for hire!