Teaching the (Speech) Teachers

October 13-15, 2024, Ashley and Michelle traveled to Elyria, Ohio for the nation’s only school-based speech therapist conference. Michelle gave a 90 minute presentation, Dear SLPs, It’s OK to Fail, acknowledging the struggles our clinicians and students have faced since the profession largely moved away from evaluating and treating oral motor skills.

Why?

Because what looks to be random tongue, jaw, and lip movements was not considered from an anatomical and physiological perspective; a student needs to have muscle awareness, tone, and coordination to move each muscle to create speech sounds.

But what happens if the palate is really high?

What do the different characteristics we see on tongues mean?

Why can some children ace an articulation test, but sound like they’re always mumbling?

Why do Speech kids have more learning disabilities and/or behavior challenges?

Why do some kids have a spontaneous language burst, and no longer present as “delayed” literally overnight?

Why is there such a challenge making sounds into longer sentences?

It’s not fair we have to teach these students to talk slower for life - or that their challenges will continue to appear when they are tired or after they have a drink as an adult.

Why are some kids in speech for YEARS?

How frustrating for everyone! We owe it to our students to get them into the classroom and provide them the best, research-backed care.

When we consider the child’s anatomy and physiology, they can often exit speech services in a matter of MONTHS. It’s time we rethink things.

The Oakland Myo and Wellness Institute team is continuing to educate district and county-level speech-language pathologists around the state and nation!

Have we coached your child’s school district yet?