Below is an overview of how two Speech and Language Therapists have worked together to support and empower a student with specific and ongoing speech difficulties, devising and implementing functional and meaningful goals with the student
- The student has been known to speech and language therapy services for a long time (NHS and then Cognus), and from 7 years old she received regular speech therapy sessions in clinic. This was part of the speech disorders service, and she was seen by Jo Wells, Specialist SaLT. She was given a diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of Speech (previously known as verbal dyspraxia).
- She made lots of progress but had ongoing speech needs including the production of longer words, prosody (i.e. rhythm, stress, intonation), breath control during speech, precise articulation of certain sounds, and oral-motor skills.
- The individual’s EHCP was issued when transitioning to secondary school, and she was transferred to the SaLT team at Cognus
- She has good language and general communication skills, but has significant needs around literacy and speech
- She does not always engage in speech work, particularly once transferred to secondary school, and her progress plateaued.
- Jo Wells moved from the NHS speech and language therapy service to a new role at Cognus, and the student’s current SaLT Jodie Sills initiated liaison with Jo. Termly joint visits with the student were then arranged.
- Jo and Jodie jointly looked at ways to move her speech targets on and to make the speech targets and activities more functional and motivating.
- They involved the student in discussion around speech targets, which led to setting a target for the student to prepare a presentation speech with her LSA, to present during a session. The student chose a subject she was passionate about i.e. mental health.
- She worked hard at preparing the presentation, developing a prompt sheet, thinking about the structure and flow of the presentation, giving key points and also then expanding on these points.
- She presented her speech wonderfully to the adults, implementing the strategies she had been equipped with during therapy sessions, and was clear and engaging throughout.
- Her ability to self-reflect on her speech and use of strategies was much improved e.g. she talked about how she had given herself time, used good pace and intonation, used gestures etc.
- She was able to produce a range of long and complex words well within the presentation, which were previously very challenging, and her overall intelligibility was much improved.
- This task appeared to really build her confidence. She demonstrated a clear sense of pride, and afterwards talked about her SaLT journey and remembering things she had done previously and how far she has come!
- Both preparing and carrying out this task supported her independence skills, confidence and self-reflection, and supports skills required for future education and employment.
Next steps for speech and language therapy:
Jodie will carry out a questionnaire to find out what future speech targets would be relevant, meaningful and functional for the student.
The student has expressed an interest in becoming a therapist or a child psychologist when she is older, which could be the subject of her next presentation!
Jo and Jodie will continue to work together, alongside school staff, to continue to support the student’s SaLT journey, and to ensure she has the skills, strategies and confidence to reach her full speech and language potential.
To find out more about CAS, please click on the links below:
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) – Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives