This episode discusses the reasons why it’s important to support increased diversity in the SLP profession. I provide demographic information related to the SLP field, and then share results from two studies that indicate improved outcomes for patients and students when they have a shared racial or ethnic identity with their medical providers and/or teachers. I explain that in school settings, approximately 80% of students who receive SLP services are not white, and because 90% of SLPs are white, this mismatch could negatively impact student outcomes. Throughout the episode, I propose simple actions that SLPs can take to help make increased diversity a reality in our profession.

This episode covers the top five evaluation tips for SLPs. I discuss the difference between the terms “evaluation” and “assessment,” and offer five practical tips to help make the evaluation process easier for SLPs. These tips include learning about the student’s strengths, making the language sample analysis process more efficient, using templates for reports, collaborating with families and teachers, and gathering baseline data during the evaluation process. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:___

This episode focuses on building belonging in speech therapy sessions. I share three different definitions of belonging, and then focus on simple principles and strategies to help our students and clients experience a sense of belonging in the speech room and beyond. These include fostering a sense of ownership and agency, establishing routines that encourage belonging, honoring student identities, having high expectations for students and helping them meet these expectations, addressing the challenges of transitions, and helping students connect to their core values. The show notes from this episode can be accessed here:___