SLP Coffee Talk

Latest Episodes:

Answering Your Questions About Working with Older Stuttering Students with Lori Melnitsky Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

Looking for tips for working on fluency with your older speech students?
On this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Lori Melnitsky to answer all of your questions about working with older speech students that stutter.
It can be challenging working with these students because sometimes, they just don’t want the help, or they aren’t getting enough help for it to be effective. If this sounds familiar, there are things you can do.
Lori is a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist and ADHD Life Coach with over 25 years of experience treating stuttering, speech, and executive function skills. She specializes in stuttering therapy and owns All Island Speech and Stuttering Therapy.
She has proudly helped hundreds of children, teens, and adults to stutter less and communicate with confidence. She personally stuttered severely until her early 20s, struggling to participate in class, call friends on the phone, and say her own name. But here’s what she really wants you to know: stuttering did not stop her, and it won’t stop you either
Lori knows that students who stutter can be successful, they just need confidence! Tune in to learn more about working with students that stutter and helping build up their confidence in and out of the speech room.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/142

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Lori’s website: https://www.allislandspeech.com/

Join the Stuttering DeMystified for SLPs Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stutteringdemystify

Listen to Lori’s podcast: https://www.allislandspeech.com/projects-3

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

AAC & Literacy Fun with Megan Stewart Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

As SLPs, one of the biggest things we work on with our students is reading. Whether they have an AAC or not, there are things we can do to help them reach their literacy goals at their own pace.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Megan Stewart, who is passionate about both literacy and AAC! Megan is here to share her top tips for maximizing your reading time with your students.

Megan Stewart, MS CCC-SLP is a Speech/Language Pathologist with over 19 years of experience, most of which have been spent serving students with complex communication needs, within a variety of settings, including early intervention, home health, hippotherapy, and elementary school level.

Megan received her Master's degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and now resides in Jacksonville, FL. With extensive knowledge regarding various forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) from low to high tech, Megan’s passion is to help guide students, parents, and professionals alike in their journey to find the AAC system(s) that will help them become the most independent and autonomous communicators possible.

Megan has so many great ideas that she shares in this episode, so make sure to tune in so you don’t miss them!

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/141

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Megan’s website: https://senseableliteracy.com/

Follow Megan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/senseableliteracy

Follow Megan on Instagram: www.instagram.com/senseableliteracy

Subscribe to Megan's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SENSEableLiteracy

Follow Megan on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@senseableliteracy

Check out Tar Heel Reader: https://tarheelreader.org

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

AAC With High School Students with Ashley Larisey Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Looking for some tips on working with high school speech students?

If you know me, you know that AAC is not my jam, but in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Ashley Larisey to chat all about AAC and working with high school speech therapy students.

Ashley Larisey is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and clinical educator. Ashley’s work experiences include public and private therapeutic day schools, speech/language clinics, and early intervention. Ashley also serves as an adjunct clinical supervisor at Saint Xavier University and teaches a module specific to the use of technology in the field of Speech/Language Pathology.

Ashley has extensive experience working with children and adults who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, and has presented at local and national conferences on AAC and literacy.

Tune in to learn more from Ashley about tips for working with older speech students, transition planning, AR activities, working on literacy with nonverbal students, AAC, and so much more!

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/140

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Ashley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrs.larisey/

Check out Comprehensive Literacy for All: https://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Literacy-All-Significant-Disabilities/dp/1598576577/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Everything You Need To Know About Working With Your School Psych with Briana Wagner Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Do you work with the school psychologist?

In this episode, I’m switching things up and talking with a bilingual school psychologist, Briana Wagner. She’s here to chat about how SLPs can collaborate with the school psychologist, social skills, and so much more!

Briana Wagner is a bilingual school psychologist and the founder of @EducationallyPsyched, a community dedicated to easy-to-understand information about special education, school psychology, and supporting students with diverse needs.

I have always said that when you start at a new school, the school psychologist is one of the most important people you need to develop a close working relationship with. There are so many important ways we can collaborate together to help our students get the best possible outcome when it comes to speech.

Looking at things that the school psychologist looks at regularly might not be our domain, but it can help us greatly inside our therapy rooms to understand what type of help our students need and how we can set them up for more success in their regular classrooms as well.

Tune in to hear more about how to make the most of your relationship with the school psychologist and how you can work together to help your students succeed.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/139

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Briana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/educationallypsyched/

Get my FREE Critical Thinking Probes: https://speechtimefunpd.mykajabi.com/critical-thinking-probes

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Why I Don't Take Data The Entire Session Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

I do not take data during the entire session, and I’m sharing why in this episode. I know there are some exceptions to the rules because administrations or districts require one thing or another, but I want to convince you to think about data a little bit differently.

I’m not saying not to take data, just not to take it the entire session. Imagine that as you’re working, someone came and observed you and jotted down notes the entire time. You would be pretty nervous right? Imagine how our students feel. If they are constantly being assessed, they’re going to have some anxiety and it could affect their ability to perform optimally.

If we are constantly evaluating our students, when will we have time to teach them? With things like articulation, studies show that the more drilling, the better. But you can’t do that if you’re evaluating them all the time.

The more you focus on the child in front of you and the anecdotal data versus the data marks, the more they will be engaged. They are going to be more willing to take risks and have a better understanding of what it takes to be successful. That itself is so much more valuable than the data marks.

Tune in to learn more about why I don’t take data the entire session and how you can start focusing on the child more for better outcomes.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/138

Resources Mentioned:

Get my free group therapy data forms: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Group-Therapy-Data-Forms-FREEBIE-2032236

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

If I Don't Have A Prize Bin... Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

What prizes and reward systems do you use with your older students?

This is a question I get asked pretty often, especially at the beginning of the year. I have had many different reward systems in my career, but as of now, I don’t actually have a reward system in place for my older speech therapy students.

In today’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing the systems I have used in the past, why they didn’t work, and why I stopped using them altogether. While I don’t use reward systems, there are other ways I like to motivate my students that work amazingly well without being a distraction.

Speech can be fun and engaging without using prizes. Time is precious in the speech room, and we need to use it wisely. If we can motivate students in other ways while they’re there, we can build their confidence without giving them another sticker.

Sometimes just giving students that verbal praise that they might not get throughout the day otherwise is enough motivation. Showing them that you’re listening and that you care about how they’re doing is enough.

Tune in to learn more about how I keep my students motivated without stickers and prizes and how you can start intrinsically motivating your students to learn today.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/137

Resources Mentioned:

Grab my free visuals: https://speechtimefun.com/must-have-visual-aids-for-working-on-critical-thinking-skills-in-speech-therapy/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Visual Supports Can Create Predictable Systems with Tara Tuchel Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

Are you using visuals in your speech therapy classroom?

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, we are breaking away from only talking about older speech therapy students to talk about something that can be used with any age: visual supports!

Visual supports are things like pictures, lists, or drawings that help students with autism communicate. They can make a huge difference in your students’ speech therapy outcomes. I sat down with Tara Tuchel from Autism Little Learners to dive into the topic of visuals and how she uses them to help her autistic students reach their goals.

Tara is a speech/language pathologist who has been teaching young autistic children for over 2 decades. She has the unique position to run her own communication-based classroom and team-teach with a special education teacher. She started Autism Little Learners in March of 2019.

Tara now has a monthly product membership and an online course (Visual Schedules Made Easy) where she shares resources and activities for educators and parents of young autistic children.

Tune in to hear all of Tara’s top tips for using visual supports in speech therapy!

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/136

Resources Mentioned:

Check out Tara’s website: https://autismlittlelearners.com/

Get the free Visual Support Starter Set: https://mailchi.mp/af7297575815/visualsupportstarterset

Follow Tara on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autismlittlelearners/

Follow Tara on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@autismlittlelearners?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Check out her TpT shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Autism-Little-Learners

Get on the waitlist for Tara’s membership: https://autism-little-learners.mykajabi.com/membershippopup

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Using Bloom's Taxonomy To Know Where to Start Aug 29, 2022

Show notes

Do you struggle to figure out where to go with your older speech students?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may have heard me talk about how language comprehension is such an integral part of learning and reading. In order to be successful readers, our students need good decoding skills.

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing why I use Bloom’s Taxonomy to determine what to do with my older speech therapy students. They have to be able to engage with the text, think about it, and answer questions, and we as SLPs can help them get there.

It’s so important that we determine a goal that is appropriate for our students, not just what they’re working on in the classroom. Thinking differently about how we determine the goal we're working on with our students can really help us feel confident about what we are working on and know that we can make a true difference.

Tune in to learn more about how I use Bloom’s Taxonomy to determine what my students need help with so that I can meet them where they are at and help them achieve their goals.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/135

Resources Mentioned:

Check out SLP Elevate: https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/slp-elevate-aug

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

Listening to Autistic Voices with Katja Piscitelli Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

Are you familiar with neurodiversity-affirming teaching methods?

Every day, I see so many questions from other SLPs on this topic, so today on SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Katja Piscitelli to talk about these methods so that you can get all of your questions answered and start the year off confident with autistic students on your caseload.

Katja Piscitelli is a speech therapist, dog mom, and Disney lover. She supports autistic students and their families through neurodiversity-affirming, child-led therapy. She also specializes in supporting gestalt language development (echolalia).

Katja believes in listening to the communities we serve to guide our practice, and she loves sharing what she learns from the Autistic community and her experiences with students with all of you!

There is a shift happening in the way we teach autistic students in speech therapy. Instead of teaching them to be more like us, we are learning to teach them differently in a way that affirms who they are and how their brains work.

Katja has a wealth of knowledge and tips to share on this topic. Tune in to learn more about why listening to autistic voices is so important, tips for teaching self-advocacy and perspective taking, the top tips and tools for working with autistic students, and so much more.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/134

Resources Mentioned:

Visit Katja’s website: https://www.totalspectrumtherapy.org/

Follow Katja on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bohospeechie/

Follow Katja on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Boho-Speechie/100064823717157/

Check out Katja’s Teachers Pay Teachers store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Boho-Speechie

Visit the NeuroClastic website: https://neuroclastic.com/its-a-spectrum-doesnt-mean-what-you-think/

Join the NeuroClastic Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheAspergian/

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/

How To Plan For Your Speech Sessions In Minutes Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

Are you ready to cut your planning time down drastically?

In this week’s episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I am sharing how you can plan your speech therapy sessions in minutes. Yes, you read that right! Not weeks, not hours—minutes. This is my framework for planning my speech therapy sessions in minutes, and sometimes even seconds.

Planning for each individual student on your caseload would take hours, which no one wants to do. If you have been following me for a while, you know that no matter what goal I am working on in the classroom, I like to plan my lessons around a theme or concept to make planning easier.

We only have so much time to get our lesson planning done for our students. We have to work smarter and not harder when it comes to lesson planning for all of those kids. Using themes is just one of the ways I do that.

Tune in to this episode to learn how to get your time back and get your lesson planning done in a few minutes, no matter the size of your caseload.

Full show notes available at www.speechtimefun.com/133

Resources Mentioned:

Grab the Planning Freebie: https://speechtimefun.com/planningfreebie

Where We Can Connect:

Follow the Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slp-coffee-talk/id1497341007

Follow Hallie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speechtimefun

Follow Hallie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeechTimeFun/

Follow Hallie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/missspeechie/