I interviewed with a social worker last Wednesday who told me she has to educate her SLP colleagues on the nuances of African-American English. This shocked me because we should be the language experts! However, I understand a lot of graduate programs do not take the time to truly teach this concept.

If you relate to this, I encourage you to take 5 minutes today to research the dialectal features of AAE! You can start here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227605544_Phonological_and_phonetic_characteristics_of_AAVE

Hey everyone!

If you did not know, I started my Student Teaching semester at 2 elementary schools, which will be my last clinical placement in graduate school.

Yesterday, I go to observe my first IEP and was fascinated because we had two ASL interpreters on Zoom. At this school, there is a big population of DHH students and one of the teachers present was DHH also. It inspired me to possibly go back to school and double major in ASL and Spanish to help with my dreams of being a multilingual SLP. Additionally, tomorrow I will be running 3 speech and language sessions that I planned and created materials for. Being a grad student on a budget means that I have to DIY a lot of speech materials unless I plan activities with games and other materials my supervisor has shared with me. I like adding a piece of myself to my speech therapy so I mix my crafted materials with my supervisor's. I've been really enjoying working with and learning from my supervisor.

I am excited for what is to come!

Do you use wordless videos for pragmatic/language treatment and wonder where you can find the proof of its efficacy? Check out this article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40489-016-0098-5

P.S. If you're looking for EBP Google Scholar is an excellent resource. Happy treatment planning!

This is more relevant now than ever! It's time to start shifting how we educate children here in the U.S. and around the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Closing academic achievement gaps as speech pathologists should be a collaborative effort. As language experts, we're required to advocate for cultural linguistic diversity. I wrote an article with Dr. Valencia Perry about specific steps we can take to support the communicative behaviors of Black and Latinx children. You can check out our articles on ASHA Leader here: https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2021-0223-cultural-responsiveness/full/

Does anyone have tips to memorize cranial nerves?

3 Ways to Combat Imposter Syndrome in Grad School:

1. When you find yourself confused or having a hard time understanding concepts (especially when you're with others that get it), tell yourself: “This is an opportunity for me to learn.”

Having this mindset will allow you to feel comfortable asking for help from your peers/professors/supervisors instead of talking down to yourself.

2. Instead of thinking “it’s better not to answer because you’re probably wrong,” choose to be courageous and confident in yourself. Answer to the best of your ability and if you are wrong, reference the first strategy.

3. When you feel yourself getting anxious during testing environments, take a second (or a few) to take a deep breath, remind yourself that you did everything you could to prepare, and look at the question again with a fresh mind.

Comment how you plan on combatting imposter syndrome this semester!

Exciting times ahead! Starting my second year of Speech-Language Pathology graduate school!

I can't believe how quickly time flies. I gained valuable clinical experience, working with diverse populations and honing my skills in communication disorders throughout my first year.

As I embark on my second year, I'm excited to delve into advanced coursework and explore specialized areas within SLP. From augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to fluency disorders and voice therapy, there's so much to discover and learn.

#SpeechLanguagePathology
#SecondYearJourney
#BlackWomeninHealthcare

Hey future SLPs! If you are in your first semester of grad school, here are 5 tips to keep in mind:

1. Get a journal/planner: Organization and time management are crucial for your first semester because you’ll probably be LOADED with classes and possibly, clinical placements. This is especially important if you are working while going to grad school.

2. Review! Take time after your classes to look over your notes/lectures and rewrite them in a way that you understand. If you’re not a writing/reading learner, adjust or add to your notes to fit your needs. (E.g. recordings, YouTube videos, better diagrams, 3D models, etc.)

3. Ask questions: Don’t avoid asking for clarification during your lectures or clinical placements and think “I’ll figure it out later.” While you may figure it out, you are paying to learn so it’s better to ask your professors and supervisors what they are teaching.

4. Sign up for your school's NSSHLA chapter! There are so many events with speakers with different speech and language specialities sharing insights for networking opportunities, clinical placement ideas, and becoming a successful SLP.

5. Be kind to yourself! Grad school can be overwhelming, but remember you’re there to learn and grow as a (future) SLP.

Hi! Where can I find bilingual fluency therapy materials?