Hey there, fellow SLPs! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie sits down with Sarah, an SLP and AAC enthusiast, to demystify the world of augmentative and alternative communication, showing it’s not about the tech but about empowering connections. We delve into selecting AAC systems, involving families and integrating devices into the classroom all while maintaining a focus on the child’s autonomy. Sarah’s insights and strategies are interwoven with personal anecdotes, making this a conve...

Hey there, SLPs! Today, we're going to delve deep into the realm of therapy goals and standardized testing now. Standardized testing is a necessary component of the process, let's face it, but that doesn't mean our treatment objectives have to follow their lead. We're going to reveal how to use those test results to inform relevant, doable objectives. Let's face it, meaningful goals result in actual advancement! Hallie shared advice on deciphering test results, getting input from teachers, ca...

Hallie talks about how to use Blooket in your speech therapy sessions.Hey there, SLPs! Get ready for a jolt of inspiration in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk. Join Hallie as she spills the beans on her all-time favorite free tool for speech therapy - Blooket! Discover how this interactive platform can turn learning into a game and keep your older students engaged and motivated. From customizable games to real-time feedback, Blooket is the secret weapon you need in your therapy arsenal. Tune i...

Effective reading instruction strategies for older students with Sara of Stellar Teacher CompanyHi, fellow SLPs! In today’s episode, Hallie features Sara Marye, an accomplished educator, the CEO of The Stellar Teacher Company, and the creator/host of the Stellar Teacher Podcast. Together, we delve into advanced reading instruction strategies while exploring the science of reading and its application in the classroom for older students. Learn the five pillars of reading, Scarborough’s Reading ...

Hi, fellow SLPs! In today’s episode, Hallie explores the benefits of role-playing in speech therapy to enhance vocational communication skills. Discover the practical strategies for SLPs to create realistic role-playing scenarios that prepare students for the workforce by developing language skills essential for professional success. Tailored for speech-language pathologists working with older students, Hallie offers insights into making therapy sessions relevant and engaging focusing on job ...

Why connecting with middle and high school students increases motivation and participation?Hey there, fellow SLPs! In this episode, Hallie chats with speech-language pathologists Matt and Margarita to share their innovative strategies for engaging teen learners. Hear about innovative ways to weave student interests into therapy sessions, from comic books to current tech articles, and how personal stories of our own goals can normalize the growth process. Plus, we're tackling the common fears ...

In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie Sherman shares a powerful tool for improving therapy practices: Tar Heel Reader. Get ready to unlock a world of free, accessible books that will enhance literacy, comprehension, articulation, expressive language, and social skills. Learn how to make learning fun, increase vocabulary, and captivate your kids with custom stories. You won't want to miss this episode, which is jam-packed with new therapeutic advice and real-life examples!Here’s what we l...

In the latest episode of SLP Coffee Talk, Hallie Sherman serves up a steamy brew of fresh ideas to rejuvenate your speech-language therapy sessions.  Saying goodbye to the yawns and hello to sessions that are as enjoyable as they are educational. Hallie provides practical examples of how to adapt popular board games to meet various speech and language goals. From "Twisted Scrabble" to "Modified Monopoly," and from "Guess Who?" with a twist to an adapted "Operation," each game is a doorway to...

Do you find AAC overwhelming? You aren’t alone!  No need to worry though, because in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Cici Fritts and Candace Hayden. They are experts in all things technology and AAC for our speech students and they are here to help you understand how to best help your students with their communication through AAC.  Topics covered in this episode include: How Cici and Candace help educate others on AAC use in speechHow to embrace AAC if there are no AAC...

Do you struggle sometimes talking to parents and navigating the whole IEP process with parents? If so, you are going to love today’s guest on SLP Coffee Talk! I sat down with Wendy Taylor to talk all about how you can better help parents when it comes to IEPs.  Topics covered in this episode include: The biggest challenges parents face in the IEP processHow to present information to parents so that they actually understand Communication tips and tricks to help make the IEP process go...

Are you familiar with trauma-informed care?  In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Rachel Archambault, the PTSD SLP, to talk all about trauma-informed care for our speech students. You don’t have to be a trauma detective to support your students who have experienced trauma, you just have to offer them a safe space, and Rachel is telling us exactly how to do it.  Topics covered in this episode include: What trauma-informed care is and why it’s importantHow we can help our...

Let’s talk about one of my favorite tools to use in my speech room- videos!  Videos are motivating, require zero prep, and can easily adapt to any goal. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing how you can use this versatile resource to target vocabulary goals.  Topics covered in this episode include: My favorite videos and resources to work on vocabulary with speech studentsHow to use these videos effectively in your speech sessions Why I love using wordless videos to work on...

Do your students love technology like mine do? If so, you’re going to love today’s guest on SLP Coffee Talk! I sat down with Gareth Walkom from withVR. He’s here to share what he does with VR and how it can benefit our speech therapy students! Topics covered in this episode include: The real-life challenges that this tool can help your students overcomeHow VR can help your students get valuable practice in a safe spaceHow you can customize this VR tool to suit your students’...

Looking for ways to get your students more involved, more engaged, and seeing more results? You have to try interest-based therapy!  Many of us struggle with keeping our students engaged and motivated- especially our older ones. So instead of fighting the fight and trying to get them to engage in the activities you choose,  how about we flip the script and focus more on their interests? I’m sharing how you can do it in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk!  Topics covered in this episode...

Looking for tips on doing diagnostic assessments on students who speak different languages? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Puja and Prabhu to talk about diagnostic assessments of students speaking South Asian languages. They’re sharing tools and tips for us to better serve our students who speak these languages.  Topics covered in this episode include: The challenges SLPs face when diagnosing students who speak these languagesHow to properly test these students Why...

Let’s talk comprehensive literacy and AAC! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Amanda Soper who is an AAC expert, particularly when it comes to literacy and vision-impaired students. She’s here to discuss comprehensive literacy and how we can utilize robust AAC vocabulary to help our students reach their reading goals.  Topics covered in this episode include: The importance of high-quality literacy instruction with accommodations for our non-speaking studentsWhy having a...

I can't believe it is already Valentine's Day week!  You're probably looking for some activities you can do to incorporate the Valentine's Day theme without acquiring a ton of prep, without being too cutesy and mushy, and that doesn't require any money. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!  I'm sharing 3 free and fun activities you can use with your speech students for Valentine’s Day. These are ready-to-go games and activities that you can use to work on a variety of goals. Topics...

As SLPs, the relationship between grad students and supervisors is so important for the success of the new SLP.  In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with two SLPs, Kathleen and Shelby, to talk about their supervisor-grad student relationship. They share their best tips for new grad students and supervisors so that they can all build strong relationships that are beneficial to everyone involved. Topics covered in this episode include: Tips for overcoming imposter syndromeThe...

Have you ever thought about using music in speech therapy?  You are going to love this episode! I sat down with Kevin Simmons, AKA The Singing SLP, to talk all about how we can incorporate music and singing into our speech therapy sessions to help our students reach their goals in a fun and interactive way.  Topics covered in this episode include: How Kevin discovered the power of music in speech therapySome of the songs Kevin has created for his students and how they help students with...

Do you have students who really struggle with the /r/ sound?  R distortions can be tricky! Clinically, it’s a huge challenge for many SLPs to work with. So in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Tara McAllister to talk about how we can use biofeedback to improve treatment for persistent issues with the /r/ sound.  Tara McAllister, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Associate Professor of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University. She conducts NIH-funded research on...

Wondering how you can utilize sensory play in speech to help your students meet their goals? You’re going to love this episode of SLP Coffee Talk!  I sat down with Dr. Reyna Hernandez and she is going to share her top tips for all things sensory play in speech therapy.  Topics covered in this episode include: When Reyna discovered the wonder of sensory playHow to incorporate more senses into sensory play Different activities you can do that incorporate different sensesTips and tricks to...

Wondering how you can better help your deaf and hard-of-hearing students when it comes to using their AAC and ASL? You’re in luck!  I sat down with one of my 2024 March Speech Retreat Speakers, Quinn Kelly, to discuss how we can better implement AAC in combination with ASL with our deaf and hard-of-hearing students in speech therapy. Quinn is an expert and she’s sharing all of her tips in this episode!  Topics covered in this episode include: How Quinn came to specialize in working with...

Do you know the impact you are making on your students each and every day?  Since we are just starting a brand new year, I want you to make this a year that you absolutely love what you do. I’m sharing a recording with one of my Speech Retreat speakers, Jill Silverman. She is someone who loves being an SLP and you can see it in everything she does. She’s sharing her experiences working with older students, how she utilizes SLP Elevate, and the wonder of making a difference for her...

It’s the last episode of SLP Coffee Talk for 2023! Where did the time go?  In this episode, I want to share a special episode with you. I’m doing a full 2023 recap and giving you a sneak peak into what you can expect from Speech Time Fun in 2024. So many incredible things are in the works and I am thrilled to kick off this new year and tell you all about it. Topics covered in this episode include: My biggest news from this year and what it means for Speech Time FunHow I am changing and...

One of my absolute favorite resources to use in speech is YouTube videos!  There is so much to love because there are so many options, it’s free, it’s motivating, and you can work on any possible goal! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing my favorite holiday video that you can use this season with all of your speech groups.  Topics covered in this episode include: Why this video is perfect to use in speech during this time of yearThe types of vocabulary and other goals you can...