We’ve reached the final episode in our series about therapy planning across your school-aged caseload here on the SLP Now podcast! So far, we’ve used Dr. Ukrainetz’s literacy-based therapy framework to work through a month of therapy planning for five units: a play-based early language unit (slpnow.com/183), a picture book (slpnow.com/184), a fiction article (slpnow.com/185), a non-fiction article (slpnow.com/186), and a science experiment (slpnow.com/187). Today, we’re going to talk about...

We’re nearing the end of our six-week series about therapy planning across your school-aged caseload here on the SLP Now podcast! So far, we’ve created a month of therapy plan for four units: a play-based early language unit (slpnow.com/183), a picture book (slpnow.com/184), a fiction article (slpnow.com/185), and a non-fiction article (slpnow.com/186). Today, we’re going to talk about therapy planning journey for a science experiment! This unit is ideal for or students who need a high...

We’ve reached the next episode in our six-week series about therapy planning across your school-aged caseload here on the SLP Now podcast! For the last three weeks, we’ve used Dr. Ukrainetz’s five step literacy-based therapy framework to work through a month of therapy planning for three units: a play-based early language unit (slpnow.com/183), a picture book (slpnow.com/184), and a fiction article (slpnow.com/185). Today, we’re going to take the next step on our therapy planning journey and...

Welcome to another episode of the SLP Now podcast! In the last couple episodes, we've been exploring literacy-based therapy plans that will help you target your students’ goals across multiple ages, group sizes, and skill levels. We covered therapy planning for an early language unit in episode 183, plans for a picture book unit in episode 184, and today we’re going to dig into the third part of this six week series with a fiction article: Miss Johnson’s Plant Experiment. This unit is...

We’re back at it with another episode of the SLP Now podcast! Over the next several weeks, we're going to explore various units that are designed to engage and support your students across multiple age groups and skill levels. This week, we’re diving into the second of a six-week series about literacy-based therapy plans that you can use across your entire school-aged caseload. Whether you're an experienced speech-language pathologist or new to the field, we hope that these episodes will...

We’re back at it with another episode of the SLP Now podcast! This week, we’re kicking off the first of a six-week series about literacy-based units that you can use across your whole school-age caseload. This week, we’re getting started with therapy plans for an early language book: Lola Plants a Garden. Early language books include simpler stories that students love. This unit type is ideal for students who might not be ready to sit through a longer story, are working on more foundational...

After covering paperwork, data collection, and progress reports, it’s time to wrap up our March podcast series and dive into one of Marisha’s very favorite topics… How to Use Probe Data! In this episode, Marisha talks about: What a probe is and why it’s so valuableThe best time to collect probe dataHow probe data influences your session planUsing probe data in mixed groups Remember: If we’re not in that zone of proximal development (a.k.a. the space between what a student is capable of doing...

Prepare to revolutionize your approach to data collection in therapy sessions! Marisha is here to share her top five tips to streamline this essential process. In the episode, we cover: Developing a Data Collection Routine: Marisha illustrates how she has structured her sessions for efficient data collection, highlighting the practice of using check-ins and goal cards.Utilizing Collected Data: Discover the power of data-driven sessions to determine whether to initiate a teaching phase or...

Let’s talk about something that scares many SLPs… progress reports. **** Progress reports may make some SLPs sweat, but hopefully there are others (like Marisha!) who think of it as a fun opportunity to celebrate student progress. After all, the point of working smarter is to have more time for the fun stuff, right?! Marisha actually thinks it’s kind of cool to look back at the data and realize how far her students have come. Getting to write up all the progress goodness and share it with the...

For all my SLP organization aficionados out there, join me today as I dive deep into tips and resources that will streamline your paperwork processes, especially for educators and therapists. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by deadlines and data, this episode is tailor-made for you. Let’s get started! In the episode, we cover: Mapping Out Due Dates: Learn how to organize your due dates, from IEPs to evaluations.Organizer & Checklists: Employing a laminated checklist system helps track and...

Welcome to the final instalment of our Literacy Based Therapy Bootcamp series! Today we’re talking about parallel stories — which just might be Marisha’s favorite part of the whole literacy-based therapy framework. Parallel stories are an incredible way to integrate all of the skills that we've targeted throughout our literacy-based units. The goal of this activity is to pull the vocabulary, sentence structures, and plot elements from the story you’ve been using, and then use them to create...

It’s time to get into focused skill activities! So far, this Literacy-Based Therapy Bootcamp podcast series has covered choosing a book, pre-story knowledge/reading, and post-story comprehension. Today we’re getting into the fourth step of the framework, and start getting that focused practice in. In the episode, Marisha talks about: Increasing goal awareness, connecting with students, and getting their buy-inUsing visuals to break the skills down and make them easier to learnTargeting...

In today’s episode of the podcast, Marisha shares three different strategies she uses to embed comprehension activities into her literacy-based units. She talks about her approach to assessments — plus examples of scaffolding support based on the data collected — so that you know exactly how to put this information to work in your practice. 💪 In the episode, we cover: Starting the session with a probe.This helps Marisha collect data that informs the course of treatment and the type of support...

We’re in the middle of Literacy-Based Therapy Bootcamp here on the SLP Now podcast. 💪 Last week we discussed choosing a text (go back if you haven’t listened yet!) and in this episode, Marisha dives into steps one and two of Dr. Ukrainetz’ literacy-based therapy framework — pre-story knowledge activation and reading the text. In the episode, Marisha covers: The value of doing a book walkUsing a KWL chart for pre-story activationThe skepticism about the efficacy of these activitiesThe...

As an SLP, our job is to focus on the language underpinnings: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. That's what we do best, and it’s how we help our students build the skills and strategies that they need to be successful beyond the classroom. Literacy-based therapy offers a great framework to support the development of language underpinnings, and at SLP Now, we like to talk about one that was developed by Dr. Ukrainetz. Her framework for literacy-based therapy includes...

It’s time to talk about February therapy plans! 💕 In this episode, Marisha walks you through the exact process she uses to plan an entire month of therapy. She takes you through plans that span preschool through sixth grade, tying in the strategies and tips she shared in recent episodes. From segmenting your caseload to using quick probes and grab-and-go visuals, this episode will help you prepare a month of therapy that targets all your students’ goals using books like "Little Blue Truck"...

Ready to supercharge your speech therapy sessions with 3 simple planning strategies? Then this is the episode for you! When problems feel really big, it’s easy to think we need big strategies to solve them. But often, the simplest thing does the trick! In this episode, Marisha shares 3 practices that have taken her SLP game to the next level: Segmenting your caseload for stress-free planningHarnessing the power of pre-made therapy plansGathering your must-have materials in advance Put these...

Having a routine to rely on in therapy sessions can be an invaluable support for SLPs at every stage of their career and caseloads. But some folks can be a tad hesitant when it comes to the idea of more structure. Marisha wants to assure you that using a framework isn't about creating a checklist and following it mindlessly; it's about having a framework for your therapy sessions so that your work (and life!) feels easier. And of course, there is tons of research to support the benefits of...

Returning to the speech room after a break (of the start of a new year!) can be equal parts exciting and anxiety-inducing as an SLP. 🥵 It’s great to have a little reprieve from routine and a few days that don’t require an alarm clock, but that return to normalcy can also be a little daunting after that PJ life. That’s why our first podcast episode of this new year is super simple and actionable: Three Tips for SLPs Starting a New Semester. In this episode, Marisha shares some of the practices...

In this episode of the SLP Now podcast, Marisha dives into the power of working with mixed groups — and her top five tips to foster a supportive group learning environment. From the top, she stresses the importance of adjusting your mindset and embracing the positive aspects of mixed groups in speech therapy. She acknowledges the real challenges associated with mixed groups but also underscores the substantial benefits. While one-on-one therapy is sometimes the best option, there are...

Welcome to another episode of The SLP Now Podcast, where we explore practical strategies and tactics for SLPs to enhance their skills and level up in their career. Today, we're diving into a topic near and dear to our hearts: Making the most of your next SLP conference If you’ve been a podcast listener for a while, you may already know that Marisha is passionate about learning and staying up-to-date with the latest in the world of speech pathology. Whether it's new research, innovative...

Are you ready for round two of Marisha’s favorite apps for speech therapy? Last week we talked about using Notability, Cookie Doodle, and Toca Tea Party. This week we’re following up with part two, sharing more apps that can be absolute game changers for speech therapy. The apps Marisha talks about in this episode are: 1. Cough Drop 2. Articulation Station 3. SLP Now! From AAC to speech sound disorders to therapy planning and data collection, we’ve got you covered when it comes to apps that...

Technology can be a bit of a double-edged sword for SLPs, right? In the years Marisha has been an SLP, she’s watched a ton of apps come in and out of vogue. But there are a few (aside from SLP Now!) that have stood the test of time, and are a regular part of her speech session rotation — which is what we’re talking about on the latest episode of the podcast! From increasing student engagement to sharing PDFs to repetitive practice, these three apps can make your life as an SLP so much...

Let’s talk about something that scares many SLPs… progress reports. **** Progress reports may make some SLPs sweat, but hopefully there are others (like Marisha!) who think of it as a fun opportunity to celebrate student progress. After all, the point of working smarter is to have more time for the fun stuff, right?! Marisha actually thinks it’s kind of cool to look back at the data and realize how far her students have come. Getting to write up all the progress goodness and share it with the...