Halloween is right around the corner! If you are looking for some engaging and better yet, free Halloween speech activities, you’re in the right place! In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I'm sharing four free ideas that you can use with your speech students, especially your older ones, to keep them motivated and engaged while working on a variety of goals this Halloween season. They’re going to l ove these spooky and fun activities so I’m excited to share them with you today! Topics covered in ...
Oct 23, 2023•12 min•Ep. 195
Are you a multi-passionate SLP trying to balance it all? Let me tell you, you are not alone! Luckily, being an SLP doesn’t have to be the only thing that defines you! You can lean into those other passions too. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Rachel Musial to talk about how you can balance your SLP identity and your personal passions as a multi-passionate person. Rachel Musial’s diverse passions bring fulfillment and richness to her multifaceted life beyond speech-language pa...
Oct 16, 2023•22 min•Ep. 194
Are you getting a little overwhelmed with time management? Not sure what to work on? Maybe feeling a little bit of self-doubt? Well, you are going to love my guest on this episode of SLP Coffee Talk! Theresa Harp is here to talk about time management for busy SLPs. If you feel like you just don’t have the time to get everything done, you’re going to love her practical, tactical tips for changing your mindset and getting your time back! Theresa Harp, M.A., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT is a certified s...
Oct 09, 2023•24 min•Ep. 193
Looking for some engaging games for speech therapy that are interactive, and better yet, free? I have you covered! In the latest episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing three of my favorite games to use in speech therapy to help students reach a variety of goals with just their computer or device. Some of these games may be new to you, or you may have heard of them before, but they are all perfect for speech so I am so excited to share them with you today! Topics covered in this episode include:...
Oct 02, 2023•14 min•Ep. 192
Wondering if you should go the school route or the private practice route? Or if you’re even in the right setting at all? Don’t worry! I brought Adrienne Fuller onto this episode to help us figure it out. Adrienne has worked in every single setting so she knows a thing or two about each one and how to determine what’s right for you and she’s sharing all of her tips with us today! Topics covered in this episode include: Is private practice your perfect fit? Why burnout doesn’t mean that you need ...
Sep 25, 2023•22 min•Ep. 191
Ready to kickstart your SLP journey? I have you covered! It’s been quite some time since I graduated, so I invited Michelle Lee onto the show to talk about life as a new SLP. Get ready for a power-packed episode where we're dishing out the juiciest tips and tricks to kickstart your SLP career like a pro! Michelle is a recent graduate and has a heart to connect with students in pursuit of their undergrad and graduate degrees within the field and has been blessed by the friendships she's made so f...
Sep 18, 2023•22 min•Ep. 190
It’s time to head back to school! Are you ready for the first week of speech? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with one of my SLP Elevate members, Tracie Higgins, to talk about how you can go about scheduling and preparing for your first week of speech therapy without the stress! Topics covered in this episode include: What to do when you’re feeling overwhelmed by scheduling on the first week The benefits of scheduling students that learn alike together Tips for revising your sched...
Sep 11, 2023•16 min•Ep. 189
As SLPs, many of us were only taught one way of thinking when it came to working with neurodivergent students. But what if I told you there is another way to approach working with them that could make a world of difference in these students’ lives? In this episode, I sat down with Stephanie Boron to talk about how we can flip the script when working with neurodivergent kids. Stephanie shares some fresh insights that not only give these kids better support but also help them rock their goals like...
Sep 04, 2023•25 min•Ep. 188
In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m doing something a little different. I’m sharing a replay of a podcast episode I recorded with Kristi and Karen from The Modern Principal Podcast. In this episode, we talked about how SLPs and principals can work better together and what principals should know about SLPs. Then we flipped the script and I asked them a couple of questions about what they would like to know from us and ways that we can better work together. This was such a fascinating conversa...
Aug 28, 2023•36 min•Ep. 187
How do you build connections with your students? It’s almost time to head back to the classroom and that means you are probably trying to decide what to do on your first day back. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing 5 different icebreakers that will help you build rapport and connection with your students which will set both you and your students up for a much more successful year! Topics covered in this episode include: Why it is essential to prioritize connection over data collecti...
Aug 21, 2023•14 min•Ep. 186
With the new school year approaching, I decided that over the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing all about different activities and ways you can start out the year with your speech students! Building the routine and expectations right away with your students is essential for having the rest of the year go smoothly, so in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing tips for establishing a growth mindset with our students right from the start for a more successful year. Topics covered in thi...
Aug 14, 2023•15 min•Ep. 185
As SLPs, it is our duty to advocate for our students and help them succeed in any way we possibly can. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Dr. Shameka Stewart to talk about the school-to-confinement pipeline for students that struggle to communicate functionally and how we as SLPs can improve our services to better serve these students and, potentially, change their lives. Dr. Stewart’s clinical and scholarly work specializes in Juvenile Forensics, Law Enforcement Interaction wit...
Aug 07, 2023•24 min•Ep. 184
I've seen a lot of questions about using current events and age-appropriate and motivating materials lately, and there are so many free resources out there that provide news or articles that are relevant to students that are motivating, engaging, and can be used to work on a variety of speech goals! So in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I'm sharing a bunch of them with you and tips on how you can use them today. Topics covered in this episode include: Why kids news articles are great resources ...
Jul 31, 2023•15 min•Ep. 183
In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Nicolette Contella to talk about her passion for AAC and how she offers AAC training to first responders with her organization AAC On The Beach. Nicolette is a new grad and started this organization and I am so excited to share her story with you! Topics covered in this episode include: How Nicolette got started working with first responders How Nicolette became passionate about AAC The resources Nicolette has for first responders to improve th...
Jul 24, 2023•18 min•Ep. 182
Ready to start taking some neurodiversity-affirming approaches in your therapy sessions so that you can better support your autistic students? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Adina Levy to talk about ways that we as SLPs can learn to fix the environment around our autistic students so that they can be successful and other neurodiversity-affirming strategies for therapy. Adina is an Autistic DHDer, speech therapist, and professional educator who runs Play. Learn. Chat. and her...
Jul 17, 2023•28 min•Ep. 181
Are you interested in learning more about stuttering? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Daniele Rossi to talk about his struggle with stuttering throughout his life and how he has taken his stutter and turned it into an opportunity to help stuttering children gain confidence and feel proud of themselves, stutter and all. Drawing comic strips and stuttering since he was four years old, Daniele Rossi, is a digital marketer and cartoonist living in Toronto, Canada. Topics covered ...
Jul 10, 2023•39 min•Ep. 180
Were you feeling a little burned out this school year? I don’t know about you, but I sure was! I saw all of the signs in myself and in other SLPs I know. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Kenzie Thomas to talk all about SLP burnout and how we can beat it and find joy in our profession again. Kenzie has become passionate about supporting fellow SLPs in beating burnout and finding their love for their career again. Topics covered in this episode include: Kenzie’s burnout journey ...
Jul 03, 2023•26 min•Ep. 179
Wondering how you can get parents more involved in their student’s progress? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Dr. Brandi Tanner to find out how we as SLPs can promote more meaningful participation from our speech students’ parents. Dr. Brandi Tanner is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and former special educator who founded Your IEP Source as a way to demystify the complexities of the IEP process and empower parent-advocates. Topics covered in this episode include: T...
Jun 26, 2023•25 min•Ep. 178
Let’s talk about Juneteenth. This episode of SLP Coffee Talk is airing on Juneteenth, so I thought it was appropriate to have a conversation about what Juneteenth is for those who might not be as familiar with it and some things that I've learned, along with ways to incorporate it into your speech practice. Topics covered in this episode include: The cultural significance of Juneteenth Why we as SLPs can use this as a chance to promote inclusivity and cultural competence in our practice How awar...
Jun 19, 2023•15 min•Ep. 177
Ready to get organized and save some time? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Mia McDaniel to talk all about organization, caseload management, and time-saving tips! If you’re looking for ways to improve in these areas, you’re going to love this episode. Mia McDaniel is a proud and passionate Speech-Language Pathologist. She was a school SLP for 24 years, and now she is working in private practice. Topics covered in this episode include: The one page fillable lesson plan that Mi...
Jun 12, 2023•24 min•Ep. 176
Wondering how you can find the right CFY for you? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Daj Mitchell to talk about how you can find the perfect CFY for you. Daj learned a lot on her journey to finding the right CF for her, and she’s sharing her tips for interviewing, questions to ask, and other things to consider so you can have the best CFY possible! Daj’za (Daj) Mitchell graduated from Illinois State University with her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology in 2022. When she is not s...
Jun 05, 2023•26 min•Ep. 175
Are you curious about animal-assisted therapy? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Laura Kruger to talk about how she incorporates her adorable dog, Blaze, into her speech therapy sessions. Laura’s students love working with Blaze while in speech therapy and she’s sharing all of the details of how it works with us today. Laura Kruger has been practicing as an SLP for 9 years. She has worked in a variety of settings but currently works in an elementary school servicing children ag...
May 29, 2023•33 min•Ep. 174
In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with yet another Orton-Gillingham expert, Elizabeth Doherty to talk about all things literacy and language and how we can apply Orton-Gillingham strategies and techniques into our speech therapy sessions. Elizabeth's expertise lies at the intersection of language & learning. As a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and Teacher with a decade of classroom experience, she is uniquely positioned to understand the complexities of speaking and readin...
May 22, 2023•21 min•Ep. 173
What exactly is the role of decodable text in literacy acquisition? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with the fabulous Jennie Roberts Creason from Carolina Orton-Gillingham to explore this topic. Teaching reading to students is not as simple as it sounds, and Orton-Gillingham may be the perfect approach to help your students reach their goals. With over 16 years of educational experience, Jennie began her career teaching second and third grades (teaching in public and private schoo...
May 15, 2023•30 min•Ep. 172
Ready to learn how to make a more inclusive classroom culture? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m talking all about AAC immersion in the classroom. I sat down with Janna Bedoyan and Morgan van Diepen to talk about why AACs need to be in the classrooms and how we as SLPs can collaborate with other professionals and make it happen. Topics covered in this episode include: Overcoming barriers to collaboration The power of professional humility Ways to incorporate AAC into daily routines Songs f...
May 08, 2023•31 min•Ep. 171
Wondering how you can help your students figure out words they don’t understand? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing three online tools that you can use as online dictionaries to help your students when they come across those new vocabulary words that they don’t quite understand. Learning new words can be fun for students when they use these tools! Topics covered in this episode include: Why this is an important skill for students to learn Why just knowing the definition of a word is...
May 01, 2023•15 min•Ep. 170
Are you in survival mode right now? It’s the final stretch before we make it to the end of the year, and if you’re looking for some quick, low-prep therapy ideas for spring, then this episode of SLP Coffee Talk is for you! I’m sharing five free spring therapy ideas that can probably cover you for the next few weeks. Topics covered in this episode include: A great resource on Colossal Questions How you can use Simon’s Cat in therapy Ways to use Mystery Doug for speech therapy Resources available ...
Apr 24, 2023•8 min•Ep. 169
Looking for a strategy to help your speech students have a better understanding of what they’re reading and have a better recall? I have you covered in this episode of SLP Coffee Talk! I’m diving into my favorite strategy for helping students develop a deeper understanding during speech sessions using note-taking! I’m going deep into different ways you can teach note-taking along with why it works. Topics covered in this episode include: Why note-taking is crucial for academic success Benefits o...
Apr 17, 2023•21 min•Ep. 168
Wondering how to keep your older speech students motivated? At my latest speech retreat, we heard from a panel of SLP Elevate members who shared how they use the resources they got from the membership in their therapy sessions. They shared how it has simplified their planning with older students and made their lives so much easier. In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I’m sharing what they had to say. Topics covered in this episode include: Their favorite tips for working with older speech studen...
Apr 10, 2023•21 min•Ep. 167
Are you feeling overwhelmed and overworked? In this episode of SLP Coffee Talk, I sat down with Jamie Sears from Not So Wimpy Teacher to talk about real strategies for working less. Jamie isn’t an SLP, but she has some tips that we SLPs could definitely benefit from! Jamie has the honor of serving hundreds of thousands of teachers around the world by providing easy-to-use, hands-on resources, and engaging professional development that help students to love learning and teachers to love teaching....
Apr 04, 2023•35 min•Ep. 166
