Speech - Language Pathologist

The Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) is responsible to the Director of Clarke’s Boston area campus. The Speech and Language Pathologist will provide services to families enrolled in the Parent/Infant Program, the Early Childhood School Program and/or Mainstream Program.

The SLP working with children in the Early Childhood school program will be responsible for providing individualized audition, speech and language therapy in and outside of the classrooms and will serve as the Clarke Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) case manager for those children on the SLP’s caseload. The SLP will also provide audition, speech and language services, including parent coaching, support and education for families with children aged 0-3 who are enrolled in the Parent/Infant program. Parent/Infant services will be offered in center-based and home-based settings, as well as via tele-practice. When appropriate, the SLP may also provide consultation or direct services to children enrolled in mainstream educational programs on the Clarke Boston campus or in children’s local schools.

Overall Responsibilities

1. To create a warm, safe and nurturing environment that fosters independence, confidence, creativity, respect for materials and the people in the environment and is conducive to enjoyment in learning.

2. To facilitate children’s language development and communication skills using an approach that is child-centered, engaging and based on basic principles of Listening and Spoken Language and child development, and that provides children with problem-solving skills and a foundation for academic success.

3. To provide a comfortable, supportive environment for parents in which they are respected, encouraged to observe their children, coached and supported in their efforts to help their children.

4. To observe children in classroom, group and individual settings and to record information related to all aspects of each child’s developmental profile to be used in session notes, and periodic reports.

5. To maximize opportunities for auditory and language learning throughout each child’s day.

6. To facilitate children’s communication and promote carryover of skills and activities between the home, classroom and individualized sessions.

One-to-one Responsibilities for Early Childhood Program

1. Engage individual and small groups of children in activities that contribute to the development of auditory and spoken language skills and achievement of IEP benchmarks.

2. Provide diagnostic information about listening and spoken language skills of young children with hearing loss using formal and informal assessments, diagnostic teaching and observation.

3. Provide a comfortable, supportive environment for parents in which they are respected, encouraged to observe their children in the individualized sessions and in the classroom, and supported in their efforts to communicate with their deaf or hard of hearing children.

4. Coach and educate parents and provide them with follow-up activities which will enhance the development of their child’s communication skills.

Early Intervention Parent/Infant Responsibilities

1. Provide individual Listening and Spoken Language sessions with a parent and their child who has a hearing loss on campus, in the child’s natural environment and/or via tele-practice.

2. Provide sessions that focus on education, support, guidance and education to the parents regarding their children’s hearing loss, its impact on development, and the skills they need to facilitate their children’s auditory and linguistic development

3. Provide strategies parents can easily incorporate into their daily routine to foster listening and spoken language skills. This includes the use of LENA or other technology to help parents optimize their child’s language learning environment.

4. Collaborate with Part C Early Intervention agencies.

5. Maintain session notes from each parent/infant visit.

6. Assess and document parents’ skills and children’s progress using appropriate tools and measures.

7. Follow procedures for monthly billing documentation.

8. Attend IFSP meetings, IFSP review meetings, Transition meetings, and arena assessments, as requested by parents and/or EI agencies.

9. Collaborate with outside professionals (audiologists, PT, service coordinators) to promote generalization of progress and strategies to encourage continued growth.

Meetings and Planning

1. Participate in regular meetings of the EC Program team to plan classroom activities as dictated by the IEPs, developmental needs and interests of the children.

2. Serve as Clarke Case Manager for children on EC Program caseload

3. Coordinate with early intervention and/or school district out-of-district representative to arrange TEAM meetings for children and EI families on caseload

4. Attend regular Staff meetings at Clarke School Boston, commensurate with the percentage of FTE as schedule permits.

5. Participate in Back to School Night, Parent Workshops or other parent meetings.

Written Plans and Reports

1. Prepare Lesson plans and keep data from individual sessions on a daily basis.

2. Contribute to the IEPs by writing goals and objectives in the areas of auditory, speech and language development for children on the caseload in the EC program.

3. Prepare progress reports for children on the caseload in EC program or mainstream , and submit in a timely way on dates provided at the beginning of the school year (usually in December, March, and July).

4. Provide regular entries in a school-home communication notebook (or via email, if parent requests) to keep parents informed about their children’s audition, speech and language progress.

5. Prepare Session Notes for each Early Intervention (EI) session and submit logs, notes and any other required documentation in a timely way.

6. Prepare Progress or Transition reports for EI families bi-annually.

Qualifications:

· Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology

· Training and expertise in Listening and Spoken Language approaches for deaf or hard of hearing children who use hearing aids and/or cochlear implants to access spoken language

· Experience in early childhood education and/or experience in parent counseling and education.

· SLPs must hold or be immediately eligible for ASHA licensure, State of Massachusetts licensure as a Speech and Language Pathologist, and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education certification as a teacher of Speech/Language/Hearing Disorders – All.