Bringing Speech Therapy into the Classroom: A Mainstream School Day
Working as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in a mainstream school setting is highly varied, and no two days look exactly the same. For Special Educational Needs (SEN) teachers and SENCos, understanding how an SLT integrates into the daily rhythm of a school can help maximise the impact of therapy on a student’s educational progress. Here is a look at a typical day for a mainstream school SLT.
Working with Teachers and Setting Up
The day often starts before the school bell rings, with the SLT meeting with classroom teachers to discuss specific pupil concerns. For example, a teacher might highlight a Reception pupil who is struggling to understand classroom instructions or is not joining words together like their peers. This early collaboration is critical, allowing the SLT to schedule targeted observations later in the day.
Preparation is also a key morning task. An SLT might prepare resources for a small language group, such as Year 2 students, using the Colourful Semantics approach to work on building sentences. A vital part of the SLT’s role is ensuring these strategies carry over into regular lessons, so they will often print information and provide resources directly to the class teacher so the approach can be incorporated into daily teaching.
Running Targeted Groups and 1:1 Sessions Throughout the morning, the SLT runs a mix of group and individual sessions:
- Language Groups: These might start with a circle time activity to share news, before moving into structured tasks like Colourful Semantics.
- 1:1 Speech Sound Therapy: For students with delayed speech sounds, therapy must be engaging. The SLT might work with a Reception boy using turn-taking games like ‘Pop-up-pirate’ or fishing games to keep him motivated while practising specific sounds. For older children, such as a Year 4 pupil, sessions might involve syllable clapping games and activities designed to help them hear the differences between various sounds.
After these sessions, the SLT updates a shared target tracker. This allows both the therapist and the class teacher to easily monitor each pupil’s progress and align on the next targets for the group. Building relationships with parents is also prioritised, often through morning phone calls to explain how school-based therapy works and answer any questions.
Playground Observations and Formal Assessments
Speech and language skills are not just used in the classroom. During the lunch hour, the SLT will often head to the playground to observe pupils. Observing a child interacting with their peers in a less structured environment provides essential insights into their communication skills in different contexts.
The afternoon is frequently dedicated to in-depth assessments of new referrals. The SLT will take the pupil to a quiet side room to conduct informal, play-based assessments alongside formal tests. These formal assessments evaluate both expressive and receptive language skills, using tools such as subtests from the Preschool Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals and the Renfrew Action Picture Test.
Target Setting and Reporting
The school day wraps up with critical documentation. After scoring the formal assessments, the SLT decides whether to take the pupil onto their caseload. They then call the parents to provide feedback on the assessment and explain the next steps.Finally, the SLT writes a comprehensive report detailing their observations and forms SMART targets, goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Before heading home, this report is sent to both the parents and the class teacher, ensuring everyone supporting the child is on the exact same page.
