By: Sarah Seymour

Speech- Language Pathology

What is Speech Pathology ?

❖ Speech- language pathology is the study and treatment of speech and language problems.

Speech-Language Pathologist ❖ A speech- language pathologist is

someone who diagnoses and treats individuals who suffer from stutters, vocal and cognitive communication impairments.

❖ They typically work in schools and healthcare facilities.

❖ Speech- language pathologist or Speech therapist also assist individuals with swallowing disorders.

What Do You Need To Be A Speech Pathologist ?

To get a job in Speech Pathology you need:

❖ A master’s degree in speech- language pathology

❖ A state licensure and/ or certification

Where Should You Go To School To Become A Speech Therapist

★ To become a speech therapist you should attend a four year college to obtain your bachelor’s and another two years to upgrade to your masters.

★ You should major in either Speech-Language Pathology or Communicative Disorders.

Schools For Speech Pathology

1. Vanderbilt University

2. Valdosta State University

3. Iowa State University

Responsibilities

❏ Speech-language pathologists work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social

communication, cognitive communication( attention, memory, problem solving and reasoning)and swallowing

disorders. ❏ They work on people of all ages.

Hardships in Being A Speech - Language Pathologist

❖ It can be difficult to keep up with your personal life because work is always on your mind.

You should not work in Speech- Language Pathology if you:

❖ Are short - of - patience❖ Unorganized ❖ Easily distracted ❖ Show very little compassion❖ Lack of good communication skills ❖ Unempathetic

Demographics of Speech Pathology

- Speech Pathologist normally make $85,000-$120,000 per year.- Speech- language pathologist are very popular in the following states:

:

1. New York 2. Florida 3. California 4. Texas 5. Illinois

Typical Workers

● Males: 2.5% ● Females: 97.5%● Race: 75% White, 15%

Hispanic/Asian & 10% Black ● Average Age: Late 20’s to Mid

50’s

Disadvantages of Being A Speech Pathologist

➔ High caseloads: sometimes case loads can become unbearable for SLPs. There are some SLPs that have up to 80-100 cases.

➔ Paperwork: clerical work is also required as a SLP. Most find this as a huge negative

Some disadvantages are:

More Disadvantages

★ If you choose to work in a school setting, the school schedule with long breaks leads to interruptions in therapy.

★ Schedules delays: if you choose to work in a private clinic, your schedule can be thrown of course because the parents have to drive to the clinic, which can cause confusion and major inconveniences.

A Great Influence In Speech Pathology Betty Degeneres

❖ Born: May 20th 1930 (88 yrs old)❖ Studied at: Louisiana State University ❖ Earned a Master’s degree in SLP❖ Mother of American comedian, television host &

actress, Ellen.

Ms. Degeneres has made an awesome impact on the career of SLP, although she was only a speech pathologist for a short amount time, seeing that she retired to pursue her acting career, She has changed the lives of many forever, by diagnosing and treating their speech ailments.

Reflection - What Did I Learn From My Research?

● I learned that you need a Master’s degree to work as a speech pathologist

● You earn a certificate after completing Master’s degree that helps you qualify for a job

● SLP’s do not only diagnosis and treat speech & communication disorders from Healthcare facilities, they also work in schools, in fact they appear more often in schools than in healthcare facilities.

Has My View Of My Career Changed ?

- Yes. the way I viewed my career has changed since doing this project.

- Before doing this project I wanted to be a SLP mainly to aid those who are much like my mother was. She was born with a speech impediment and struggled with it for many years, until a SLP came to her aid.

- But after completing this project I became extremely fascinated by who SLP are, what they do, and the great impact they have in the lives of many.

My Action Plan

After Completing this Career Research Project, I’ve made up my mind that SLP is the career I want to pursue. To accomplish my goals I must:

a. Obtain high academic performance in my classes b. Graduate high school c. Apply to schools/colleges that offer my specified major d. Once accepted, stay focused and be diligent in my college studies to obtain my

Bachelor’s and then Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology

References - Source Slide

● https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_DeGeneres● http://prakovic.edublogs.org/2016/06/13/look-who-else-wanted-to-be-a-speech-

language-pathologist/● https://www.asha.org/public/Who-Are-Speech-Language-Pathologists/● https://www.asha.org/students/speech-language-pathology/● https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm● https://www.webpt.com/blog/post/four-things-you-need-know-about-slp-salary