Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama-SHAA

Learn More about our Presentations

See below for the Session Descriptions of SHAA's 2027 Convention

Wednesday Keynote

Wednesday, February 17th, from 6:00-7:00 PM

Navigating Autism as a Team: A Mother and Son's Journey from Preschool to PhD

In this joint keynote, an autistic PhD-level professional and his mother share their journey from preschool services to doctoral graduation, highlighting how speech-language pathologists and audiologists can partner with autistic people and families over time. Through lived-experience stories and practical examples, participants will learn family-centered strategies, sensory- and auditory-friendly practices, and self-advocacy supports that improve communication, reduce caregiver load, and promote meaningful participation in school, work, and community life.

Opening Keynote

Thursday, February 18th from 8:30-9:00 AM

Destination: Leadership — Finding Your Path to Lead

Leadership is a journey, and every professional has the opportunity to make an impact along the way. This opening keynote will explore different leadership styles and help participants discover their own strengths as leaders. Attendees will explore opportunities to lead at the workplace, local, state, and national levels and leave inspired to chart their own course toward leadership excellence.

Breakout Presentations

Thursday, February 18th, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

From AI Literacy to AI Ethics: Practical Guidance for SLPs

Although it seems like Artificial Intelligence (AI) came onto the scene like gangbusters, it has actually been in use for many years. However, with the increasing availability and accessibility of generative AI, students and clinicians have recently and rapidly been implementing the use of this technology to assist with their work for the good, the bad, or the ugly. Experienced clinicians may have varying degrees of AI literacy and a limited understanding of AI ethics while new clinicians enter the workplace with varying levels of preparation for ethical AI use in clinical settings. This interactive session will explore AI ethics, connect the ASHA Code of Ethics to common AI use scenarios, and equip SLPs with strategies to use AI ethically and guide supervisees and students toward responsible, transparent, and professionally appropriate AI use.

Early Word Chaining, Onset-Rime, and the Bridge from Speech to Reading

The distance between a speech sound goal and a reading goal is shorter than it looks. Two activities can help bridge that gap: onset-rime work and word chaining. Both sit on the phonological awareness continuum. Both can bring print into the task. And both give the SLP a meaningful production trial on every turn. This session breaks down the phonological awareness continuum from larger sound units to phoneme manipulation, then shows where onset-rime work and word chaining fit. Participants will learn how to build each activity around a speech sound target so one task can support articulation, phonemic awareness, decoding, and spelling at the same time. Participants will build their own word chains and rime sets using sounds from their current caseloads and leave with a repeatable structure they can use right away.

The Advocate They Didn't Know They Had — Building Self-Efficacy and Professional Voice in School-Based Practice

Every time we underplay what we know, a student loses an advocate they didn't know they had. This workshop explores why so many SLPs carry more clinical expertise into IEP meetings and school teams than they consistently act on and what it takes to close that gap. The first hour builds a research foundation exploring how professional confidence is built or eroded through experience, feedback, and self-concept, and how clinical judgment develops often invisibly, and often faster than self-perception catches up. Guided reflection helps participants locate their own patterns of growth. The second hour applies these principles directly to school-based speech-language practice: why SLP expertise is often invisible to the rest of the team, the difference between barriers that come from outside (limited awareness of SLP scope) and barriers that come from within (professional hesitation), and concrete strategies for showing up more fully not louder, just more complete, as a leader on behalf of students.

10:00-11:00 AM

More Than Just Flashcards: Thinking Outside of the Box

Explore innovative approaches to transform your therapy practice beyond the traditional flashcards. This presentation delves into creative strategies that enhance speech and language therapy, while keeping the child engaged and looking forward to coming back to speech! Think of this course as your guide to FUNctional speech therapy activities. Create individualized speech therapy sessions that are fun, effective, and engaging. From graduate students to experienced clinicians, discover how thinking outside the box can alter the therapeutic experience and engage children on a deeper level... leading to more SUCCESS in your speech therapy room!

11:00-12:00 PM

Canva for SLPs

Discover how to use Canva to create engaging, individualized therapy materials, streamline your planning, and bring your creative ideas to life! In this practical, hands-on course, speech-language pathologists will learn how to navigate Canva's features to design customized therapy activities for both in-person and teletherapy sessions. From interactive digital activities to printable resources, you'll explore ways to create materials tailored to your clients' unique goals, interests, and needs. For SLPs in private practice, this course will also introduce Canva's marketing capabilities, including how to create professional, branded materials for social media, flyers, and other promotional resources. Whether you're new to Canva or looking to expand your skills, you'll leave with practical strategies to save time, personalize therapy, and create visually engaging materials for your clients and your business.

SPOT On! Differentiated Learning for Students with Multiple Disabilities

Students with multiple disabilities have co-occurring impairments that result in significant and complex educational needs, representing approximately 1–2% of the student population. Due to the multifaceted nature of their development, a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach is essential. This session will explore how SPOT (Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy) co-treatment sessions are intentionally differentiated to support these students’ overall growth and success within the classroom environment.

Standing Your Ground: Making the Case Against Inappropriate Voice Therapy Referrals

Voice therapy is a cornerstone of dysphonia management, yet several voice disorders respond poorly—or not at all—to behavioral intervention as a first-line treatment. Delays in appropriate medical management can prolong symptoms, increase patient frustration, and negatively impact quality of life. This interactive, case-based workshop presents three clinical cases illustrating diagnoses that require medical intervention before or alongside voice therapy: laryngeal dystonia, significant glottic insufficiency (vocal fold paralysis, severe vocal fold atrophy/presbylarynx), and laryngeal candidiasis. For each case, participants will review hallmark symptoms, laryngoscopic findings, evidence-based medical treatments, and the optimal role of voice therapy as a component of interdisciplinary care including when to initiate therapy. . An interactive clinical decision-making exercise with audience discussion will reinforce practical application of these concepts.

Untangling Auditory Processing Disorder: Evidence, Assessment, and School-Based Case Studies

Children referred for auditory processing disorder (APD) often have normal hearing yet struggle to listen in class, and their difficulties can overlap with ADHD, language disorder, and dyslexia. This session reviews where the field stands on defining and diagnosing APD, what a defensible school-age test battery looks like, and how audiologists and speech-language pathologists can share findings. Composite case studies follow students from referral through assessment, differential diagnosis, and intervention. Participants will leave with practical tools for case history, team collaboration, and classroom recommendations, including acoustic changes, remote microphone systems, and compensatory strategies.

Student Poster Presentations

Thursday, February 18th 12:00-1:00 PM

Clinician Mindsets and Diagnostic Outcomes: A Qualitative Study on SLP Attitudes and Perspectives Toward African American Vernacular English

Standardized speech-language assessments often misclassify African American English (AAE) dialectal features as clinical errors, contributing to special education overrepresentation. Grounded in the Difference Versus Deficit Perspective and Culturally Responsive Assessment Framework, this mixed-methods study investigates school-based clinicians' perceptions, diagnostic practices, and potential assessment bias. Combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this session examines how standardized tools impact AAE speakers. Attendees will explore modified scoring approaches, dialect-sensitive evaluation tools (e.g., dynamic assessment, dialect-neutral probes), and practical strategies to accurately distinguish linguistic differences from true speech-language disorders in clinical practice.

Examining Shared Attitudes Toward Stuttering in Parent-Child Dyads

This study evaluated whether stuttering knowledge and attitudes are associated within parent-child dyads. Using the CARE Assessment’s Education section, responses from children who stutter and their caregivers were analyzed. Spearman’s rho correlations revealed no significant overall association between caregiver and child scores. However, sex-specific analyses demonstrated a strong, significant positive correlation between girls and their caregivers, which was absent in boys.These results suggest that parent education may play a distinct role in shaping attitudes among girls who stutter.

Family Factors Influencing Augmentative and Alternative Communication Use in the Lives of Autistic Children

While extensive research demonstrates that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) enhances communication for autistic children, research often overlooks family dynamics and bidirectional impact. Complex communication needs extend past the child, directly shaping family and caregiver interactions. Utilizing parent reports and the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (FIATS-AAC), this study examines key family factors influencing daily AAC integration for autistic children aged 3-18. Data analysis highlights patterns in family dynamics, identifying targeted education and resources to support family-centered AAC interventions.

Packing for the Long Haul: Preventing Burnout through Active Engagement with Membership Associations

Among Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, burnout syndrome is a common obstacle that can negatively impact job satisfaction, quality of services provided, and the number of professionals retained within the field of speech and hearing sciences. This session will briefly discuss recognizing burnout and its main causes, primarily focusing on how active membership in governing bodies (such as ASHA and SHAA) provides benefits and resources that have been shown to effectively combat burnout among professionals. Emphasis will also be placed on methods for effectively engaging within these associations.

Pairs Engaging in Early Literacy (PEEL): Impact of a Remotely-Delivered Training Program on Caregiver-Child Communicative Behaviors during Shared Book Reading

Pairs Engaging in Early Literacy (PEEL) is a six-week educational program in which caregivers of young children receive free children’s books and weekly instructional videos sent via text-message demonstrating language-facilitating interactive shared-book reading strategies. Families are assigned to the instructional or control group, the latter which receive free books and encouragement to read, but no instruction. Book reading videos submitted by caregivers before, during, and after the program are transcribed and coded to identify caregiver strategy use and children’s communicative interactions. Findings indicate greater quantity of caregiver strategy use and child interactive behaviors for the instructional compared to control group.

Lunch presentations

Thursday, February 18th 12:00-1:00 PM

Destination Excellence: Launching Your Career

Every successful journey requires preparation, navigation tools, and a clear destination. As speech-language pathology graduate students approach graduation, they face a series of critical milestones that can feel overwhelming: passing the Praxis examination, developing a professional resume, interviewing for clinical fellowship positions, and successfully transitioning into professional practice. Using a travel-themed framework, this interactive session serves as a roadmap for navigating the final leg of the graduate school journey. Participants will learn practical strategies for Praxis preparation, professional branding, resume development, interviewing, and evaluating clinical fellowship opportunities. Through real-world examples, checklists, and interactive activities, attendees will create a personalized "travel itinerary" designed to guide them from graduate student to confident clinical fellow. Whether students are preparing for takeoff or approaching their final destination, this session will provide the navigation tools needed to arrive at their professional destination with confidence.

Demystifying Evidence-Based Practice: Practical Strategies for Everyday Clinical Decision-Making

This session presents a practical framework for applying evidence-based practice to clinical service delivery. Participants will practice application of a decision-making framework that makes EBP approachable and functional in their day-to-day clinical practice.

Clinical Supervision: Case Studies of Clinical Teaching Methods

In this 60 minute session, attendees will explore supervision models and clinical teaching methods that aim to help supervisors develop their students from dependent observers towards independent clinicians working with confidence and curiosity. Engaging case studies will be used to highlight the utilization of these various supervision strategies and demonstrate how key tools can be implemented. The session will also discuss the importance and application of encouraging curiosity in the students we are supervising.

The Role of Subcortical Regions in Verbal Fluency of Stroke Patients

Verbal fluency (phonemic and semantic fluency), a composite index of language and executive functions, is widely used to assess cognitive ability of post-stroke individuals. Prior studies on the neural mechanisms underlying verbal fluency mainly focused on left-hemisphere lesions in the cortical areas. However, as stroke patients with lesion foci in the subcortical regions frequently present more severe language impairment than those with lesions in the perisylvian regions, our work aimed to investigate the different effects of subcortical volume on phonemic and semantic fluency of stroke patients. We found a significant positive correlation between the right subcortical grey matter volume and phonemic rather than semantic fluency, indicating involvement of subcortical regions in language-related executive functioning and a lack of left-lateralized dominance.

Trauma-Informed Care in Speech-Language Pathology Services

This session addresses concepts of how SLPs may infuse trauma-infused care (TIC) practices into daily therapy routines regardless of work setting, but particularly in services to school aged children. Definitions, background, and research-based recommendations will be shared along with checklists for helping the SLP (a) initiate and infuse TIC practices into existing daily schedules, and (b) establish awareness of secondary trauma in efforts to avoid SLP "burn-out" when serving trauma victims.

Breakout Presentations

Thursday, February 18th 1:00-3:00 PM

Understanding Your Practice's Financials: A Hands-On Workshop for the 92507 Era

Standard profit and loss (P&L) reports were built for accountants, not clinicians. This hands-on workshop introduces the 4 Week Report, a new way of viewing your financials built specifically for therapy practice owners. It breaks any practice into seven cost centers and shows where every dollar goes. You'll learn why percentages beat gross dollars and what a healthy profit margin looks like. Using free tools that do the math, you'll build a report for a sample practice and leave with a four-week review routine. We'll also include a special section on modeling 92507 changes, where you can test different scenarios to find the best one for your practice.

The Alabama Literacy Act and the School-Based SLP: Where You Fit

Alabama’s Literacy Act reshaped K-3 reading instruction through universal screening, science-of-reading-aligned instruction, reading improvement plans, summer reading camps, and the third-grade promotion requirement. Most school-based SLPs know the law exists. Fewer know where they fit inside it. This session explains what the Act requires of schools and maps those requirements to work SLPs already do: phonological awareness, sound-symbol instruction, screening data, oral language, and support for students whose speech sound disorders place them at increased reading risk. Participants will leave with clear language for describing their role, a practical way to align IEP goals with reading improvement plans, and a plan for showing up in school reading conversations as a contributor rather than a bystander.

Beyond “Try Again”: Functional Elicitation Techniques for SLPs

This intermediate-level session focuses on the clinical skill of speech sound elicitation - specifically how SLPs can effectively cue, shape, and support the production of targeted speech sounds in children with speech sound disorders. While many clinicians are familiar with articulation therapy, elicitation is often where therapy gets "stuck." This presentation aims to bridge that gap by equipping attendees with a wide variety of evidence-based and practical strategies that move children from inconsistent or inaccurate productions to confident, accurate speech. The session begins by briefly reviewing the principles of motor learning, stimulability, and phonetic context, followed by a deep dive into specific elicitation techniques. Participants will learn how to: Use shaping from known sounds to elicit new targets Layer multisensory cues (visual, auditory, tactile, and verbal) for maximum support Identify facilitating contexts for difficult sounds such as /r/, /s/, and /ʃ/ Recognize when to pivot strategies and troubleshoot when progress plateaus The presentation will include demonstrations of specific cueing techniques, and case-based discussions. A variety of tools and materials—including mouth models, sound cue cards, and tactile prompts—will be shown and discussed with tips for adapting them for different learning profiles. Special emphasis will be placed on functional elicitation, ensuring that sound targets are embedded in motivating, meaningful, and playful contexts that support generalization and engagement. Attendees will leave with a practical “elicitation toolkit” of strategies, phrases, and visuals that can be implemented immediately in therapy. This session is ideal for SLPs working in schools, clinics, or private practice who want to refine their approach to speech sound elicitation and walk away with clear, confident strategies that truly make sounds “click.”

ALSDE Updates

School-based speech-language pathologists and special education staff face a steady stream of procedural questions: When does a speech difference rise to an adverse educational effect? What documentation supports eligibility versus speech as a related service? How do you write a goal that is truly measurable — and defensible? This session walks through the full special education process as it applies to speech and language services, from consent through eligibility, IEP goal writing, progress monitoring, and dismissal. Dedicated segments address English learners with suspected disabilities and working with preschool-age children. Participants leave with state guidance, resources, and practical, immediately usable examples.

Building Language and Literacy Through Shared Reading: A Science of Reading Approach for AAC Users

Shared reading with rich picture books is an evidence-based practice for building vocabulary and language for students with disabilities, including AAC users. This session explores how picture books can become anchors for comprehensive, Science of Reading-aligned instruction in alphabet knowledge, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension. Participants will learn strategies for using shared reading as a springboard for meaningful language and literacy growth. The session will also highlight how to choose engaging picture books and find or create supplemental resources that reduce planning time, support accessibility, and make materials preparation more efficient for busy therapists.

The SLP's Guide for Trauma Informed Patient Care

This presentation aims to examine the integration of trauma-informed care into speech-language pathology (SLP) practice with a primary focus on clinical applications for treatment, assessment, and clinical supervision. Trauma-informed approaches have been established in psychology literature; however, limited guidance and training exists for SLPs on how to recognize and respond to trauma within their scope of practice. This session aims to address this gap by providing foundational knowledge alongside strategies for clinical application. The presentation will begin with an overview of trauma, including its definition, prevalence, neurologic impact, and the challenges this brings to the SLP clinical setting. Additional focus will be placed on the physiological, cognitive, and behavioral effects of trauma, as well as how these influence communication, swallowing, and breathing. The manner in which the larynx responds to acute and chronic stress is consistent with polyvagal theory described for other areas of human anatomy & physiology (Schmura & Helou, 2023). Emerging research suggests that laryngoresponders, individuals who indicate a stress reaction in the larynx, may report higher levels of stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including abuse and neglect, compared to non-laryngoresponders (Becker et al., 2022). Understanding these relationships, as well as the ability to identify signs of past or chronic stress, is important to support increased clinical awareness and holistic practice. Case studies will be integrated to support application of concepts. These examples will illustrate how trauma-informed principles can be implemented in a range of clinical scenarios, including situations in which trauma is known, as well as those in which it may be unreported but suspected. Participants will be guided in clinical reasoning, including recognizing potential trauma responses, modifying therapeutic approaches, and maintaining scope of practice. The principles discussed are applicable across the nine core areas of speech-language pathology. Participants will leave with practical tools, including strategies for patient interaction, clinical considerations, and resources for continued learning. Overall, this presentation aims to highlight how trauma-informed care impacts SLP interventions and how clinicians can use this information to support patient outcomes.

Beyond the Clinic Walls: Expanding Access to Pediatric Audiology

Access to pediatric audiology services can be challenging for children and families, particularly in rural and underserved communities. This session will introduce the new Children's Rehabilitation Service (CRS) Mobile Clinic and highlight how it is being used to expand pediatric audiology services across Alabama. Participants will also explore examples of audiology mobile clinics operating throuthout the United States and learn how telehealth and othe innovative service-delivery models can help bring hearing healthcare closer to the children and families who need it.

Breakout Presentations

Thursday, February 18th 3:30-5:00 PM

How to Build a Self-Managing Practice: Growing Without Burning Out the Owner

Could your practice run without you for 30 days? How about 7? What about 1? Do you feel like you own your practice, or like it owns you? This session introduces the 7 Elements of a Self-Managing Practice, a framework drawn from pediatric therapy practices across the country that have grown without burning out their owners. You'll learn what these practices do differently, how to spot the places where everything still runs through you, and which element to fix first. Whether you're just starting out or have owned a practice for years, you'll leave with a clear picture of where your practice stands today and a practical plan to build one that runs without you.

The Unseen Overlap: Reading Risk in Children with Speech Sound Disorders

Children with speech sound disorders are often on the SLP’s caseload because of their speech. But many of these students also carry risk for reading difficulty, and that risk can be easy to miss when the IEP goal focuses only on speech production. This session examines what the research says about which children with speech sound disorders are most likely to struggle with reading, including students whose errors persist into the school-age years, students with co-occurring language impairment, and students whose phonological patterns remain active as reading instruction begins. Participants will learn how to sort the patterns on their caseload by reading risk, embed quick phonological awareness screening tasks within a speech session, and adjust intervention so speech therapy actively supports reading development rather than running alongside it.

Practicing at the Top of the License for the SLP

This presentation explores what it means to practice at the top of your license by addressing the many roles of the SLP in the current scope of practice. You will be able to identify many parameters involved in practicing at the top of the license and create an action plan to help you achieve this goal.

Leveling Up Your Therapy Skills for Treating Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Several effective and evidence-based treatment methods for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) exist. While these methods were developed to treat children at different stages of apraxia treatment, they are all based on the principles of motor learning, utilize multisensory cueing and address the core challenges of CAS, including prosody and coarticulation. A variety of auditory, visual, tactile, semantic, proprioceptive and kinesthetic strategies to elicit accurate speech production will be demonstrated. Clinical decision making for what types of cueing to use in different contexts will be covered and a cueing hierarchy will be discussed. Fading cueing and the reasoning behind fading cueing based on motor learning literature will be covered. The core aspects of coarticulation will be discussed.

AAC Across the Lifespan: Voices of AAC Users and Caregivers

What can clinicians learn when we listen directly to AAC users and the people who support them? This interactive panel brings together AAC users of various ages and stages of life, along with caregivers, to share their lived experiences with augmentative and alternative communication. Panelists will discuss communication, device access, successes, challenges, and the supports that have made a difference throughout their AAC journeys. Attendees will have the opportunity to observe a variety of AAC access methods and engage directly with panelists through audience questions. This session offers clinicians a unique opportunity to listen, learn, and consider how the perspectives of AAC users and caregivers can inform clinical decision-making and support more meaningful communication outcomes.

Making Sense of Attention, Memory, and Executive Function: Improving Clinical Reasoning in Adult Neurogenic Disorders

Treating attention, memory, and executive function deficits is common in adult neurogenic populations, yet differentiating and integrating these domains into effective clinical decision-making remains challenging, particularly in complex or overlapping presentations. This session presents a practical, systems-based approach to clinical reasoning grounded in integration across the cognitive-communication hierarchy. Participants will review evidence-based assessment and treatment approaches while learning to synthesize cognitive, communicative, environmental, and functional factors to guide intervention. Through case-based analysis, attendees will apply a structured clinical reasoning process to move from evaluation to targeted treatment planning. Emphasis is placed on differential interpretation, strategy selection, generalization, and functional outcomes in real-world contexts.

Making Sense of AI in Audiology

Artificial intelligence is already entering clinical audiology through hearing technology, ambient documentation, evidence-support tools, and the information patients bring to appointments. This session will introduce terminology relevant to audiology, examine current applications within and around the clinical encounter, and consider how AI may affect patient behavior, routine workflows, privacy, and the audiologist’s role. Emerging research suggests that audiologists and speech-language pathologists are interested in AI’s potential but remain concerned about privacy, reliability, and appropriate clinical use. The goal is not to promote or discourage AI use, but to help clinicians make sense of a rapidly changing landscape.

Student Poster Presentations

Thursday, February 18th 5:00-5:45 PM

Learning Through Play: Push-In Service Delivery in Early Childhood Settings to Promote Inclusion and Communication Growth

Early intervention and preschool programs provide unique opportunities for speech-language pathologists to support communication development within natural learning environments. This session explores the use of push-in service delivery models in early childhood classrooms to promote inclusion, language growth, and peer interaction. Participants will learn evidence-based strategies for embedding intervention into play-based and classroom activities while collaborating with educators and families. Practical examples and implementation tools will be provided for future clinicians working with young children.

Literacy Environment Influence on Early Literacy Skill Development in Children With and Without Speech Sound Disorder

Children with speech sound disorder (SSD) often, but not always, experience difficulties learning to read and spell. Phonological awareness and language are key early predictors. Although literacy environment shapes these skills generally, their impact in SSD has not been investigated. The present study will explore the influence of literacy environment on development of phonological awareness, word reading, and spelling in early school-age children with and without SSD while accounting for language ability. Preliminary data will be analyzed to determine how the targeted early literacy skills are influenced by literacy environment, clarifying the extent that this supports skill development in SSD.

More Than a Grade: The Role of Supervision in Developing Confident Student Clinicians

Graduate students in speech-language pathology often focus on mastering academic content and earning strong grades. While academic success is important and provides an essential foundation for clinical practice, effective supervision plays a critical role in helping students develop confidence and clinical competence in patient care. Through feedback, mentorship, self-reflection, and guided clinical experiences, supervisors help bridge the gap between classroom learning and clinical application. This session will explore the role of supervision in fostering confident student clinicians and provide practical strategies for maximizing growth throughout graduate training.

Passport to Partnership: Effective Collaboration with Interpreters in Pediatric Therapy

Speech-language pathologists continue to serve a growing number of multilingual populations, requiring effective collaboration with interpreters to ensure accurate assessment and ethical, culturally responsive care. However, many clinicians report limited training with organizing and facilitating interpreter-mediated sessions and evaluations. This presentation will provide practical strategies for preparing, implementing, and reflecting on pediatric therapy sessions involving interpreters, with emphasis on role clarification, cultural and linguistic considerations, and communication strategies that support collaboration before, during, and after sessions. The session will also highlight ways to empower families to actively participate in therapy. Participants will leave with tools to improve multilingual service delivery.

Quiet Quitting Prevention: Minimizing Burnout to Decrease Ethical Compromise

A post-pandemic phenomenon dubbed “quiet quitting” has become increasingly prevalent among professional settings. Adopting a fatalistic mindset has become the norm, while burnout within all corners of the healthcare system is at an all time high. This session will discuss common workplace stressors and areas which lead to burnout. Ethical compromise and its comorbidity with an apathetic work approach will be deliberated. Information will be provided regarding how to minimize workplace strife through self-advocacy, and an admonition to adhere to ASHA’s Code of Ethics will be encouraged.

Early Bird Breakout Presentations

Friday, February 19th 7:00-8:00 AM

Making Every Minute Count in SSD Treatment

Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are among the most commonly treated communication disorders in school settings, significantly impacting literacy, emotional well-being, social interaction, and teacher perception. Despite their prevalence, many school-based SLPs continue to use traditional service delivery models without considering intensity and effectiveness. This presentation examines how treatment frequency and intensity affect outcomes for children with SSDs and explores practical strategies for selecting service models that align with student needs and SLP workloads.

Enhancing Early Risk Detection in Alabama: Exploring a Dynamic Screening Battery in Early School-Age Children

Screening is an essential role and responsibility for pediatric speech-language pathologists as it identifies children who may be at risk for academic difficulties. However, research indicates that many screening practices fail to measure skills necessary to determine risk status and often rely on methods that either under‑identify or over‑identify children as being at risk. As a result, children at risk for academic difficulties may not receive timely, effective, or equitable services. This presentation aims to strengthen knowledge and inform clinical screening practices by reviewing the importance and limitations of current screening practices, and sharing preliminary findings and implications of a screening battery implemented in Alabama that dynamically measures known predictors of early literacy learning and later literacy outcomes.

Closing the Exposure Gap What Curriculum Asks, What Research Requires

Tier 2 academic vocabulary are the high-utility words that appear across every subject and drive comprehension throughout the curriculum is exactly the word category most vulnerable to under-instruction. Research on vocabulary intervention intensity has identified an adequate exposure threshold for word learning, yet typical classroom introduction of a new word rarely comes close to that level of repetition. This 60-minute session introduces the research on vocabulary exposure and dosage, situates it within the Tier 2 curriculum framework already guiding grade-level instruction, and gives SLPs and educators a practical lens for identifying which words in their existing curriculum materials warrant intensified, repeated exposure. Participants will leave with a framework for bridging intervention-level research and everyday classroom vocabulary instruction without requiring a separate curriculum or program.

Protecting Airway and Swallowing Function After NICU Intubation

Prolonged endotracheal intubation is often lifesaving for critically ill neonates but is associated with significant complications affecting feeding, swallowing, and airway function. This presentation reviews current evidence linking prolonged intubation with dysphagia, feeding difficulties, and laryngeal injury in NICU patients. Participants will examine the mechanisms underlying these complications, discuss clinical implications for speech-language pathologists, and explore evidence-based strategies that support early identification, interdisciplinary collaboration, and prevention of long-term swallowing dysfunction. Emphasis will be placed on translating current research into practical recommendations for improving neonatal outcomes.

Walking in their shoes: Understanding Parent Perspectives Of Children with Disabilities

When professionals meet parental frustration with empathy rather than defensiveness, the dynamic shifts from “Us vs. Them” to “Us vs. The Problem.” Join a diverse panel of four parents—including two practicing SLPs—sharing the behind-the-scenes reality of raising children with disabilities. Attendees will leave with a deeper psychological understanding of families, learning how to critically think about complex situations with parents while walking away with strategies for improved parent partnerships and a renewed framework for collaborative teamwork.

SLP, GI, and ENT Walk Into a Bar: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Dysphagia

This session introduces the concept of multiphase dysphagia, highlighting the critical interplay between oropharyngeal and esophageal swallowing function. Through case studies, attendees will explore inaccurate symptom localization, swallowing as a continuum, and co-occurring swallowing disorders. The session reviews the multidisciplinary approach to dysphagia assessment, covering gastroenterology, otolaryngology, and speech-language pathology algorithms, and demonstrates through practical case examples how this collaborative model improves patient outcomes, expedites treatment, and blends behavioral and medical care.

MORE THAN AN AUDIOLOGIST: Using lived experience to empower kids with hearing loss

What if the audiologist sitting across from the pediatric patient has been in their shoes? In this session I will share my hearing journey from being diagnosed with hearing loss as a teen to becoming an audiologist who now works with children navigating hearing loss. Drawing from both lived experience and clinical practice, I will discuss the realities of growing up with hearing loss that may not always be visible in the audiology booth. The session will explore how audiologists can use empathy, personal connection, and child-centered care and communication to create stronger relationships and empower them to feel confident in their hearing journey.

Supporting Excellence in AAC/AT: Explore, Learn, and Connect

Join us for an interactive, hands-on exploration of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) resources. Participants will have the opportunity to explore AAC systems and tools alongside representatives from leading AAC companies while learning how APT AT, Alabama’s Assistive Technology Act Program, can support professionals and the individuals they serve. Through hands-on demonstrations and guided exploration, participants will learn about device features, demonstrations, short-term lending opportunities, and other resources that can support informed AAC/AT decision-making. Come ready to explore, ask questions, and discover resources you can put into practice!

Breakout Presentations

Friday, February 19th, 8:30-10:30 AM

Making Mistakes Matter: Creating Safe Clinical Rotations Through Failabrations

This session reviews the requirements and standards for supervising graduate students, clinical fellows, and speech-language pathology assistants in Alabama, including guidance from the Alabama Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Participants will explore the qualities and practices of effective clinical educators, strategies for creating psychologically safe learning environments, and approaches for establishing expectations, providing feedback, and coaching students toward greater independence. The session will also introduce the “Failabration” framework, highlighting how clinical mistakes can be transformed into opportunities for reflection, clinical reasoning, professional growth, and lifelong learning. This session meets ASHA’s two-hour supervision PDH requirement.

8:30-9:30 AM

Always On, Always Drained: Protecting Your Mental Edge and Preventing Burnout with Executive Function

In today’s high-demand, high-performance environments, being “always on” is often seen as a strength. In reality, it carries a hidden cost: cognitive overload, decision fatigue, emotional volatility and a gradual erosion of mental clarity. For highly capable SLP leaders, the challenge is not a lack of skill—it is sustained strain on the brain’s executive function system responsible for focus, prioritization, problem solving and self-regulation. This session reframes burnout not as a failure of resilience, but as a predictable outcome of prolonged cognitive demand without adaptive resilience and intentional recovery. Drawing on neuroscience, motivational psychology, the science of learning and contemplative neuroscience of mindfulness, it positions executive function as the foundation for clear thinking and effective leadership. Participants will gain practical strategies to manage mental load, reduce decision fatigue, and protect their mental edge—enabling sustained performance without sacrificing well-being.Turning Motivation into Momentum: Executive Function Strategies that Reduce Motivational Mismatch and Promote EngagementT

9:30-10:30 AM

Turning Motivation into Momentum: Executive Function Strategies that Reduce Motivational Mismatch and Promote Engagement

Motivation alone is often insufficient to sustain student engagement and follow-through in classrooms that place increasing demands on self-regulation, planning, and persistence. Drawing on contemporary research in motivation science and executive function, this presentation examines how teacher-centered instructional practices can transform momentary motivation into sustained academic momentum by synthesizing findings from cognitive psychology, developmental neuroscience, and educational research. Through empirical examples and classroom-based applications, the session illustrates how classroom structures, feedback, task design, and relational practices can reduce cognitive load, strengthen self-regulation, and scaffold persistence—particularly for students with underdeveloped executive skills—while highlighting implications for teacher preparation, professional development, and equitable instructional design that translate motivation into durable learning outcomes.

8:30-9:30 AM

A Caseload/Workload Hybrid Model

This presentation will explain the North Carolina hybrid caseload/workload model for school based speech-language pathology services. Materials will be provided for participants to use immediately on their workload.

9:30-10:30 AM

The SLP’s Role in Transitioning Highschool Students

This presentation will explore the many ways school based SLPs can be helpful in supporting the transition of high schoolers who are gradating to whatever will come next for them socially and educationally.

Building the SLP–SLPA Partnership Scope, Supervision, and Shared Responsibility

The role of the speech-language pathology assistant continues to expand nationally, and with more states establishing formal licensure pathways, SLPs need a clear, working understanding of what SLPAs are trained to do, what remains solely the SLP's responsibility, and how to build a supervisory relationship that actually functions day to day. This two-hour session grounds participants in ASHA's national Scope of Practice for the SLPA including training standards, delegable versus non-delegable responsibilities, and the ethical framework governing both roles, before turning to the practical work of partnership: how SLPs and SLPAs communicate, divide caseload responsibilities, and maintain accountability without either underusing the SLPA's training or overextending their role. Participants will leave with a working framework for supervision that holds up both legally and clinically, regardless of their state's specific regulatory language.JJ’s Story, Our Practice: Lessons from a Life with AAC

JJ’s Story, Our Practice: Lessons from a Life with AAC

Join JJ, a lifelong AAC user and PRC-Saltillo Ambassador, along with AAC Consultant Patricia Goggins and Dothan area CRS SLP Lydia Arndt, as they explore what it takes to build communication, independence, and meaningful participation across the lifespan. JJ will share his personal journey using AAC from childhood through adulthood, highlighting his experiences in school, recreation, employment, self-advocacy, and everyday communication. Through his lived experience, attendees will gain insight into the factors that support successful AAC use, challenges that can hinder progress, and how communicative independence develops over time. Building on JJ’s story, Patricia and Lydia will discuss evidence-based strategies for evaluating and supporting older students and adults who use AAC. Topics will include assessment considerations, transition planning, technology integration, promoting autonomy, and developing functional goals that support meaningful participation in daily life.

Bringing the Swallow Into Focus: An SLP's Comprehensive Assessment of Dysphagia

This session provides a comprehensive framework for the SLP's role in swallowing evaluation, covering six key components: chart review, clinical interview, oral motor and motor speech examination, clinical swallow evaluation, patient-reported outcomes, and instrumental assessment. Attendees will learn to generate clinical hypotheses while avoiding diagnostic momentum, and will review standardized instrumental protocols including MBSImP, DIGEST, and REST, applying the full framework through case examples.

Caring for Children with Congenital Hearing loss in the Era of Gene Therapy: The Audiologist's Role and Multidisciplinary Framework

Genetic evaluation is an integral component of the clinical assessment of pediatric hearing loss, providing critical information to families through: (1) identification of syndromic and non-syndromic causes of hearing loss, (2) improved understanding and empowerment regarding a child’s diagnosis, and (3) determination of eligibility for emerging clinical trials and gene therapy approaches. In this presentation, we will review an approach to the clinical evaluation of pediatric hearing loss that incorporates genetic testing and discuss the impact of a genetic diagnosis on patient-centered care, including potential candidacy for gene therapy. Current gene therapy approaches for pediatric hearing loss will be discussed, with emphasis on the evolving role of the audiologist in patient evaluation, counseling, and longitudinal monitoring. The presentation will highlight the importance of standardized audiologic outcome assessment, including behavioral and electrophysiologic measures, as well as speech-language development, to comprehensively evaluate treatment outcomes. Finally, a “whole child” framework for children undergoing cochlear gene therapy will be explored, incorporating functional communication, language development, and neuropsychological outcomes alongside audiologic measures to provide a comprehensive assessment of treatment impact and guide individualized clinical management.

Student Poster Presentations

Friday, February 20th 10:30-11:15 PM

A Preliminary Examination of Delay Frustration and Self-Regulation in College Students with ADHD

Frustration tolerance is a key component of self regulation and may be difficult for individuals with ADHD and individuals who stutter. This session explores relationships between ADHD, inhibition, self-regulation, and frustration tolerance in 18 and older adults. Using a delay frustration task, participants complete a simple computer based math activity while experiencing unexpected delays. Participants with ADHD, individuals who stutter, and neurotypical controls are compared to identify differences in frustration responses. The session reviews research on frustration tolerance across neurodevelopmental populations, outlines the study’s methodology, and examines how ADHD symptom severity relates to behavioral measures of frustration and self-regulation.

Caregiver Education and Collaboration as Essential Components of Effective Clinical Practice.

Speech-language pathologists play an important role not only as clinicians, but also as educators and coaches for caregivers. While direct intervention remains essential, meaningful progress often depends on a caregiver's ability to understand, implement, and carry over therapeutic strategies outside of the clinical setting. This session will explore the role of caregiver education and collaboration as essential components of effective clinical practice. Participants will discuss strategies for promoting caregiver engagement and identify ways to improve carryover and long-term outcomes through collaborative partnerships with families.

College Students’ Attitudes Toward Stuttering

The purpose of the study was to examine the difference in college students' knowledge and attitudes toward stuttering across Speech and Hearing Sciences (SHS) majors, other health related majors, and non-health-related majors. Findings indicated that SHS students had significantly higher CARE Education scores than students majoring in non-health-related fields. However, there were no significant differences in stuttering-affirmative attitudes across groups. These findings suggest a need to strengthen stuttering-affirmative content within the SHS curriculum so that students are better equipped to support the psychosocial well-being of individuals who stutter and to reduce stigma in clinical interactions.

Crossing the Great Divide: Navigating Barriers to Literacy Instruction for Students Who Use AAC

Literacy is a fundamental human right, and in the current “literacy crisis”, access to quality literacy instruction is now more important than ever. Unfortunately, while there has been an ever-growing focus on quality literacy instruction for students in the general education program, students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods are often left behind. This poster will discuss how SLPs can increase the quality of and access to literacy instruction for AAC users through collaboration, inter-curriculum tasks, and external curriculum programs and activities.

Effects of Age and Hearing Status on Self-reported Hearing Ability and Listening-related Fatigue

Listening-related fatigue and perceived auditory challenges significantly impact daily communication, yet these experiences are often assumed to be natural consequences of aging. This study evaluated whether chronological age serves as the primary predictor of outcomes on the 12-item Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ-12) and the Vanderbilt Fatigue Scale for Adults (VFS-A) across the adult lifespan (ages 18-70). Hearing status was determined using a clinician-led hearing screening. The effect of age on the SSQ-12 and VFS-A, and subscales, were analyzed using simple linear regressions. Age was not a statistically significant predictor for any of the questionnaires or subscales. Post hoc analyses using multiple linear regressions were used to assess the effects of hearing status while controlling for age. Participants with hearing loss had lower SSQ-12 (poorer hearing ability) and higher VFS-A (greater fatigue) scores compared to normal-hearing peers. Specifically, the SSQ-12 and all subscales were statistically significant; however, only the VFS-A total score and emotional and cognitive subscales were statistically significant. These findings suggest that self-reported hearing ability and listening-related fatigue are not dictated by age alone, but rather hearing status plays a primary role in self-reported difficulties.

Breakout Presentations

Friday, February 19th 11:15-12:15 PM

Pragmatics and ASD

The terms social communication, social-interaction, and social-emotional reciprocity are part of the definition of autism, but notably missing is pragmatics. With a 67% increase in preschoolers with autism across the US in two years, what do SLPs need to know about key defining characteristics of autism and appropriate assessment?

The Power of Words: Updated Cleft Language for SLP Clinicians by the Cleft Community

This presentation explores the importance of using respectful, person-first, and community-informed language when working with individuals with cleft lip and palate. Drawing from current literature and guidance from the cleft community itself, the session highlights how language shapes clinical practice, patient identity, and therapeutic relationships. Participants will learn about recent updates in preferred terminology, listen to perspectives of cleft-affected individuals, and apply person-centered language to improve care, advocacy, and collaboration in speech-language pathology practice.

Stages of Natural Language Acquisition for Gestalt Language Processors

Stages of Natural Language Acquisition for Gestalt Language Processors provides an overview of the foundational principles of Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) and the research that informed its development. Participants will learn to identify and describe the first four stages of Natural Language Acquisition (NLA), including the defining characteristics of each stage. Through guided practice, attendees will briefly analyze written language samples to determine the NLA stage represented by individual utterances.

Charting the Course: Motor Speech Development to Intervention

For decades, the field of speech-language pathology has operated within a persistent dichotomy: is a child's speech sound error rooted in phonology, or in motor execution? This session challenges that either/or framework, presenting an integrated, evidence-informed view of speech sound disorders grounded in Articulatory Phonology and the Motor Speech Hierarchy (MSH). Participants will journey through the typical developmental sequence of speech motor control — from mandibular-driven babbling in year one, through emerging lip-jaw differentiation, to lingual independence by year three — before turning to the clinical picture. The session identifies early, pre-verbal red flags for Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) observable before 24 months, introduces the validated 40-item MSH Probe Word List for pinpointing exactly where a child's motor system breaks down, and closes with two evidence-based, motor-based intervention pathways: PROMPT and Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC). Throughout, presenter Carol Koch, EdD, CCC-SLP (Oklahoma Baptist University) grounds the discussion in current research, including recent work on speech motor constraints and phonological error patterns, and in the shared principles of motor learning — bottom-up goal selection, feedback fading, and structured practice — that unite PROMPT and DTTC.

Excellence in Counseling for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists: Maximizing Therapeutic Reach through the Lifespan

Clients of all ages require effective counseling with regards to communication and swallowing challenges, but often SLPs and audiologists are challenged to be prepared for these interactions. This session will provide concrete strategies and best practices for counseling including development of counseling as a default communication strategy as well as use of these techniques for conflict resolution. Participants will obtain hands-on experience with active/reflective listening and principles of the Four Habits model of medical counseling.

CLEAR AAC: A Repeatable Clinical Decision-Making Framework for Confident AAC Practice

Knowing AAC best practices and applying them consistently under real clinical conditions are two different skills — and the gap between them has real consequences for the communicators who depend on us. This session introduces the CLEAR AAC Framework, a repeatable, evidence-informed clinical decision-making model built for SLPs who are already doing the work and want a more reliable way to think it through. Each component — Clarify the Communicator, Launch AAC Early, Embed AAC, Adjust with Intention, Reflect and Reinforce — maps to current research and functions as a practical tool for capacity-building across clinics, schools, and teams.

Discourse level treatment for written and spoken discourse in mild aphasia

This presentation will review recent evidence for Attentive Reading with Constrained Summarization-Written in people with mild aphasia.

From Guidelines to Practice: Ototoxicity Monitoring in Multidisciplinary Settings

This 60-minute session will focus on best practices for ototoxicity monitoring, including a discussion on terminology variations across professions and the critical distinction between assessing clinical hearing loss severity versus applying standardized grading system criteria. Current recommendations for baseline and follow-up monitoring will be reviewed, including identification of significant ototoxic hearing changes using established grading systems and threshold shift criteria. Clinical reasoning will be applied through real-world patient cases involving oncology and aminoglycoside treatment. Emphasis will also be placed on effective communication with physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to support coordinated patient care and timely intervention.

Breakout Presentations

Friday, February 19th 1:15-2:45 PM

Screen Time, EdTech, and Current Research

What are the impacts of digital devices by children as well as parents on development and how can SLPs support positive change?

Cognitive Communication and Language Processing Skills – Where Thinking and Language Collide

Language processing disorders as well as cognitive communication disorders can be a complex. This presentation is designed to focus on specific areas of strengths and difficulties to identify within an evaluation. While there is some overlap, both areas have distinctive characteristics. The ultimate goal of this information is to provide treating speech-language pathologists in a variety of clinical settings with practical strategies and activities to address identified areas of difficulty affecting cognitive communication and language processing.

GLP and NLA in Action

GLP and NLA in Action provides participants with opportunities to apply their understanding of Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) and Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) through the analysis of recorded therapy sessions. Attendees will examine language samples from real clients, identify the NLA stages of utterances produced by clients in recordings of therapy sessions, and explore the characteristics associated with each stage. Through guided discussion and case-based learning, participants will apply NLA principles to conversations about potential gestalt language processors and strengthen their clinical observation and analysis skills.

Speech Is Motor: Identifying and Treating the Root Cause of Speech Sound Disorders

Every caseload has a child who has practiced /r/ or /l/ for months—or even years—and still cannot produce the sound in single words. When a child is not stimulable, we need to stop drilling or teaching compensations, and ask why. This session reframes persistent speech sound errors as motor problems and uses task analysis to identify the breakdown. Participants will learn to separate perceptual, placement, and motor skill deficits; break sounds into target gestures and prerequisite skills; and build the missing foundation before returning to traditional articulation practice. Participants will leave with a practical framework for task-analyzing any sound.

Practical Applications of Artificial Integlligence for the SLP

Learn how SLPs and SLPAs can harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to innovatively enhance outcomes for individuals with communication disorders along with streamlining paperwork and prep time! Expand your understanding of ways AI supports individuals with a range of communication needs and improves professional productivity for clinicians. Through demonstration, discussion and reflection participants will explore how AI can elevate their practice. The emphasis will be on practical tools that can be used by any speech and language professional. Participants will leave the session with strategies and resources that they can use immediately upon returning from the convention.

Beyond Requesting: Practical AAC Strategies for Expanding Communication

Requesting is often one of the first communication functions targeted in AAC intervention, but effective communicators use language for much more than asking for wants and needs. This session will provide practical, evidence-informed therapy ideas to help AAC users expand communication across a variety of functions, including commenting, protesting, asking and answering questions, describing, sharing information, expressing opinions, and participating in social interactions. Through engaging activities, video examples, and adaptable intervention strategies, participants will learn how to create communication opportunities that promote more meaningful and generative language use across therapy, classroom, and everyday environments. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use ideas that can be implemented immediately with students across a range of ages and communication abilities.

Connecting research to practice for aphasia treatment

In this talk case studies will be used to identify patient goals, appropriate treatments and appropriate goals for clients with aphasia.

Make a Referral, Make a Difference

Knowing when to refer a patient for an implantable hearing device evaluation provides benefits to patients and to professionals who don’t routinely work with these devices. The purpose of this program is to provide detailed information on implantable technology options, candidacy assessment, anticipated patient outcomes, and the patient referral process. When professionals are confident in making a referral and beginning the counseling conversation, patients are put on the right treatment path quicker. The information presented includes relevance to both adult and pediatric populations, along with benefits of bimodal stimulation. A suggested step-by-step referral process will also be provided.

Online Only Presentations

Available February 22- March 5

Effective Oral-Facial Exams for Maximizing Speech Sound Outcomes

Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are common, yet speech-language pathologists often fail to account for the crucial role of oral-facial structure and function in their therapy plans. This presentation will guide SLPs through comprehensive oral-facial exam administration and analysis. Attendees will learn to identify connections between oral-facial anatomy and functional outcomes, exploring conditions like airway obstruction, malocclusion and ankyloglossia. Participants will gain practical skills to assess movement, placement, and rest postures, while learning to navigate ethical referrals and multidisciplinary collaboration. By identifying barriers to progress, SLPs can move beyond surface-level symptom treatment, planning more effective, evidence-based therapy to truly maximize outcomes for children with SSDs.

From Clinician to CEO: The Journey to Building a Community-Centered Private Practice

Graduate school prepares clinicians to treat patients. It rarely prepares them to build a business. This session follows one SLP's journey from clinical practitioner to CEO of a community-centered private practice serving underserved pediatric populations in Alabama. Presenters will walk attendees through a foundational business formation blueprint - covering business naming, Secretary of State registration, EIN registration, NPI and NPI-2 enrollment, establishing a proper mailing address, and business banking. Attendees will also explore contracting, credentialing, funding, staffing, and sustainability strategies that graduate training leaves out. This session speaks directly to clinicians called to serve their communities at a higher level and delivers a clear, practical roadmap for making that vision a reality.

IDEA and the SLP

How is SLP different in schools than other settings, what does the federal law (IDEA) require of school-based SLPs, and how does compliance with the law improve caseload/workload?

Recalculating the Route: Strategic Thinking and Reinvention for SLPs in a Changing Profession

Speech-language pathology is changing faster than many of us were trained to navigate. Caseloads shift, service models change, and technology keeps reshaping the tools we use. The skills that set us apart a few years ago might not be relevant. SLPs are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat, but few of us were ever taught to think strategically about our careers or our practices. This session brings four frameworks from business and organizational leadership into speech-language pathology, so clinicians can meet change on purpose instead of scrambling to react (McGrath, 2013; Johnson, 2019; Kotter, 1996). Whether you are growing a career, starting a practice, or leading a team, you will leave ready to decide with intention.

The Story Is the Map: Guiding School Teams Through Narrative User Stories

Every student who presents for a speech-language evaluation has a story. They come with their own family experiences, culture, language, strengths, and challenges. These factors shape how they communicate and learn. However, once the evaluation is complete, much of that story can disappear. The student often becomes a test score, an eligibility decision, or an IEP goal. As these pieces of information are important, they do not tell the student's whole communication story. Research on narrative development reviews that language cannot be separated from the experiences that give it meaning (Spencer & Petersen, 2020). This session explores how keeping the student's story at the center of an assessment can strengthen documentation, collaboration, and clinical decision-making.

Welcome to The SPeech And hearing Association of Alabama

Search on website