Why Bilingual SLPs are Important
Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, are critical members of school communities. For students who need speech-language services in languages other than English, a bilingual SLP is a necessity. These specialists provide essential supports for students, helping them achieve their potential, no matter what language and communication barriers they may face.
What is a Bilingual SLP?
A bilingual SLP is someone trained and certified in speech-language pathology who can also address bilingual students’ needs and challenges. These pathologists provide invaluable support to students, their families, and professional school teams. They help to treat a wide variety of disorders, ranging from communication to speech and language challenges. Bilingual SLPs need to identify differences between standard difficulties of learning a new language versus language disorders and have a deep cultural understanding of their students.
Who Bilingual SLPs Help
Bilingual students often face multiple challenges at the same time. They are learning a new language, which can be hard enough. If they also have a communication or language disorder, they need a guide, which is where the bilingual SLP shines. By communicating with students in their native language, bilingual SLPs can diagnose, treat, and help students manage their unique challenges. Beyond helping students, these specialists are valuable resources for parents, families, teachers, and administrators, full of strategies and approaches to help the team deliver quality services.
What Does an SLP do?
A bilingual SLP must be trained in speech-language pathology and meet all the requirements needed to be a school-based specialist. Some of the roles and responsibilities of an SLP include:
- Developing services that adhere to IEP goals, including academic, social-emotional, and vocational
- Helping students with communication, speech, and language issues
- Tailoring services to ensure students achieve success in academic classes
- Increasing student literacy by aligning speech-language services with strategies to improve communication
- Separating speech and language disorders from other factors, such as second-language acquisition
- Administering assessments to identify children who need services and creating treatment plans for students
- Developing and tailoring interventions
- Collecting and analyzing data and designing programs using this information
With so many roles, SLPs are crucial members of school teams, able to maximize student success in many ways.
How to Find a Bilingual SLP
Bilingual SLPs add another layer to the services that students receive. Employers looking for a bilingual SLP need look no further than Bilingual Therapies, where we match only the best bilingual SLPs with schools across the country. We provide support, training, and continuing education opportunities to ensure that candidates meet rigorous standards. As school districts express their specific SLP needs, we pair our highly-qualified candidates with them, ensuring a perfect fit for all involved.
Schools strive to provide exceptional services to all students at their sites. Bilingual SLPs can help achieve this goal, acting as an essential resource and integral members of school communities for students, their families, educators, and specialists. Here at Bilingual Therapies, we provide the support, guidance, and educational options to our bilingual SLPs, to maximize their impact. Contact us today for all of your staffing needs, and ensure that your students receive the bilingual SLP support they deserve.