Speech and Language Services in Alberta play a crucial role in supporting students with speech, language, literacy, and communication challenges. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are essential members of educational teams, working tirelessly to help students achieve their academic and personal potential.
SLPs enhance student outcomes by facilitating access, participation, and inclusion in the curriculum, as well as in the broader school environment. Here's how they make a difference:
Access and Supports
Our SLPs offer a range of services, including:
- Consultative supports to teachers and children in specialized classes.
- Screening, assessment, intervention, and teacher collaboration for children experiencing communication, language, and literacy challenges from kindergarten to Grade 2.
- Services for students with complex communication needs requiring augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Through a collaborative approach, SLPs work with school learning teams to identify and support students with significant challenges. They provide a continuum of services at universal, targeted, and specialized levels to meet student needs.
Calgary Board of Education (CBE) Services
The CBE offers various SLP supports for school-aged students with communication challenges. Our SLPs assist students in the following areas:
- Receptive language - understanding of oral and written language.
- Expressive language - use of oral and written language.
- Literacy.
- Complex Communication Needs (CCN) - for students who cannot use speech alone and may benefit from AAC tools or devices.
Parents with concerns about their child's language, literacy, or complex communication needs are encouraged to discuss this with their child's teacher or school.
Service Delivery and School Support
Consultation and Collaboration
SLP consultation and collaboration may involve working with school staff to provide universal classroom strategies, whole group lessons, and developing Individual Program Plans (IPP).
Professional Learning and Parent Sessions
SLPs may offer topic-focused learning sessions for education staff and parents to promote student success in developing language and literacy skills.
Assessment
SLPs provide individual assessments for children experiencing communication concerns significantly impacting their learning. This helps determine strategies to support student success through IPP development, classroom strategies, and intervention.
Intervention
Language intervention may involve supporting the student in the classroom, in a small group, or an individual session. SLPs collaborate with teachers and educational support staff to determine tools and strategies for promoting communication success and curriculum access. The focus includes:
- Understanding and using language (e.g., following teacher directions, answering questions, sharing ideas).
- Phonological awareness and early literacy development.
- Complex communication needs, including low-tech (e.g., picture symbols) and high-tech communication tools (e.g., speech-generating devices).
Alberta Health Services (AHS)
AHS Pediatric Community Rehabilitation Services provides family-centered services focusing on prioritized functional goals within home and community environments. These services are not provided at school. AHS supports children and their families in the following areas:
- Speech sound disorders (including apraxia).
- Fluency / stuttering.
- Feeding / swallowing.
Visit Pediatric Rehabilitation at Alberta Health Services for a complete listing of services and how to access them. Parents may self-refer their children at 403-910-2070.
For more information, please follow this link.
