Ithaca College

Clinical Instructor Jana Waller (Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology) published an article titled, "Preparing Speech-Language Pathology Students for School-Based Practice: The Importance of Graduate Clinical Experiences in Universally Designed Classrooms" in the December 2012 issue of Perspectives on School Based Issues.

Perspectives is the member publication for the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

In her article Instructor Waller describes the benefits of a clinical practicum experience in which Ithaca College graduate clinicians provided small group interventions, whole-class lessons, and structured play activities in a universally designed pre-K classroom.

Graduate clinicians learned to develop lessons that addressed many different learning styles, to collaborate with classroom teachers, and to help pre-K students to meet curricular expectations.

The article emphasizes that with changes in education such as the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), it is imperative that speech-language pathology students are given opportunities that prepare them for the evolving role of the school-based SLP.