Sample Coursework for SLP Assistant Program
General Education: The general education sequence includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:
Oral and written communication: Typically includes grammar and usage, composition or business writing, and public speaking; and such communication skills must adhere to and be demonstrated to the level of workplace standards expected for the field of speech-language pathology.
Mathematics: Typically includes at least one course in general mathematics, business mathematics, accounting, algebra, or higher level mathematics.
Technology: Typically includes computer literacy, word processing, other software applications, web-based applications, and managing digital audio and video files.
Social and natural sciences: Typically includes psychology, sociology, biology, and/or anatomy/physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms.
Technical Content: Course content provides students with background information in communication disorders and technical knowledge to assume the job responsibilities and core technical skills for speech-language pathology assistants, and includes the following areas:
Normal processes of communication : Course work in normal processes of communication should include normal speech, language, communication, and hearing development; phonetics; and communication across the life span.
Communication disorders: Course work in communication disorders should include introduction/survey to communication disorders, and coursework in both speech disorders and language disorders.
Assistant-level service delivery practices: Course work in assistant-level service delivery practices that includes but are not limited to technical procedures for speech-language pathology assistants, ethics for the practice of speech-language pathology, and procedures and processes about how to assist the speech-language pathologist in service delivery.
Workplace behaviors: Course work in workplace behaviors of the speech-language pathology assistant should include but are not limited to:
- relating verbally and non-verbally to clients/caregivers in a pragmatic, supportive, and appropriate manner that considers the developmental, educational, cultural, and communication needs of these individuals;
- accepting and implementing the supervisor's feedback and instructions and seeking clarification as needed;
- maintaining confidentiality and assuring the security of client information and records at all times;
- communicating effectively in oral and written formats which conform to speech-language pathology workplace standards of intelligibility and legibility and are consistent with state and federal regulations and instructions from the supervising SLP; and
- following health and safety precautions, including universal precautions and other workplace procedures designed to provide a safe environment for clients and others.
Cultural and linguistic factors in communication: Course work in cultural and linguistic diversity that should include one or more of the following: language and culture, interpersonal communication (verbal and nonverbal), sign language and other manually coded systems, bilingualism, or other multicultural issues.
Observation: Observation experiences include direct, on-site observation of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Additional observation experiences may include pre-approved (by the supervising SLP) on-site or video observation of an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist.
Fieldwork Experiences: A minimum of 100 clock hours of fieldwork is recommended. Fieldwork provides appropriate experiences for learning the job responsibilities and workplace behaviors of the speech-language pathology assistant.
