Speech - Language Pathologist (Preschool)

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• To create an environment which fosters independence, confidence, creativity, and respect for materials and the people in the environment and is conducive to enjoyment in learning.
• To facilitate children’s interaction with a curriculum which is child-centered, based on basic principles of child development, and will provide children with problem-solving skills and a foundation for acquiring knowledge which is more content-related in the elementary years.
• To provide a comfortable, supportive environment for parents in which they are respected and encouraged to observe their children and supported in their efforts to parent their hearing-impaired child(ren).
• To observe children in the classroom and record information related to all aspects of the child’s developmental profile to be used later in quarterly reports.
• To maximize opportunities for auditory and language learning.
• To facilitate children’s communication and ensure carryover of activities between the classroom and individualized sessions.
• To engage individual and small groups of preschoolers, on a daily basis, in activities which contribute to the development of auditory and spoken language skills.
• To provide diagnostic information about auditory and spoken language skills of hearing-impaired preschoolers using formal tests, language samples, diagnostic teaching and observation.
• To educate parents and provide them with follow-up activities which will enhance the development of their child’s communication skills.
• Therapy lesson plans will be kept ensuring that information is available to professionals working in the classroom and to provide a record of activity in the classroom. Lesson plans should include child’s targeted auditory, speech, pragmatic and spoken language goals, activities and state standards addressed. Data collection will be completed weekly.
• Contribution to the children’s Individualized Educational Plans will be in the form of supplying goals and objectives in the areas of auditory, speech and language development.
• Write and submit trimester reports for, on dates provided at the beginning of the school year.
• Regular entries in a communication notebook will be one way of informing parents about audition, speech and language work that takes place with their children.

Other Duties

• Participate in regular meetings of the Preschool team to plan classroom activities as dictated by the developmental needs and interests of the children.
• Attend I.E.P. meetings and scheduled parent-teacher conferences.
• Maintain required professional development hours and attend mandatory professional development training courses as required by Clarke Pennsylvania and contracted counties/agencies.
• Attend all Parent Support meetings and Clarke sponsored events.

Education, licenses, certifications, skills and experience

• Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology with training in listening and spoken language therapy of children who are deaf of hard of hearing preferred
• Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association
• Pennsylvania State Clearances – Child Abuse, FBI, Criminal Background Check

Physical demands

• Ability to sit on the floor for extended periods of time
• Ability to carry up to 40lbs