Brought to you by The Stepping Stones Group
Working in an elementary school requires a balance of direct student support, collaboration, assessment, and problem-solving. Welcome to a typical day in the life of a school-based SLP!
Students begin class at 8:00 a.m., so I arrive around 7:30 to set up, review the day, and prioritize. Today’s list includes finishing an individualized education program (IEP), observing a student for an upcoming IEP meeting, and creating visual supports for a small group working on turn-taking and listening to others’ ideas during group activities.
I begin with students whose classrooms are closest to mine: three second graders and two third graders working on articulation goals. Because some students need time to settle in, I structure the group carefully giving one student independent work, like coloring target sounds, while I work briefly with another. Others practice auditory discrimination with a partner using a simple rubric to give feedback.
Next, I observe a student referred for an initial evaluation. I sit in the back of the classroom and take notes. Because I haven't met the student yet, observing first helps me see how they communicate, participate, and interact in a familiar setting.
I then meet with a small group of older students. One fifth grader is doing well academically but needs support during collaborative activities. I pair this student with two students working on fluency and self-advocacy. Today they prepare arguments about whether cell phones should be allowed in class. They choose a position, support it with evidence, and propose rules. The activity gives students a practical way to practice supportive disagreement, boundary-setting, and asking for extra time.
During recess, I finish a therapy note from the morning and check in with the next teacher I’ll support. Staying current with documentation helps keep the rest of the day moving.
Then I provide support in a special day class for students who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. The teacher and I decided I would join during social–emotional learning once a week, and we meet monthly to plan lessons. This collaboration helps me support students in real time, within familiar routines and relationships.
Before lunch, I administer the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language, Second Edition (CASL-2), to a student on my evaluation timeline. I pair standardized results with dynamic assessment so I can better understand what the student knows and how they learn with support.
During my 30-minute lunch, I use a few minutes to write a note or take care of a quick task. I try to give myself a mental reset before the afternoon.
I try to leave afternoons open for IEP meetings, gathering input beforehand from the people who know the student best like parents, teachers, and the student when appropriate. Without meetings, I use this block for paperwork, testing, makeup sessions, or groups. Today I have two back-to-back: an annual review for a speech-only student, where I serve as case manager and meeting leader, and a reassessment, where I'm the service provider reporting on present levels, goal progress, and assessment results.
The last major task of the day is creating an online safety lesson for a teacher’s unit. Students vote on whether each scenario is “safe” or “not safe,” then explain their reasoning. For students who use AAC, those choices become voting symbols that are visually represented on an AAC board allowing everyone to participate.
Before closing my laptop, I create tomorrow’s to-do list. This routine helps me stay organized, mentally close out the day, and leave work at work.
It’s difficult to depict the “average day” in the life of an elementary school–based SLP because it’s anything but routine. Every day looks different, and flexibility is required. My job is to suppport students with communication challenges so they can participate more fully in school. Every day, I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.
Madeleine Evans, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist with The Stepping Stones Group (SSG). She earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from The University of Alabama and completed her Clinical Fellowship with SSG, where she has remained part of the team. Evans has worked across a variety of settings, including schools, skilled nursing facilities, and telehealth. As a program manager on UA's University Partnerships team, she collaborates with graduate programs and student organizations nationwide to create professional development opportunities for the next generation of clinicians. She also co-hosts SSG's Knowledge Quest, a Praxis® prep game show presented at state and national speech-language pathology conventions.
The Stepping Stones Group (SSG) is a national provider of therapeutic and behavioral health services for children. SSG serves more than 45 states and partners with more than 1,400 school districts, delivering services in schools, homes, clinics, and community settings. Services include related therapy, behavioral services, and school nursing, all focused on supporting children and helping them reach their full potential.