SLP Coffee Talk

What if the secret to better articulation practice isn’t a perfect lesson plan? Hallie sits down with Lauren Clair, a school-based SLP and the voice behind Sunshine Speech Company, to talk about speech sound centers without the stress. Lauren loves finding creative ways to make therapy meaningful, engaging, and fun, and she’s passionate about sharing practical systems that help SLPs feel more organized and less stressed so they can focus on what matters most, their students. As a cleft-affected adult, she’s also passionate about helping children build confidence in their communication skills and find their voice, regardless of how they sound or look. Tune in to hear how Lauren runs speech centers (even in a tiny speech room!), why you don’t need a grand plan for every kid, and how being open about differences can make a big impact on your students! 

Bullet Points to Discuss:
Related to my cleft experience (background of my diagnosis/procedures, my speech therapy experience, what it was like to grow up “different”, why it has made me so passionate about speech therapy and building confidence in kids)

Regarding speech centers (why I started doing these, what this looks like in a therapy session, what types of activities I incorporate into these sessions, why it is beneficial to students, why it is beneficial to SLPs) 

Here’s what we learned:
Lauren’s cleft story, from her diagnosis at birth to her five surgeries, years of dental work, and yearly cleft team visits
What speech therapy was like for her as a kid, and how those early SLP experiences led her to the field
What it was like to grow up “different,” and why she wants kids to know that being different doesn’t make them any less
How sharing her own story can build confidence in students who are struggling with self-image or being picked on
Why Lauren started using speech centers and why they’re a perfect fit for her speech sound caseload
What a center-based session looks like: small groups, three stations, clear expectations, and a timer
Hands-on center ideas like toys, sensory bins, crafts, Play-Doh, and digital activities that keep kids practicing their sounds
Why centers boost engagement and give students more articulation trials in less time
Why you don’t need to overplan every activity, and how letting go of rigid plans helps SLPs avoid burnout

Learn more about Lauren Clair:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunshinespeechcompany?stkn=MnlkeTBneXJ1amdj&utm_source=qr
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunshinespeechcompany?_r=1&_t=ZP-99zEvhWEKkw 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  
📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/
🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup
📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book
🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!
https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:
https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe
https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

What if your student’s reading struggle isn’t really a reading problem? 🤔 Hallie sits down with Megan Fournier, a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and private practice owner at the Jersey Shore, to dig into the connection between language and literacy. Meg is Orton-Gillingham trained with specialized Lindamood-Bell training, and she blends her SLP expertise with evidence-based literacy intervention to build the skills behind reading, comprehension, and academic success. Tune in to hear why great intervention goes way beyond teaching a child to read, and how understanding each child’s unique learning profile makes all the difference! 

Bullet Points to Discuss:
• SLPs role in reading
• SLPs building of private practice
• SLPs ability to shape a career that works for them
• SLPs work-life balance 

Here's what we learned:
How SLPs play a powerful role in helping kids become strong readers
What it takes to build a private practice from the ground up
How to shape an SLP career that works for you and your life
Ways to find real work-life balance as an SLP

Learn more about Megan Fournier
Email: megan@shorelinetherapyservices.com
Website: www.shorelinetherapyservices.com

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  
📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/
🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup
📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book
🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!
https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:
https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe
https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Not sure where to start with AAC assessment? Hallie chats with Alyssa Croll, AAC the SLP, an SLP and assistive technology specialist for a very large school district. With more than 10 years of experience, Alyssa is also a public speaker and consultant who offers practical, nuanced AAC solutions grounded in the reality of school-based practice. Together they talk about why a standard starting app and grid size can work, how to tell exploring from keyboard smashing, and how a “coach-the-coach” model gets staff on board so AAC gets used all day. Plus, free apps and trainings to help you get started.

Bullet Points to Discuss:
* barriers that can affect AAC assessment
* Making AAC assessment more individualized and functional
* Practical clinical reasoning in real-world AAC assessment 

Here's what we learned:
Barriers like unclear starting points, limited apps, and little staff buy-in can derail AAC assessment, so plan for the people, not just the device
Individualized assessment starts with what a student already communicates, then adjusts the system to fit, since assessment is ongoing
Practical clinical reasoning means choosing a starting point and adjusting from there, not searching for the perfect system

Learn more about Alyssa Croll:

Email Address: alyssa@aactheslp.com
Website: aactheslp.com
Social: IG & Tik Tok @aactheslp 

Other links: 
https://preview.convertri.com/15900828-68cd-4cbf-9f4c-188cf89ea750

Freebie - include this on the docs so we don’t need to copy and paste from this document (note for podmachine editor)
https://aactheslp.myflodesk.com/abandonment 

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!
https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:
https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe
https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Do worksheets have to be boring? In this solo episode, Hallie shares four easy ways to make worksheets more engaging for older students without adding a ton of prep or turning every session into a game. She explains how to pair worksheets with simple games, choose high-interest topics that connect to students’ lives, give them more choice in how they complete the activity, and use a simple white colored pencil trick to add an element of surprise. Most importantly, she reminds SLPs that the goal isn't to make therapy look fancy—it’s to help students feel successful, take risks, and see that learning can actually be fun.

Bullet Points to Discuss:
-Why it's okay to use worksheets with older students
-How to pair a worksheet with simple games like Jenga, dice, spinners, or cards
-Why getting the answer right shouldn't be the requirement for earning a turn
-Choosing high-interest, age-respectful topics that students actually care about
-Why background knowledge and reading level matter when choosing worksheet content
-Ditching the boring pencil and giving students choices with colored pencils, gel pens, markers, or dry erase sleeves
-The white colored pencil trick for turning a regular worksheet into a more interactive activity
-Why small changes can create more autonomy, engagement, and confidence
-Helping students see the speech room as a place where they can take risks and be successful

Here's what we learned:
A worksheet doesn't automatically mean boring, and sometimes it's exactly what you need for data collection, classroom-based tasks, or quick sessions
Pairing a worksheet with a simple game can make the activity more engaging without changing the therapeutic target
Students don't have to earn a game turn by getting an answer right—the goal is to teach and support them toward success
High-interest, age-respectful topics can make difficult language tasks feel more manageable
Background knowledge matters because unfamiliar content can add another layer of difficulty
Giving students choices about what they use to complete a worksheet adds autonomy without requiring extra prep
A white colored pencil can turn an ordinary worksheet into a simple reveal-and-check activity
The goal isn't to make therapy elaborate; it's to help students feel successful, take risks, and have fun while learning

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  
📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/
🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup
📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book
🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!
https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:
https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe
https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets

Are you writing following directions goals straight from a CELF subtest score? In this solo episode, Hallie makes the case for asking "why" before you write another three-step directions goal for a middle or high schooler. She explains how to use item analysis to find what's really driving the difficulty, why compensatory strategies often serve older students better than more isolated drill, and how to build self-advocacy into the activities you're already doing. She also shares low-cost, teen-friendly ways to practice when you do need a directions goal.

Bullet Points to Discuss:
-Why a standardized test should give us information, not our therapy curriculum
-Item analysis - looking past the scaled score to find the pattern
-Asking "why" - language, working memory, attention, vocabulary, or the environment?
When more of the same isn't working - the same goal from 3rd grade to 7th grade
Compensatory strategies - teaching what to do when they miss it or can't remember
-Metacognition - recognizing "I didn't understand" is the first step to self-advocacy
-Teacher supports & accommodations - it's an access-to-instruction skill, not just a speech room skill
-Easy, low-cost activities: drawing tutorial videos, a DIY file folder barrier game & Edpuzzle's rewatch button

Here's what we learned:
A standardized test gives you information, not a therapy curriculum, so use item analysis to find the pattern behind a low score
The "why" matters: language, working memory, attention, vocabulary, and environment each call for a different goal
Repeating the same directions goal year after year isn't working, so it's time to change the approach
For older students, teach compensatory strategies like keywords, chunking, repeating back, and asking for one step at a time
Recognizing "I missed something" is the first step to self-advocacy
Following directions is an access-to-instruction skill, so share accommodations with teachers
Drawing videos, a file folder barrier game, and Edpuzzle's rewatch button make strategy practice low-cost and teen-friendly

Learn more about Hallie Sherman and SLP Elevate:  

📝 Website: https://speechtimefun.com/

🎲✨ Check out the Secondary Secret Podcast here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/secret-podcast-signup

📘✨ Grab your copy of The Secondary SLP Roadmap here! https://www.speechtimefunpd.com/stf-book

🎤✨ The Speech Retreat is Back! Learn more and register here!
https://www.speechretreat.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Freebie:
https://www.slpmadness.com/shop/p/freespeechtherapydescribingprobe
https://www.slpmadness.com/iep-goal-bank 

Subscribe today and get access to my secret podcast filled with my juicy secrets for planning with ease for secondary speech students. 6 quick episodes that you can quickly listen to and feel refreshed and inspired! https://speechtimefun.com/secondarysecrets