Top 3 Things to Consider for Your CFY

Best Practices for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Now more than ever, children with special needs benefit from effective collaboration by their interdisciplinary providers. On a given IEP team, a child may have special education, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, applied behavior analysis, and more. In many cases, several of these practitioners may see the child only one time per week. It is our responsibility to collaborate to provide the child with as much carryover as possible. Schedule designated times for collaboration: It is not uncommon for teachers and therapists to have an impromptu quick chat in the hallway. While this gives professionals a moment to touch base, it simply does not offer the time, needed preparation, or quality of a pre-planned meeting. Periodically-scheduled verbal meetings are the evidenced-based standard (Huang et al., 2011). Have an agenda: Be sure to recommend a brief agenda for your aforementioned planned collaboration time. This allows the team to prioritize needs, do any preparatory tasks prior to meeting, and share goals and ideas to make the collaboration time more effective (Hart Barnett & O’Shaughnessy, 2015). Don’t forget about those communication skills: While we are all very busy, make the most of your time by being fully present in the meeting. This translates to active listening; making eye-contact; asking clarifying questions; and paraphrasing to ensure understanding. Share your role: The specific role of specialists is not always well-known by teachers, parents or other team members. At the beginning of collaboration, define your role as related to the case. This sets a foundation for collaboration in which other professionals will know when to consult you for ideas and strategies. Evidence even shows that better collaborative outcomes occur when the role of therapists is known (Suc et al., 2017). Embed your services: Embedding services into the classroom routine benefits the student, teacher, and provider! How? Sharing a space results in natural communication opportunities, better understanding of the classroom context for the provider, more carryover of specialist strategies in the classroom, and generalizable skills. Use your tools: Providers commonly use multi-modal learning strategies with children, but the rest of the interdisciplinary team can benefit from them too. Tap into your intervention strategies and offer modeling, role-playing, coaching, and problem-solving. When a provider or therapist can successfully carryover strategies from another specialist, the child (and the whole interdisciplinary team) benefit. Include the child’s caregivers: Whenever possible, include the child’s parents or caregivers for collaboration. These valuable team members can offer insight onto strategies that they have had success with and often appreciate the ability to communicate with several providers at once. Learn more: https://cbstherapy.com/ [https://cbstherapy.com/]

Top 3 Things to Consider for Your CFY

If you are searching for the right fit for your CFY program, you may be weighing some essential priorities. It is vital to choose the right practice that will guide you toward long-term success in your SLP career [https://cbstherapy.com/]. This Clinical Fellowship Year will set the stage for how you bring in clients and foster learning in your students and patients. It’s challenging to go from being the big man on campus to the newest team member in a career. There will be times you don’t know what you’re doing, and you’ll feel confused. It happens. But when you choose a team that is standing behind you, ready to support and help you thrive, then those lost feelings will occur less and less. 3 Things to Consider Before Choosing a CFY Program As you work to complete the final steps of your Speech-Language Pathology education, choosing your Clinical Fellowship Year isn’t something to be rushed. Research each practice to find the best fit for your personality and needs. Some things to consider are: 1. Paid Training Modules to Set You Up for Success: Before your Clinical Fellowship Year even starts, CBS Therapy provides paid training sessions to get you comfortable with the practice. You will learn procedures and everyday expectations. Your role will be outlined in detail so that you can hit the ground running. 2. The Practice Meets All of ASHA’s Requirements: ASHA defines the CFY as starting after the academics are complete and before you begin to practice SLP. The program aims to help fellows gain and refine clinical skills, participating in evaluations and ongoing learning. CBS Therapy is careful to adhere to all of ASHA’s requirements so that no page is left unturned. 3. The Mentors Are Available and Happy to Teach: It is vital to enter a CFY Program that offers mentors who are thrilled to be there, shaping young fellows to be the next generation of SLPs. Our mentors at CBS Therapy are available around the clock to answer questions. They want to watch you flourish and grow throughout the program. Your success is their success. With these aspects of a CFY program, you are sure to get the most out of the program. You don’t want to skimp on these characteristics of a great program. CBS Therapy has years of experience and knowlede, helping to guide Clinical Fellows through a wide-ranging program. Choose CBS Therapy for Your Clinical Fellow Year Our team at CBS Therapy is dedicated to making your CFY Program the best it can be. We want to provide you with the most comprehensive program in the industry, setting you up for success in your future. We aim to send you off after our program, confident to practice independently. We have over 13 years of experience supervising Clinical Fellows. The 36-week program focuses on in-depth training and individualized mentorship to help you apply your education to real-life clinical experience. Read more: https://cbstherapy.com/top-3-things-to-consider-for-your-cfy/ [https://cbstherapy.com/top-3-things-to-consider-for-your-cfy/]

Tips for Successful Online Speech Therapy with CBS Therapy

This past year has changed the way many educators are teaching in the classroom. Along with the conventional teacher, Speech-Language Pathologists have also learned to adjust to teaching online. While the change can be frustrating at times, it is a method that is convenient for many – and online speech therapy [https://cbstherapy.com/4-tips-for-successful-online-speech-therapy/] is here to stay. If you are pushing to make it through until this virtual learning period passes, it might be time for a change in mindset. The convenience that comes from setting your child up for speech therapy without getting a babysitter for other kids or sitting through traffic on the way to an appointment has value and might be the preference of some of your patients going forward. 4 Tips to Set Yourself Up for Success in Teaching Online Speech Therapy 1. Secure a Solid Internet Connection: Most frustrations with online teaching have to do with technology. A reliable internet connection is essential so you aren’t distracted by technical issues during each session. Upgrade your internet connection, get a booster, and run internet speed tests. Practice the technical procedures to minimize mishaps during your live sessions. 2. Offer Live and Asynchronous Learning Options: It is a good idea to offer a variety of access to your lessons. Some students may require flexibility in their schedule to log into your class on their own time. You can post personalized videos where you are reading and asking questions and request students to record their responses back. This dual approach supports students in moving at their own pace, while also having access to live support as needed. 3. Touch Base with Your Student and Parents Regularly: Reach out to your students and ask how things are going for them. Do they feel they are getting as much out of their lessons as they would in person? What can you be doing to make the experience more beneficial to them? Feedback is essential for successful online speech therapy. Parents can share information about how the child is interacting at home, lending insights about how you can personalize the experience. 4. Offer Informational and Resources for Practice: Now is the time that most people are gaining aptitude with technology and navigating online tasks. Take advantage of these online comforts and provide links to games, practice ideas, and worksheets that they can complete between therapy sessions. When a student is engaged in activities outside of the speech therapy sessions, it maximizes the progress that is possible. Online speech therapy is an excellent resource for those choosing to stay home and navigate all aspects of their lives virtually. It is vital to continually improve your online speech therapy sessions and provide the best possible teachings to your students. Be willing to learn from your students and change your methods to fit their needs best. You’ll find that each student is unique, which is why it’s helpful to have multiple tools and strategies to customize the plan as needed. Learn more:  https://cbstherapy.com/ [https://cbstherapy.com/]

5 Goals to Achieve During a Clinical Fellowship Year for SLP

You’ve worked hard in school and reached the point where it is time to put your new knowledge into practice. Moving from the university classroom into a clinical fellowship [https://cbstherapy.com/5-goals-to-achieve-during-a-clinical-fellowship-year-for-slp/] is an exciting transition – giving you hands-on experience that will prepare you to start your new career. Not only is choosing the right CFY program critical to your success, but also consider how your intention and efforts will affect your results in the future. As you step into this new chapter, hold onto clear goals so you can gain the best knowledge and skills during your fellowship year. 5 Goals for Your Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY) This 36-week program prepares students to move into real-life career opportunities, with ongoing application and training that will support their future. This fellowship is required to achieve your Certificate of Clinical Competence for Speech-Language Pathologists (CCC-SLP) through ASHA, the American Speech and Hearing Association. While it’s essential to complete the requirements to gain certification, there are other goals you will achieve through this program: 1. Integrate Academic Learning: After spending years in the classroom, it’s time to implement your education and skills. Moving into a practice environment helps you see real-world examples of how your new knowledge is essential for your ongoing career. 2. Hone in Areas of Opportunity: This hands-on experience provides clarity to help you identify your strong points as well as areas of improvement. The opportunity to work under supervision is a great way to receive feedback and advice to improve your skills and approach as an SLP. 3. Improve Clinical Skills: Understanding the textbook principles is just the first step in your education. Your CFY is the time to learn the clinical skills and techniques to use for patient care. Integrating the concepts and stratigies you learned in graduate school into managing a full-time SLP caseload will be a key goal of your CFY. 4. Transition to Independence: During your CFY, you will spend a lot of time working under the supervision of a certified SLP. This supervision creates the opportunity for transition to start working as an independent Speech-Language Pathology practitioner. By the end of your CFY you should have the tools and confidence to practice independently. 5. Complete Certification Requirements: The CCC-SLP requires you to meet specific requirements before earning certification, such as 1,260 hours of supervision, 80% of your time focused on patient care, supervision from an approved mentor, and an evaluation to measure core skills.