How to Plan Your First Week of Speech Therapy Without Overthinking It

Hey, speech friend! 👋🏼

It's the first week of speech therapy.

You have new students. Returning students. Schedule changes. Teachers popping into your room. And at least one student who looks at you and says, "Wait...what do we do in speech again?"

Welcome back! 😂

The first week of therapy can feel like there is a lot of pressure to start targeting goals immediately. But I'm going to tell you something I wish someone had told me earlier in my SLP career:

Your first session does not need to be perfect.

Actually, your first week of speech therapy is one of the BEST opportunities to slow down, observe your students, and set up routines that will make therapy easier for the rest of the year.

Here's how I like to approach it 👇🏼

Start With Connection

Before we dive into articulation trials or story grammar, I want to know how my students are doing.

For returning students, I might ask about summer, family activities, or something they're excited about this school year. For new students, I keep things low pressure.

We might complete a simple "All About Me" activity or use conversation prompts to talk about:

• Favorite foods
• Games
• Books
• Hobbies
• Pets
• School subjects

These conversations are fun, but they're also giving you information.

Can the student maintain a topic? How are they formulating sentences? Are speech sound errors carrying over into conversation? How much support do they need to answer questions?

You can learn a LOT during a simple conversation.

Review What Speech Therapy Is

Sometimes we assume students understand why they come to speech.

But when you ask them?

You might get, "Because my teacher said so."

Use your first session to explain speech therapy in student-friendly language. For younger students, you might say, "Speech is a place where we practice making sounds and using words to help other people understand our ideas." For older students, you can be more specific about their individual goals.

I love helping students understand what they're working on because it gives them more ownership over therapy.

You can even ask:

• "What do you think is easy for you?"
• "What feels tricky?"
• "What would you like to get better at?"

Their answers might surprise you!

Teach Your Therapy Routines

I know routines are not the most exciting part of back-to-school planning.

But they make SUCH a difference.

Think about what students need to know when they enter your space.

Where do they sit? Where do materials go? How do they ask for a break? What happens when they finish an activity? How do they transition back to class?

You do not need 27 speech room rules.

Choose a few simple expectations and practice them.

Visuals can be incredibly helpful here, especially for younger students or students who benefit from predictable routines. A few minutes spent teaching routines now can save you a lot of therapy time later.

Use One Activity Across Multiple Groups

The first week is NOT the time to plan six elaborate activities every day.

Choose one versatile activity and adapt it.

A back-to-school picture scene can target articulation, WH questions, inferencing, describing, and conversation. An open-ended game can be paired with drill cards or individual goal targets. A book can target vocabulary, comprehension, story grammar, and speech sound carryover.

One activity. Multiple goals. Less prep.

That's always a win in my book.

I always love pulling out my stuffer crafts for back to school time!

Check them out now! 👇🏼

Collect Informal Baseline Information

Your first few sessions are also a great time to see where students are starting.

This does not need to feel like formal testing. Use word lists, picture cards, conversation samples, story retells, or simple probes.

Take quick notes on:

• Accuracy
• Cueing level
• Independence
• Carryover
• Participation

Remember, a lot can change over the summer.

Some students may have maintained skills beautifully. Others may need a little review before moving forward. Knowing where they are NOW helps you make better therapy decisions.

Don't Try to Do Everything in One Session

You do not need to review every rule, collect perfect baseline data, establish rapport, contact families, and target every IEP goal in 30 minutes.

The first week is a starting point.

Focus on connection. Establish your routines. Observe your students.

Then build from there!

Your First Week Can Be Simple

If you're heading back to school feeling like you need an elaborate plan for every therapy group, I'm giving you permission to simplify.

Use materials you already love. Choose flexible activities. Talk to your students. Take notes.

The routines and relationships you build during those first sessions can make the rest of your school year run much more smoothly.

So grab your favorite therapy game, pull out a few visuals, and get started.

You've got plenty of time to tackle the rest.