3 Types of Push-In Services to Try as a Speech Therapist
Hey speech friend! 👋🏼
If you've ever worked in Early Intervention OR the schools, I'm sure you've heard about utilizing push-in services for speech therapy.
And I'm sure you've also heard all the horror stories and headaches it can cause for everybody involved! Push-in services definitely require a ton of collaboration and trust, so it's good to know that there are different models of push-in services and how you can utilize them to best serve your clients.
Let's breakdown three different types of push-in services and hopefully give you some ideas on how to implement them! 👇🏼
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First up, THERAPIST-LED!
WHO DOES THE PLANNING:
The therapist! They are responsible for bringing in the materials for the whole class they are pushing into, as well as any additional items. The therapist should plan accordingly to make sure they can target their client's goals during this activity.
WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE:
A therapist has a group of Kindergarten students who are working on articulation and/or language goals, such as answering “wh” questions. The therapist decides to lead a story-time, where they pick a book and lead an activity after. The therapist chooses a book that has many articulation targets and prompts some of her students with those words during the reading, drawing attention to the phonological awareness of the word, and asks simple “WH” questions during the reading to her student that has this goal, as well as other students. After, she leads a simple craft where she can target following directions with one of her students on her caseload.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
- The teacher's lesson plans and goals for that day. If the teacher is reviewing the letter “R” that week, the therapist should center her book and activity around that letter and sound.
- The resources of the classroom. What does the therapist need to bring and what can be provided by the school/teacher already?
- Keeping open communication! Maybe the teacher has a specific day she can let the therapist come or would like to see the lesson plan prior to the therapist starting the group.
Next, COLLABORATIVE!
WHO DOES THE PLANNING:
The teacher, with the therapist helping or suggesting ideas that could be used to aid their students. The therapist can give specific strategies or targets that can be worked into the lesson plan for that day, and assists the teacher with implementing them.
WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE:
The teacher is introducing the concept of Photosynthesis to her class. The teacher has a list of vocabulary words that are included in this unit that she will be introducing. The therapist gives the teacher a specific strategy on how to increase comprehension of these vocabulary words (students will draw a picture associated with it). The therapist stays in the class during the lesson and checks in on her caseload students periodically. During independent work, the therapist pulls each of her students and checks for their overall comprehension.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
- The balance of power between the therapist and teacher. The therapist definitely takes a backseat in this push-in delivery service and lets the teacher lead!
- Making sure the strategy being implemented is clearly communicated with the teacher and specific activities are going to be used to try it out with as little burden as possible on the teacher.
One final option, THERAPIST STATION/ASSISTANT!
WHO DOES THE PLANNING:
The teacher, according to their regular routine or curriculum. No adjustments are made.
WHAT IT MAY LOOK LIKE:
The teacher introduces the lesson for the day and has the class complete a worksheet/activity pertaining to it afterwards. The therapist may pull their IEP students aside to provide therapeutic assistance to complete it or may pull a group of IEP and non-IEP students to work in a small group that they facilitate.
This can also look different if the age is younger. For example, the SLP goes into the class during play dough time and sits at a small table where her IEP student is seated. The SLP works on the child turn-taking with other children at the table during their Play-Doh time.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
- Decide what will work best for your IEP students: do they need SLP intervention on a one-on-one basis, in a group of IEP students, or with a mixed group?
- Ensure the teacher is ok with pulling students in this manner and provide strategies as you use them, especially when working with students one-on-one.
DON'T FORGET THE EDUCATION!
Make sure to leave the teachers with something that explains what you're working on, so that they “buy-in” to your therapy too! Try my Speech Therapy Handouts with your school based students 👇🏼
I hope these different types of push-in services help you in finding the best fit for your caseload! If you try any of them out, let me know how it goes in the comments below.
Happy speeching!
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