What does a speech and language specialist do?
A Speech And Language Specialist assesses, analyzes, and diagnoses patients communication competencies. They write diagnostic reports for patients with language disorders.
Speech and language specialist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real speech and language specialist resumes:
- Manage diverse caseload from identification through IEP process.
- Produce IEP and function as a member of the child study team in order to produce a specialize IEP for students.
- Assist speech language pathology staff in providing speech/language therapy services for clients with communications disorders.
- Participate in evaluating the concerns and developing specific speech and language treatment plans for children with communication difficulties.
- Perform pediatric evaluations for speech-language, hearing screenings, adaptive behavior and early developmental assessments as single discipline and team member.
- Utilize Kaufman treatment kit for apraxia to improve functional communication.
Speech and language specialist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Speech And Language Specialists are proficient in SLP, IEP, and Autism. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Compassion.
We break down the percentage of Speech And Language Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- SLP, 15%
Collaborated with SLP in identifying any discrepancies with commercial thickeners vs. readymade hospital standard.
- IEP, 10%
Produce IEP and function as a member of the child study team in order to produce a specialized IEP for students.
- Autism, 7%
Work with students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, auditory processing disorders, and articulation and phonological processing disorders.
- Asha, 6%
Adhered to all ASHA policies and rules, Arizona Revised Statutes, and federal regulations pertaining to education.
- Therapy Sessions, 5%
Incorporated classroom objectives into speech therapy sessions to reinforce academic learning.
- Group Therapy, 4%
Provide individual and group therapy for children ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Common skills that a speech and language specialist uses to do their job include "slp," "iep," and "autism." You can find details on the most important speech and language specialist responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a speech and language specialist to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "speech-language pathologists must select appropriate diagnostic tools and evaluate results to identify goals and develop a treatment plan." Additionally, a speech and language specialist resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "assess, analyze, and diagnose high school students' speech and language competencies and characteristics. "
Communication skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling speech and language specialist duties is communication skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "speech-language pathologists need to explain test results, diagnoses, and proposed treatments in a way that individuals and their families can understand." According to a speech and language specialist resume, here's how speech and language specialists can utilize communication skills in their job responsibilities: "assisted with programming and implementation of augmentative and alternative means of communication (aac)"
Compassion. speech and language specialists are also known for compassion, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to speech and language specialist responsibilities, because "speech-language pathologists may work with people who are frustrated by their communication difficulties." A speech and language specialist resume example shows how compassion is used in the workplace: "earned repeated commendations from supervisor and patients for providing high-quality, compassionate care. "
Detail oriented. For certain speech and language specialist responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of a speech and language specialist rely on this skill, as "speech-language pathologists must comprehensive notes on clients' progress to ensure that they continue receiving proper treatment." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what speech and language specialists do: "performed bedside swallowing evaluations and detailed speech and language assessments in skilled long-term care facilities. "
Listening skills. A commonly-found skill in speech and language specialist job descriptions, "listening skills" is essential to what speech and language specialists do. Speech and language specialist responsibilities rely on this skill because "speech-language pathologists must pay attention to hear the clients' communication difficulties and determine a course of action." You can also see how speech and language specialist duties rely on listening skills in this resume example: "communicated effectively with nursing staff and families regarding swallowing and language strategies for residents with aphasia, dysphagia, and dementia"
The three companies that hire the most speech and language specialists are:
- HealthTrust7 speech and language specialists jobs
- Tenet Healthcare2 speech and language specialists jobs
- AccentCare2 speech and language specialists jobs
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Compare different speech and language specialists
Speech and language specialist vs. Student clinician
A Student Clinician is a healthcare practitioner who works as caregiver of a patient in a hospital or clinic. They integrate knowledge obtained in courses into the clinical practicum assignments.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between speech and language specialists and student clinician. For instance, speech and language specialist responsibilities require skills such as "slp," "therapy sessions," "group therapy," and "auditory." Whereas a student clinician is skilled in "patients," "traumatic brain injury," "group therapy sessions," and "aphasia." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Student clinicians tend to reach lower levels of education than speech and language specialists. In fact, student clinicians are 19.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Speech and language specialist vs. Graduate student clinician
Graduate student clinicians can be a nurse practitioner, pharmacist, or doctor whose primary job is to work with patients and assist patients in managing their medical condition or illness. They perform varied duties and responsibilities that include maintaining a good relationship with patients, discussing the treatment progress to patients, and documenting patients' medical history. Additionally, they are also responsible for assisting physicians on non-surgical procedures, updating the medical information of patients on charts, and giving diagnostic tests.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real speech and language specialist resumes. While speech and language specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "slp," "asha," "therapy sessions," and "group therapy," graduate student clinicians use skills like "motor speech disorders," "patients," "dysphagia," and "traumatic brain injury."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Graduate student clinicians tend to reach lower levels of education than speech and language specialists. In fact, they're 15.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 5.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for speech and language specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Sharon Rowley Ph.D.
Professor, Christopher Newport University
Speech and language specialist vs. Speech correction consultant
In a speech-language pathology internship, an intern's duties vary depending on a supervising pathologist or manager's directives. They typically gather industry insights and practical experience while performing support tasks such as answering calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, organizing files, maintaining records, assisting clients with filling up forms, and running errands as needed. They may also help pathologists in developing materials and strategies in adherence to the clients' needs. Moreover, as an intern, it is essential to understand and abide by the facility's rules and policies, including state laws and regulations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, speech and language specialists are more likely to have skills like "asha," "therapy sessions," "group therapy," and "auditory." But a speech correction consultant is more likely to have skills like "public speaking," "professional knowledge," "academic schedule," and "event planning."
When it comes to education, speech correction consultants tend to earn lower degree levels compared to speech and language specialists. In fact, they're 9.7% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 2.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Speech and language specialist vs. Speech-language pathology internship
Types of speech and language specialist
Updated January 8, 2025
