Are you considering Florida State’s School of Communication Science and Disorders for your graduate program in speech-language pathology? Visit the School’s website for detailed information regarding admissions and programs.
First-Year SLP Clinical Practicum Experiences
During the first year (fall-spring-summer) of graduate studies, students participate in clinical practicum at the L. L. Schendel Speech and Hearing Clinic. Each student participates on at least one child-focused (i.e., PLAY, LISTEN, or TALK) and one adult-focused (i.e., ACE or SOAR) management team. Students also complete three diagnostic team rotations: Adult Diagnostics, Child Diagnostics, and Measurement & Management of Hearing.
ACE Team
ACE team specializes in treating adult neurogenic populations, including those with swallowing disorders, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), right hemisphere disorder (RHD), aphasia, apraxia, and dysarthrias. With Mrs. Nimmons at the helm, their focus on aphasia ensures tailored treatments and therapies to help clients regain their communication abilities and improve their quality of life. They offer a comprehensive experience in treating diverse communication disorders, both individually and through group activities, while fostering a supportive environment for our clients. ACE also provides ample opportunities to enhance your communication skills, both in therapy sessions and through engaging group activities through the aphasia support group. In this group, they discuss various topics through themed meetings to promote a language rich environment. Additionally, they organize outings to community events, sports activities, movies, and dinners to provide social support and integration opportunities for all.
SOAR Team
SOAR team, spearheaded by Mrs. Greenhill, specializes in Parkinson’s but this dedicated team serves a wide variety of adult neurological challenges such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as those dealing with swallowing disorders and voice issues. Their approach is focused on person-centered therapy that builds a strong therapeutic alliance with you, fostering teamwork and collaboration towards achieving your goals. Engaging with the community is an integral part of SOAR team’s mission. Every week, they attend Rock Steady Boxing, a sweat therapy fitness session for persons with Parkinson’s. It promotes physical activity and vocal loudness and cognitive engagement, emphasizing the importance of keeping both mind and body active through dual-tasking activities and empowerment.
LISTEN Team
LISTEN team specializes in hearing loss and serves a diverse range of clinical populations from ages 6 months to 18 years. They also occasionally work with adults who have cochlear implants. This team is spearheaded by Mrs. Sasser, a certified auditory verbal therapist and the only one in the panhandle! Children with hearing loss can achieve remarkable milestones and LISTEN team is here to collaborate with families to realize their goals. Engaging actively with the community, they host a family support group three times a year in partnership with Delta Zeta. They also organize LISTEN camp, a week-long event open to the community, specifically catering to students from kindergarten through 5th grade.
PLAY Team
PLAY team, guided by Ms. Ott, specializes in providing pediatric services tailored to children aged 2 to 17. With a focus on play-based therapy, we excel in addressing speech sound disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early intervention (EI), and apraxia. PLAY team fosters a supportive and collaborative environment through individual and group therapy and across disciplines to enhance the overall therapeutic experience. Therapy with this team is not only effective but also enjoyable, as they prioritize making the process fun for children. Engaging actively with the community, they conduct community screenings at preschools and early learning coalitions and offer a Preschool Vocal Health Program to ensure comprehensive support for the well-being of young voices. In partnership with TALK, they focus on group therapy through the Pediatric Language Program (PLP) to promote language growth in a fun, supportive environment.
TALK Team
TALK team, supervised by Mrs. Westmoreland, where we specialize in speech, language, and literacy development for pediatric populations. This dedicated team is committed to promoting positive outcomes through family-centered care. TALK team engages with the community by conducting regular screenings to identify speech and language needs early on, and they actively participate in initiatives like weekly visits to Cornerstone Learning Community for literacy intervention. Additionally, their partnership with PLAY team in the Pediatric Language Program (PLP) allows us to offer group therapy sessions that promote a fun and supportive environment for children to grow and develop their communication skills.
Diagnostic Teams
Child (SPA 5526L) and Adult (SPA 5528L): Each first-year graduate student will spend one semester on a child diagnostic team, one on an adult diagnostic team and one semester on the Aural Rehab team. Diagnostic teams provide screenings and comprehensive speech and language evaluations in eight of the “Big 9” disorder areas (i.e., articulation, receptive/expressive language, cognitive, social, fluency, voice, alternative modalities, and dysphagia), as well as for literacy problems and dialect/accent.
Child and Adult Diagnostics
Diagnostic teams provide screenings and comprehensive speech and language evaluations in eight of the “Big 9” disorder areas (i.e., articulation, receptive/expressive language, cognitive, social, fluency, voice, alternative modalities, and dysphagia), as well as for literacy problems and dialect/accent.
Aural Rehabilitation
Supervised by Dr. Johnson, the Aural Rehabilitation program offers specialized expertise in navigating the complexities of hearing and balance disorders. With a focus on providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages, this team is dedicated to guiding individuals through their unique hearing journey. From the management of cochlear implants and bone-anchored hearing aids to the integration of assistive listening devices and traditional hearing aids, we prioritize personalized solutions tailored to each patient's needs. Beyond technical expertise, this team emphasizes the importance of addressing the psychosocial and emotional aspects of hearing loss, ensuring holistic support for patients and their families. Community engagement is an integral part of this team’s mission through initiatives such as hearing screenings, educational seminars, and our Aural Rehabilitation seminar series, which is a four-part hearing loss and hearing aid course for hearing impaired patients and their listening partners. This program strives to empower individuals to thrive in all aspects of life despite hearing challenges. Graduate student clinicians spend one semester in an aural rehabilitation diagnostic rotation, observing and participating in these activities at the direction of Florida-licensed, ASHA-certified AuDs.