Preparing to Effectively
Supervise the SLP-Assistant
TSHA Annual Convention
San Antonio, Texas
February 22, 2008
Rosario R. Brusniak
Preparation
Are you ready to supervise?
• What are the state guidelines for SLPAssistant supervision?
– Supervisors must have 3 years of
professional experience
– Supervisors cannot supervise more than 4
SLP-Interns and/or SLP-Assistants
– See §741.44 and §741.64 of Board rules
Preparation
Remember that SLP-Assistants DO NOT
have their own caseloads
SLP-Assistants provide therapy for the
caseload of their supervising SLP(s)
SLP-Assistants are tied to the caseload of
their SLP supervisor(s)
SLP-Assistants may have more than one
supervisor, but each completes a SRS –
Supervisory Responsibility Statement
Preparation
SRS need not be submitted annually if the
SLP-Assistant and SLP supervisor remain
the same, however, if the SLP-Assistant or
SLP supervisor change, then the board
must be notified in writing
SRS must be approved by the board prior to
supervision taking place
The board can fax acceptance or denial of
the SRS to a designated FAX phone
number
Preparation
Review Code of Ethics and Duties and
responsibilities of all license holders
Up to date information on both SLPAssistants and SLP supervisors can be
found on the SBESPA website and looking
for Live-On Line Search Verification
Documentation of SLP-Assistant direct and
indirect supervision must be kept
Knowledge and Skills
ASHA 2002 – Knowledge and Skills for
Supervisors of Speech-Language Pathology
Assistants
17 knowledge and skills have been identified:
1. Select and assign appropriate patients
2. Determine the nature of supervision for SLPAssistant
3. Maintain an effective relationship with SLPAssistant
4. Direct SLP-Assistant in following screening
protocols
Knowledge and Skills
5. Demonstrate and participate with SLP-Assistant
in the clinical process
6. Direct SLP-Assistant in addressing the specific
treatment plans developed by SLP
7. Direct SLP-Assistant in maintaining clinical
records
8. Interact with SLP-Assistant in planning and
executing supervisory conferences
9. Provide feedback to SLP-Assistant
10. Assist SLP Assistant in developing skills of
verbal reporting to SLP
Knowledge and Skills
11. Assist SLP-Assistant in selecting, preparing
treatment materials/environment
12. Share information re: ethical, legal, regulatory
and reimbursement issues
13. Model and facilitate professional conduct
14. Direct SLP-Assistant in implementation of
research procedures, in-service training
15. Train SLP-Assistant to check and maintain
clinical equipment
16. Assist SLP-Assistant in using appropriate
language when interacting with clients/patients
Preparation
Be sure SRS has been approved and that
you have confirmation (fax; written from
the board)
Be sure if there is a Clinical Deficiency Plan
to complete it as soon as possible with the
required 100% supervision
Note dates of license renewal for all SLPAssistants as well as your own license
Monitor Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Preparation
In the school setting
– meet with the respective school administrators
and special education staff to outline specific
information regarding duties, limitations of the
SLP-Assistant license
– set up a procedure to contact you regarding
initial referrals, re-evaluations and ARD/IEP
meetings (leave business card)
-- meet with school personnel to inquire about
specific programs used for documentation, etc.
Setting up the Supervision Plan
Does the SLP-Assistant have the necessary
prerequisite computer skills and
knowledge to collect and document data
Sit down with SLP-Assistant and investigate
clinical skills they bring to the job; training
they would need to work with particular
types of disorders, working with adults vs.
working with children; behavioral and
attention problems, etc.
Setting up the Supervision Plan
Nine Areas of Knowledge for all graduate students:
1. Articulation
2. Fluency
3. Voice and Resonance
4. Receptive and Expressive Language
5. Hearing
6. Swallowing
7. Cognitive Aspects of Communication
8. Social Aspects of Communication
9. Communication Modalities
Setting up the Supervision Plan
Review current caseload/projected caseload
Determine which cases to be seen by SLPAssistant – frequency, therapy time and
include associated information
Review goals and objectives for all clients
All initial contact for all clients is made by
SLP supervisor (can include diagnostic)
Prepare a weekly schedule for the SLPAssistant
Setting up the Supervision Plan
Alternate direct therapy observations during
the week to make sure that you observe
the SLP-Assistant with all clients
Remember all clients be notified that
services will be provided by SLP-Assistant
Plan weekly to meet for supervisory
conferences (can be via e-mail; phone
calls, weekly group conferences and
individual conferences)
Setting up the Supervision Plan
Maintain a reasonable therapy caseload
– be guided by what is reasonable, ethical.
-- be guided by information available
regarding current workloads se: ASHA’s
resource guide – A Workload Analysis
Approach for Establishing SpeechLanguage Caseload Standards
-- remember that the care and treatment of
each client is ultimately your responsibility
Research in Supervision
Supervisory effectiveness was found to be
better when structured accountability (e.g.
a written agreement/contract) is introduced
into the supervisory conferences.
Commitments ranged from:
Type 1 – Clinical procedures –
implementation and/or change of a therapy
technique
Research in Supervision
Type 2 – Clinical process administration –
planning, data gathering, lesson plans
Type 3 – Supervisory procedures regarding
the conferences, focus of therapy, etc.
Type 4 – Supervisory Process Administration,
planning, analysis or evaluation phrase of
the supervisory conference
Type 5 Academic Information-Teaching
Function – securing specific information
Research in Supervision
McCreedy article “Supervision of SLPAssistants as a Reciprocal Relationship”
Stages of Supervision
• Evaluation-Feedback Stage – beginning,
where SLP has direct and active
supervisory role
• Transitional Stage – supervisee takes a
more active role in problem solving
Research in Supervision
•
Self Supervision – SLP-Assistant is
asked to evaluate clinical behaviors
accurately
Components of the Supervisory Process
1. Understanding the Supervisory Process
and Planning
2. Observing/Monitoring
3. Reviewing and Analyzing
4. Learning/Integrating
Research in Supervision
Active Listening and Conflict Management
Active listening affects interpersonal
communication.
Hocker and Wilmot – typical responses to
conflict are:
• Avoiding a conflict or confrontation
• Competing with the other person for
control
• Collaborating for mutual problem solving
Research in Supervision
McCreedy article – Comparison of conflict tactics
in the supervisory process
Three different tactics:
• Avoidance Tactics – uses semantic focus, topic
avoidance, abstractness, simple denial
• Competitive Tactics – uses hostile joking, hostile
questioning, prescription, faulting, avoids
responsibility
• Collaborative Tactics – uses problem solving,
empathy/support; accepting responsibility;
disclosure
Other Supervisory Considerations
Learning Styles
• Modalities – visual; auditory, tactilekinesthetic and multimodality
• Thinking styles – concrete, abstract,
random; analytical, global
• Personalities – acts as a filter includes:
directing; influencing, steady and
conscientious
Other Supervisory Considerations
• Expressions – Linguistic; Spatial;
Mathematical/Logical; Body/Kinesthetic;
Interpersonal; Mechanical; Musical;
Natural
• Personality types
Keirsey’s Temperament Types (4)
• Guardians – demand responsibility, duty
• Idealists – support and encourage others
Other Supervisory Considerations
• Artisans – troubleshoot, respond to crises
and negotiate
• Rationals – demand a high level of
expertise and high standards of
competency
Dr. Gary Smalley and Dr. John Trent – base
their personality types on animals:
• Lion – is independent, strong willed,
leader; wants you to be efficient, to the
point
Other Supervisory Considerations
• Otter – outgoing, responsive, warm
compassionate, wants you to be
stimulating and interesting
• Golden Retriever – is calm, easy-going,
dependable, quiet and wants you to be
cooperative and pleasant
• Beaver – is analytical, self-disciplined,
organized wants you to be accurate and
precise
Training Clinical Skills
Provide supervision in a variety of ways –
one on one; videotapes; small group
session
Periodically gather data to evaluate
effectiveness
Identify on a weekly basis clinical therapy
needs of the SLP-Assistant
Maintain the 1 hour direct/1 hour indirect
supervision requirement
Training Clinical Skills
• SLP supervisor cannot fill in for another
SLP supervisor
• Utilize formal SLP-Assistant evaluation
Forms via ASHA, TSHA and handout
• If new to the supervisory process locate a
SLP supervisor Mentor who has
experience with this process and meet
with them on a routine basis
Training Clinical Skills
Set up realistic collaborative goals for SLPAssistant
Contact graduate programs in Texas for
additional resources regarding forms they
may use in their graduate training
programs
Look on TSHA and ASHA website for CEUs
in supervision
Representation at ARD/IEP mtgs
SBESPA has specific guidelines on when a
SLP-Assistant may represent speech
pathology
SLP-Assistant must:
• Have written documentation of approval
from the licensed board SLP supervisor
• Have three years experience in the school
setting as a SLP-Assistant
Representation at ARD/IEP mtgs
• Have written approval of SLP for students
seen by the SLP-Assistant but only reports
progress and new goals/objectives already
developed by the SLP supervisor
• Discontinue the ARD/IEP meeting if
questions or changes to the document
arise
• Use the correct title of SLP-Assistant or
Speech Pathology Assistant on the
paperwork
Representation at ARD/IEP mtgs
The SLP Supervisor prior the ARD meeting
must:
• Notify parents of students that services will
be provided by SLP-Assistant and that
SLP-Assistant will represent speech
pathology at meeting (important to develop
a form/letter that can be used)
• Develop the new IEP goals and objectives
• Maintain undiminished responsibility