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Hi - We're about to have an IEP meeting on a 2nd grade spanish speaking student who does not speak or understand english. Our bi-lingual assessment team said that he does qualify for speech services in articulation and expressive language. My question, being an english speaking only SLP, how do I give therapy to someone who cannot understand me or speak to me (in a language I can understand)? There is no option for a spanish speaking SLP coming and giving therapy in my district.

Andy

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Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!

Excellent comments for your question Andy. I am also a monolingual SLP but have had several students over the years needing therapy in both Sp & Eng. I have had access to bilingual paras that are in our district using title one monies. Our district has taken the stance that the IEP needs to be fulfilled and we have accessed these paras for our therapy sessions. It may be not be ideal times but it has worked pretty well for us in Willmar.
I'm curious if you have access to Sp/Eng speaking paras in your district?
I worry a little about not having any input from someone knowledgeable about both languages because I think sometimes we put our Eng. artic mindset on our Spanish learners - such as making their /s/ too sharp, for one example.
Anyway, it would be great to have you respond back with some additional info. Besides the question about para accessibility, is this the first time this has happenend in your district?
Kim

I have a monolingual colleague who has recently experienced some success in a similar situation while working on some goals directly and others through parent training. Articulation therapy will be easier for you, of course, if the target phoneme exists in English. If you are working on a speech sound that is shared between English and Spanish, you could help the child practice the sound in both English and Spanish words. There are several resources for finding Spanish words with specific speech sounds (e.g., Academic Communication Associates, the Bilingual Speech Source, you can even set the language to Spanish on Boardmaker). The child’s classroom teacher may also have some resources for you. For addressing speech sounds that are unique to Spanish or other language goals, you may be able to train parents or other professionals who can work with the child in Spanish. You and a translator can help train parents to use language facilitation techniques as you would. After teaching them a technique, such as recasting, then have the translator help you verify that the parent(s) can use the technique correctly. If you go this route, it is important that the parents understand the technique as well as the specific speech and/or language targets. You can also talk with them about when it would be feasible to practice. Help them come up with a plan of when they will practice, such as during dinner, and then give them a schedule or some mechanism to help you all monitor home practice.

Dear Andy,
It sounds like you have a challenge on your hands and need an alternative to the traditional direct intervention approaches used. I would suggest you take on the role of "causing it to be done" - using a variety of indirect treatment methods. In terms of people, if a bilingual SLP is available to assist with goal prioritizing etc, that would be great. For on-going tx potential partners are bilingual paraprofessional, high school or college students , a parent (this child's or someone else's-- if you put out a call for a bilingual Spanish-English volunteer for 1 or 2 hours a week you will likely get someone), or assistant in the ESL classroom? In terms of stimuli that could be used in the process, again working through these volunteers, computer programs as well as Spanish children's books available through public libraries or bookstores could be helpful. Computer programs may really be helpful for both home and school use and would provide the structure (and multiple exemplars) needed --- for example, Learning Fundamentals (aka LocuTour) has CD programs available in Spanish for artic/phonology as well as early literacy and expressive vocabulary; in some cases "Foreign Language" learning programs (Rosetta, Berlitz etc) software can be modified and very useful for training certain aspects of expressive and receptive language. We have these in our local library available for checkout. Also, you may wish to try a couple of the websites links at this website- there's some with some great stimuli in Spanish that you could help a partner/facilitator/paraprofessional to use with your client for effective, indirect treatment sessions.
Hope this helps get you started and please keep in touch as you move through this process.
Best wishes,
-Kathi

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