Five in Five: Five Benefits of Daily Speech Services

For the last few years, I have used a daily articulation service delivery model, providing services for five minutes per day.  Initially, I panicked a bit (well, ok, maybe a bit more than a bit!), wondering how in the world was I going to provide services any differently and be effective.  I was used to the 20-30 minute groups 2x/week.  I was able to see several students and get quite a few trials in during that time IF the students came to their sessions independently.  IF they were able to attend to the activity.  IF I had my data tracking and activity set up and ready to go.  IF I ended on time with the previous group.  IF  I didn't get pulled in to a meeting, have to problem solve with a student, answer a classroom teacher's question...you know!

As I reflected on the way I was delivering services, I realized that my time was not as effective as I had planned and hoped.  Despite my best intentions and time spent prepping and organizing, it just wasn't happening.   So,  I decided to try out the "new" model and LOVE it!  Here's why!

EASIER TO SCHEDULE
Yes!  My scheduling is so much easier, with speech, that is.  First, I group students by location in the building.  I calculate five minutes per student and then take the number of students in that location to determine the "chunk" of time I need to provide services.  Grouping students by the same location is necessary so that I can pull students from their classroom into the hallway to work and then make my way to the next room.  Yes, that's right.  I work with students in the hallway!  I don't assign students a specific time, but I tell them I will see them during a window of time.  It alleviates several issues:  students coming independently and on time and wasted hallway time walking to and from therapy.  The best part of this all?  That problem with those few 10 and 15 minutes increments I can't use to see a group of students that I typically have to use as fractured prep time?  Problem solved!  I schedule two or three students for services!

LESS TIME OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
One of my initial concerns in trying out this type of service delivery was decreasing the quantity of service, but on the flip side, the frequency of services increased.  Generalization always seems to coincide with the frequency of practice, so it wasn't too hard to convince me, and the parents really like the idea of having daily contact with their student.  Even more so, they like the idea that their student misses only five minutes of class everyday.  The teachers love it too!  I have far fewer conflicts with scheduling students' speech sessions using the five minutes versus 20-30 minutes.

1:1 SERVICE
Yes.  I almost always see students 1:1 with a caseload of 50+.  At times, I put two students together for conversation or if the students seem to have a friendly competition that is motivating.  I feel like I really know the students and can give them quality time even for the short amount I work with them.  I also find the quality of my feedback is much better, more concise, and more effective.

JUST DRILL-NO FRILL
Can I really meet all of speech needs in the hallway?  Will the kids still enjoy speech?  Won't they get bored with just drill?  Yes.  Yes.  No!  I was surprised at how easy it was to grab a few materials and just drill.  The key is finding the right resources and having a few of those "gems" that target multiple speech sounds.  I use a lot of HELP for Articulation or Super Duper's Webber Articulation lists.  I put them in a small binder, and carry them with me.  Once you find your materials, it's a breeze!  (I also have access to a personal iPad, so I have several apps that I use, so I can just carry it with me instead.  It's a perfect option if you have it.)  Drilling is so much easier than having to worry about whose turn it is to choose a game, who gets to go first, setting it up the game and putting it away, etc.  All of that wasted time!  Instead, the students know the drill (pun intended), and the "game" is trying to see how many trials or the quality of trials they can get in their five minutes.  They enjoy that challenge and become motivated by "beating" their previous percentage.  It all depends on the student and his/her needs.  They still love speech.  It is all about the relationship that I build with them.  I find I get more trials in the five minutes than I did in the 20-30 minute sessions.

EASY MAKE-UPS
I always dreaded when I had to miss groups of students, especially if happened a few times in a short period of time.  There just wasn't time in the day to make up the times!  This service model alleviates that stress.  If I miss a session, I can easily put students together for 10 minutes to make up times. If students are absent, on a field trip, or whatever the situation, they only miss five minutes, which mathematically and logically is far less missed service time.  

The transition was so much easier than I expected and was well received by the parents.  I had much more data to share, and the students really made more progress!