By: Erin Morgan, MS, CCC-SLP, Public Schools Committee Member
What Are Transition Services?
Transition services are implemented to assist students in planning for post-secondary education, develop skills related to acquiring and maintaining employment, and enhance independent living functionality. Transition services are mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 300.43 (Individuals with Disability Act, 2017). Within Texas, transition services are directed to be implemented once the student turns 14 years of age (“Secondary Transition Guidance,” 2019).
Due to the age of implementation, transition services are typically on the forefront of consideration for secondary speech-language pathologists (SLPs). However, the questions loom: Why should elementary school SLPs make transition services a priority? How can elementary SLPs assist their students in preparing for post-secondary transition?
How To Help
Transition plans and considerations require collaboration amongst special education personnel, the student, and guardians (“Transition in the IEP,” n.d.). The SLP can be instrumental in teaching students to gain a voice for self-advocacy and self-determination.
It is important to remember that our students will not remain children forever. Assisting students in developing personal autonomy and self-efficacy can be influenced by learning functional communication. Practicing functional communication skills allows students to routinely engage in requesting and meeting their needs as well as learning how to interact with others in an appropriate social manner.
Adding to a student’s lexicon and teaching grammar skills is important, but consider how these skills can be applied to real life situations. Semantics, syntax, and pragmatics can be looked through a lens of partnership as opposed to being viewed as a set of isolated skills. Evaluate whether a student’s intended messages can be conveyed effectively, even if there are slight errors in execution. For example, consider if the student can effectively convey their intended thoughts and ideas though their syntactic knowledge may have deficits in use of articles and plurals.
SLPs can encourage students and their families to practice and create several opportunities for self-advocacy (e.g., making choices and stating opinions). Within therapy sessions, clinicians can assist students in repairing and being aware of communication breakdowns. Clinicians also may utilize inferencing-based tasks to activate independent thinking, integrate functional communication skills through imaginative play or social scenarios, and encourage the use of communication throughout the student’s daily routines. SLPs can conduct early discussions with students regarding student interest and what they might want to be in the future (“Postsecondary Transition Planning,” n.d.).
SLPs and special education personnel also may consider providing information for outside agencies and services that assist parents in preparing for their student’s post-secondary success (“Postsecondary Transition Planning,” n.d.).
Most importantly, speech-language pathologists can assist in building the student’s confidence in their communicative abilities (“Secondary to Postsecondary Education Transition Planning,” n.d.). It is beneficial for students to understand their strengths and weaknesses in communication and daily self-care skills as they are becoming more autonomous (“Secondary to Postsecondary Education Transition Planning,” n.d.). Communication differences and disorders may cause seen and unforeseen challenges. As students grow through these obstacles, the SLP can positively reinforce the use of functional communication.
Reflection
As you work with your elementary students, consider the possibilities of their future. Allow students the opportunity to foster independence while they are young, aiming to decrease levels of co-dependence in communication and functionality when they are older.
When planning to work with your caseload, consider the following questions: How can your speech therapy goals give more consideration to building a student’s overall levels of autonomy? How can your speech therapy tasks be incorporated into daily life skills and social scenarios? How can you assist students in planning and thinking about their futures? Are the students’ guardians aware of outside resources (e.g., provided locally or through governmental agencies) that can assist their child in developing skills needed for employment or daily and independent living skills?
Take-Aways
Both elementary and secondary SLPs can positively influence a student’s post-secondary transition. Early considerations and conversations with guardians, the student, and additional special education personnel can assist the child in developing independent skills needed for employment, daily living skills, and independent living.
References
Agency, T. E. (2019, September 3). Secondary Transition Guidance. Tea.texas.gov. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/special-student-populations/special-education/programs-and-services/state-guidance/secondary-transition-guidance
Postsecondary Transition Planning. (n.d.). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved August 20, 2024, from https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/resources/transitioning-youth/
Secondary to Postsecondary Education Transition Planning for Students With Learning Disabilities. (n.d.). American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. https://www.asha.org/policy/rp1994-00133/
Transition in the IEP. (n.d.). Texas Project First. Retrieved August 20, 2024, from https://texasprojectfirst.org/en/transition-in-the-iep/
U.S. Department of Education. (2017). Individuals with disabilities education act. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.43