My Professional Life
I have been a speech-language pathologist for the Braintree Public Schools Preschool since 1993. The preschool is hlocated in the high school. For the school year 2003-2004 we have six classes. Each class is integrated, serving children with a variety of special needs and children without special needs. The children without special needs are used as role models for those children having special needs. Class sizes vary, depending upon the severity of the disabilities.
There are four classes with two sessions. Each session is
two and one-half hours. In the other two classes the children attend school all
day. Each class is staffed by a teacher and two paraprofessionals. Many of the
children receive the services of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and
speech and language therapy. Some of the therapy is done in a pull-out model
where the children walk to the therapy room to receive their therapy. Some of
the therapy is done in a push-in or integrated model in which the therapist
works with all of the children in the class or small groups of children. I
provide therapy using both models.
In the classes in which I work, once a week I do a large group activity, usually focusing on phonemic awareness and language. I also work with small groups of children during free play in which I model correct language production while children are playing in the different centers.
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Braintree Public Schools, click here.