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Speech-Language Pathologist

A qualified professional who practices in the field of speech-language pathology is titled a speech-language pathologist. Entry into the field of speech-language pathology requires specialized training at the graduate level as mandated by the Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). To practice as a speech-language pathologist, individuals must earn a graduate degree from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), successfully complete 400 clinical clock hours of clinical experiences, and pass the national exam in speech-language pathology. Moreover, individuals must demonstrate the required knowledge and skills mandated by CFCC during their graduate training program. Following the successful completion of the academic and clinical program, individuals must engage in a clinical fellowship. This 36-week mentored experience is designed to support the graduate in transitioning from student to practicing professional in the field of speech-language pathology. Fulfillment of the clinical fellowship requirements then permits the individual to apply to ASHA for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology, the nationally recognized professional credential. In most states, professionals must also meet state licensure or certification specifications, which in many cases are identical to ASHA requirements.

A speech-language pathologist may also be referred to as a speech therapist; however, in 1976, ASHA officially endorsed the title of speech-language pathologist for an individual who was qualified to evaluate, diagnose, and treat speech and language disorders or impairments. Subsequently, ASHA defined the additional roles and responsibilities of the speech-language pathologist related to the prevention of communication and swallowing disorders. The role of the speech-language pathologist has continued to evolve across the last 3 decades; currently, professional roles and responsibilities include advocacy, collaboration, prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals with a wide range of communication, language, speech, or swallowing impairments.

Professional Activities

ASHA's The Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology delineates the breadth of professional practice for the speech-language pathologist. The professional activities of the speech-language pathologist require knowledge of both typical and atypical communication, language, speech, and swallowing patterns and development across the lifespan and demand skills of collaboration, observation, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment planning and implementation in each of the following topic areas:

  • Speech sound production
  • Nature and quality of resonance
  • Production of voice
  • Production of fluent speech
  • Prelinguistic communication
  • Social uses of language, including comprehension and use of gestures and other nonverbal communication
  • Comprehension and expression of both spoken and written language, including those language skills that undergird the development of reading and writing
  • Augmentative and alternative communication
  • Cognition, including attention, memory, organization, planning, problem solving, and other executive function skills
  • Feeding and swallowing
  • Accent reduction or modification for English language learners
  • Counseling individuals and their teachers and caregivers, providing relevant information and support concerning communication, language, speech, and swallowing development and impairments

Collaboration in Schools

Speech-language pathologists practice their profession in a variety of work settings: in clinical, educational, and natural environments, according to the needs and expectations of the individual client or family. More than half of all speech-language pathologists work in public schools. In this setting, they collaborate with classroom teachers, special education teachers, resource teachers, and others to assist preschoolers, children, and adolescents with language-learning disabilities to build the communication, language, and speech skills needed to access the general educational curriculum. For this reason, speech-language pathologists play a critical role in supporting and facilitating the academic, language, and literacy skills of all school-age children.

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