I asked Amy Moczulski, M.A., CCC-SLP, who is a speech-language pathologist at BNI to write this guest blog for Better Speech and Hearing Month. She serves as department chair, and I thought she would have invaluable input!
-Maureen
When the staff at the Elizabeth Lee Black School thinks about May, they likely think of walks outside, time on the playground, the end of the school year nearing, or teacher/staff appreciation week, but for the speech-language pathologists, we also think of Better Speech and Hearing Month.
Our Speech Department at BNI
Better Speech and Hearing Month is celebrated every May, and it is a way to bring more awareness to our field to let people know a little bit more about what we do every day. When people ask me what I do for a living, I often get the response, “So you work on getting kids to say ‘R’?” or “You work on getting people to talk.” While those things may be true, the field of speech-language pathology is incredibly diverse. Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing and fluency in individuals of all ages, from birth to the elderly. While speech-language pathologists work in the school setting, you will also find SLPs working in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, private practice, day care centers, or in the home setting. So whether an SLP is working with a newborn in the NICU on feeding, teaching a professional singer proper vocal techniques to save his/her voice, working on cognition with an individual with dementia, or providing someone with augmentative and alternative communication, the goal remains the same: to help people achieve goals to enhance skills for optimal social and life participation.
Amy Moczulski, M.A., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist at the Barber National Institute’s approved private school for ten years, where she serves as the department chair. She obtained her M.A. degree from Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. Amy has worked with individuals on the autism spectrum for the past 18 years and has a particular interest in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Amy spends her time away from work with her husband and their two sons who are seven and four.
Please take a look at some resources and helpful tips related to Better Speech and Hearing Month.
All About Autism 