Audiologists: Protecting & Restoring Our Hearing

This time, we're celebrating a special week that gets far too little recognition, along with a related profession that is largely overlooked. We are honoring two pioneers in American education of the deaf: Laurent Clerc & Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet; along with their modern equivalents, audiologists.

Clerc & Gallaudet were both born in December, 1789 & 1787 respectively, which is why we honor them during the first week of this month. Laurent Clerc, who was deaf himself, was born in France & eventually attended a renowned school for the deaf in Paris, where he later became a teacher. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was born in Philadelphia, attended Yale University, & became interested in teaching the deaf. He traveled first to England, where he was met with great resistance in learning the then-popular oral communication method, before heading to Paris & the school where Clerc was teaching. Clerc helped teach Gallaudet the relatively new method used at the Paris school, manual communication or sign language, which Gallaudet quickly picked up. Gallaudet convinced Clerc to return with him to America to help teach deaf students there this new sign language, and a partnership for the ages was born. They founded what became known as the American School for the Deaf in 1817, which is the oldest continually operating school for the deaf in North America (and it is still open!). This pair helped advance education for the hearing-impaired in the US by light-years, and they deserve to be honored for their achievements & legacy.

For many audiologists, this story may strike a chord; these diligent professionals also dedicate their lives to helping the deaf, hearing-impaired, and those at risk of hearing loss restore or protect their hearing. They use technology to test the hearing of patients & determine their level of hearing loss, as well as any balance or other ear-related issues. Audiologists also can provide many different types of amplification devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants, which are tiny devices placed under the skin near the ear during an operation. The implants send electrical impulses directly to the auditory nerve in the brain & can help people with certain types of deafness hear again, or for the very first time. We here at Enky think Mr. Clerc & Mr. Gallaudet would very much appreciate the sincere efforts of audiologists everywhere in aiding those with hearing loss, and that is why we have combined these celebrations into one amazing week. Scroll on down & look through our handy infographic for more detailed information about audiologists & audiology, including salaries, a history of the profession, & how you can join this rapidly growing field! Enjoy, and be sure to check out our Facebook & Twitter pages for more audiology content all week long!

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A Deeper Look at SLP Salaries

Thanks so much for reading and engaging with our Speech Pathology infographic this week! We really appreciate your support and want to be sure we listen to those who listen to us. Some of you have asked to know more about the salary information that we used for the infographic, and we're happy to share. The table below was sourced from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and has both the mean and median annual salaries for each of the 50 states, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico. The BLS annual data is calculated by multiplying the mean or median hourly wage for each state by 2080 hours, which is what the US Department of Labor categorizes as a full labor year.

Occupation: Speech-Language Pathologists

Period: May 2014

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Area name	Annual mean wage(1)	Annual median wage(1)
Alabama	$ 68,740	$ 62,450
Alaska	$ 81,600	$ 80,550
Arizona	$ 68,460	$ 66,800
Arkansas	$ 68,900	$ 64,150
California	$ 85,270	$ 83,200
Colorado	$ 84,650	$ 83,790
Connecticut	$ 82,450	$ 83,540
Delaware	$ 75,630	$ 73,490
District of Columbia	$ 85,440	$ 84,360
Florida	$ 76,620	$ 74,970
Georgia	$ 69,600	$ 68,580
Hawaii	$ 72,150	$ 72,200
Idaho	$ 65,880	$ 63,950
Illinois	$ 71,400	$ 69,360
Indiana	$ 71,470	$ 71,140
Iowa	$ 68,740	$ 67,400
Kansas	$ 68,810	$ 65,190
Kentucky	$ 68,450	$ 62,190
Louisiana	$ 59,820	$ 56,450
Maine	$ 61,700	$ 60,230
Maryland	$ 83,270	$ 83,380
Massachusetts	$ 78,660	$ 76,910
Michigan	$ 76,040	$ 71,930
Minnesota	$ 70,560	$ 68,640
Mississippi	$ 59,450	$ 55,200
Missouri	$ 66,710	$ 65,550
Montana	$ 66,520	$ 66,140
Nebraska	$ 62,130	$ 59,330
Nevada	$ 86,980	$ 71,880
New Hampshire	$ 69,340	$ 68,650
New Jersey	$ 84,870	$ 82,020
New Mexico	$ 77,050	$ 70,560
New York	$ 86,370	$ 77,930
North Carolina	$ 70,290	$ 66,880
North Dakota	$ 61,090	$ 57,710
Ohio	$ 73,280	$ 71,160
Oklahoma	$ 64,190	$ 56,680
Oregon	$ 72,970	$ 72,460
Pennsylvania	$ 77,440	$ 73,620
Puerto Rico	$ 45,610	$ 42,180
Rhode Island	$ 75,360	$ 76,860
South Carolina	$ 67,600	$ 66,720
South Dakota	$ 53,150	$ 50,590
Tennessee	$ 67,240	$ 64,100
Texas	$ 73,500	$ 68,140
Utah	$ 66,900	$ 67,970
Vermont	$ 64,530	$ 62,500
Virginia	$ 76,970	$ 74,220
Washington	$ 72,440	$ 69,920
West Virginia	$ 59,420	$ 54,190
Wisconsin	$ 65,520	$ 64,850
Wyoming	$ 69,730	$ 68,210

(1) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by 2080 hours.

 Thanks again for reading and commenting on our posts. Like our page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or Google+ to keep up to date with the latest news and information on speech pathology and a wide variety of other professions. Our company's mission is to change the world of professional education for good through cutting-edge technology, enhanced competition & full transparency. If you are interested in learning more about Enky, you can check out some of the posts on this blog or go to Enky.com to sign up for our Beta releasing in early 2016. We look forward to engaging with you in the future!

 - The Enky Team -

A Speech Pathologist Speaks: Part II

Here's Part II of our interview with Theresa Donohue, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist in the state of New York. As this week’s Profession of the Week is Speech Language Pathology, who better to talk to than a practicing professional? Be sure to check out Part I if you haven’t, as we learned about what she does in a typical day & the diverse types of work experiences she has had so far in her career. Today, we’ll delve into why she became a speech pathologist & how that choice has changed her life. I’ll let Theresa take it from here!

Why should someone consider becoming a speech pathologist?

Typically we are in demand, especially in schools. I did not have to search too long to find a job after I finished my Masters. I think one of the best parts about the field is that there is such a wide variety in types of settings and populations. My job is drastically different from that of an SLP working in an inpatient or acute rehab setting, but technically we are in the same field. I love working with kids, but there is also plenty of work for people who prefer working with adults. There are SLPs who work strictly with people who have voice disorders, or foreign speakers who want to modify their accent in English, or people who stutter. Also, if you do one thing for a while and want to try something else, you can. There are so many different subareas to the field that there is always something to learn.

What made you choose the profession of speech pathology?
 Great question since technically I got my BA in music, so it was a very drastic change for me. I also studied Spanish in college and through those classes I realized that my interest was really in language acquisition and development. I took a few classes in the school of education that centered on foreign language education, bilingualism, and ESL (English as a second language). I thought about going the ESL/TESOL route and then I found the SLP program at Teachers College, which has a bilingual focus. Luckily I got into the program! Also, I have always loved working with kids and knew I would definitely want to work in an educational setting down the road, which is what I do as a school-based SLP.

What is your proudest moment as a speech pathologist?
So hard to pick just one, but in general, it is always super rewarding to watch the little ones start to make significant progress, start to put more words together, be able to sit in their seats and pay attention for a longer amount of time. When kids gradually overcome serious behavior issues, that’s one of the most rewarding moments, even if it just means the kid stayed in his seat the entire time and took turns well. I would say one of my biggest successes was a little girl I worked with who was a selective mute, meaning she withheld language in certain situations due to anxiety and other psychological issues. I started with her at the beginning of the summer 2 years ago and after about 4 weeks of therapy, she started talking to me, mostly single words, but it was a huge breakthrough. Then I got to work with her at her preschool and I saw her make huge progress, which was partly me but also she had fantastic teachers, and a big part of it is just natural development. But by the end of the year she was consistently talking to her peers and familiar adults. She was still a little delayed in speech and language, but it was night and day from the year before.

What is the hardest part about your job?
When working with the little ones (preschool, kindergarten), for me one of the most challenging parts was behavior management. For a lot of kids who started at 3, they were not accustomed to having any sort of structure or needing to follow an adult’s directives. I had a few students who had really intense behavior issues and it could be physically and mentally draining. But when I made progress with these kids, it was one of the most rewarding experiences. Kids would run away, shut down, cry, hit me, because they weren’t used to having to wait or not immediately getting what they wanted. I had a really helpful workshop on behavior management at my old job and it changed the way I approached those types of kids.

How has becoming a speech pathologist changed your outlook on life/the world?
Well for one thing, I can’t listen to a kid speak in the same way – I find I’m always evaluating kids’ speech and language, even outside of work, which I guess is a good thing because it helps me to continue to fine-tune my clinical judgment. It has definitely changed the way I view people with disabilities and has made me more patient when I notice that someone has a hard time communicating something. It has also unfortunately opened my eyes to major problems that exist in the public school system, and big problems with over-referral of minority and diverse populations into Special Ed because there is not enough research and general awareness of the distinction between a cultural or linguistic difference and a developmental disorder or delay. It has definitely helped me to understand the way kids think; I feel like I really understand 3-5 year olds now, I am no longer afraid of dealing with a temper tantrum, and I do not judge any parent whose child is having a meltdown on the subway.

What advice would you give someone who is considering entering the field of speech pathology?
Keep an open mind, because there are so many different possibilities and directions within the field and sometimes people who think they know exactly what kind of population they want to work with end up finding something else they are passionate about, so don’t be afraid to try something new or a little scary,

especially as a student when you have someone there to help you. Maybe consider taking an intro to linguistics class before you start. Reach out to professors or current grad students, or practicing clinicians, maybe observe sessions if you can. I sat in on a couple of classes and talked to a few professors when I was deciding between programs. People are generally happy to share information. We’re all teachers, we like to talk about our work and to help.

That’s it for our interview with Theresa Donohue, but please check back here & on our social media pages for plenty more entertaining, informative, and useful content about our Profession of the Week, Speech Language Pathology!

A Speech Pathologist Speaks: Part I

We have a special treat for you today to coincide with our Profession of the Week, Speech Language Pathology. We interviewed a current, practicing speech language pathologist (SLP) from the state of New York to ask her about the profession, her experiences, & what advice or tips she has for anyone currently considering pursuing speech pathology as a career. Our conversation was long & quite in-depth, so it has been split into 2 parts. Check back later this week for Part II. Now, without further ado, I’ll let our speech pathologist Theresa Donohue take it from here!

Could you describe speech pathology as a field in layman’s terms?

In general, we work with populations across the lifespan (birth through geriatrics) to improve people’s ability to communicate. With kids, we usually address developmental disorders/delays in speech and language, meaning the problem has existed since birth and they’re not developing at the same pace or as completely or “typically” as their peers. With adults, we typically treat speech and language disorders that have been acquired due to traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke, neurological disorders, etcetera, but we also treat adults with developmental disabilities. Another aspect of the field is feeding and swallowing. We work with kids and adults who have developmental feeding issues (they can’t tolerate certain textures, they never learned to chew or swallow adequately) or swallowing issues that result from a neurological problem (stroke, TBI, etc.).

What is the process for becoming a licensed speech pathologist like?

Nowadays, a Masters is really considered the entry-level degree for the field. Typically Masters programs are full time and take 2-3 years depending on how many courses you’ve already taken, or if you have a bachelors in SLP. ASHA (the national organization for SLP) requires 400 hours of clinical work as part of the Masters. After you get your Masters, most people do a Clinical Fellowship, which is required for state licensure and your ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence. You also have to pass the Praxis exam, which is a national exam and required for license and certification. After you finish your CF (usually takes about 9 months to a year and you have to be supervised by a licensed and ASHA certified SLP), you can apply for your state license and ASHA Certifications. To work in a public school, you also need a teaching certificate, which you can apply for right after you finish the Masters. In NY it’s called a TSSLD (Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities). I also have a bilingual extension to my TSSLD, which means I am allowed to treat kids who have a mandate in their IEP (Individualized Education Program) for speech therapy in Spanish or bilingual Spanish/English. To get the teacher certificate you have to take 2 tests (plus a 3rd for the bilingual extension), get 50 hours of school-based clinical work during your Masters, and get your Masters from an approved program. Getting licensed is also a very expensive process, even after paying all that tuition.
What are some of the jobs or internships you personally have had in the speech pathology profession?

We have a clinic at Teachers College, which was my first actual experience as a clinician. I had an adult with aphasia and 2 kids with developmental speech/language disorder. I did three different externships as part of my Masters program: one at a preschool in the Bronx for students with mild-moderate developmental disabilities; one at Jersey City Medical Center (inpatient: mostly adult bedside speech and swallow evaluations, plus NICU feeding; and outpatient: mostly pediatric developmental speech and language, some ASD, some outpatient post-stroke adults), and one at Bellevue Hospital (outpatient pediatric, developmental speech and language, plus some at-risk birth-3 which was mostly parent counseling). I also did some international work during grad school. I worked at a school for the deaf in Bolivia and worked as part of a cleft palate surgical mission in Colombia (Blog from the trip can be found here).
In terms of jobs, I did my Clinical Fellowship at Premium Therapy Speech Services, which is a private practice in Inwood. I saw almost exclusively preschool students (which I LOVED) through CPSE (Committee for Preschool Special Education), which is part of the Department of Education. So these kids were getting their DOE mandated special ed speech services, just at an outside practice or agency with a private contractor (me) since they weren’t in public school yet. I also worked at 2 Headstart programs in Washington Heights as a private contractor, through this same private practice. Now I work at PS. 132 in Washington Heights as a DOE employee. My school is K-5 and it is a community school, which means it serves general education students and special ed students with mild-moderate needs. I have about 30 students on my caseload right now that I see individually and in small groups.


Is helping others a big part of your job? Can you give some examples?

Yes it’s pretty much the most important part. Right now I work in a public school. The educational model of SLP is to help kids with speech and language impairments to access grade-level curriculum. Basically I identify their deficits in speech and language and try to give them strategies and practice to help overcome those deficits as they relate to what they are learning in school. Everything I do with my students is meant to help them achieve academic goals by addressing their individual academic needs and to “close the gap” as much as possible between them and their non-disabled peers and help them reach their full potential, basically the fundamental principle of all special education services.

What is your average day like?

I work in a public elementary school right now, so I teach 8 half-hour speech therapy sessions every day. Usually the sessions take place in a separate classroom but sometimes I work with the kids in the classroom, depending on how it is specified in their IEP. The time during the school day when I’m not seeing kids directly is my “prep” time, where I plan for future sessions, create materials, write up progress reports, etc. I also write notes for each child I see after every session. In the morning I usually check in with teachers, create or find activities for my students, review IEPs, and catch up on administrative things. I also spend a bit of time after school doing this, since I’m a new teacher and everything takes me a little longer to get done. The students are in school from 8:10-3:30; I usually get there around 7:30 and try to leave by 4:30.


Thanks for reading & be sure to check back here later this week for Part II of our insightful interview with Theresa to learn more about why she became a speech pathologist & how it has changed her outlook on the world!

Speech-Language Pathology: Not Just "The King's Speech"

Today, we're profiling Speech-Language Pathology as our Profession of the Week. Speech pathologists are hard-working, well-educated professionals who help people of all ages overcome speech, language, and swallowing disorders. This rewarding occupation is quite challenging to join, as the standards for becoming a speech-language pathologist (SLP) are very strict compared to many other licensed professions. Aspiring SLPs must possess a Master's degree or above, pass a difficult national exam, complete over half a year of clinical work, and be licensed by the state in which they wish to practice. Despite these challenges, speech pathology is a rapidly growing profession, estimated by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow at a 19% rate over the 2012-2022 period, which is significantly faster than most other professions. SLPs are also paid quite well, making on average over $70,000 per year in salary. For more interesting facts & information about speech-language pathology, check out our awesome infographic below & keep looking to our blog & social media pages this week for more SLP content!

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