Empowering School-Based SLPs with AI Tools: Smarter, Not Harder

Introduction

The role of a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is both rewarding and demanding. With high caseloads, extensive documentation requirements, and the need to create engaging therapy materials, time management is a constant challenge. Fortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a valuable tool to help SLPs work smarter, not harder.

In this blog post, we explore how AI can assist SLPs with lesson planning, therapy materials, report writing, goal setting, and documentation. AI expert and school-based SLP Jennie Belen shares insights into how AI can support clinicians in their daily work while maintaining ethical and professional standards. For a deeper dive into this discussion, be sure to listen to the full podcast episode on School of Speech presented by Speech Therapy PD.

The Journey into AI for SLPs

Jennie Belen, MS, CCC-SLP a bilingual SLP with 28 years of experience, initially discovered AI tools through a teacher who was leveraging them for educational purposes. Realizing the potential for SLPs, she began researching and developing a guide tailored to the field. Her journey highlights a key takeaway: AI is not about replacing SLPs but about optimizing their workflow to prevent burnout and enhance efficiency. Want to hear more about Jennie's experience and how she built her AI expertise? Tune into the full conversation on the School of Speech podcast!

Ethical Considerations When Using AI

One of the main concerns among SLPs regarding AI is ethics. It is crucial to ensure that AI tools are used responsibly.

Key Ethical Guidelines:

• Maintain Confidentiality: Never input personally identifiable student information into AI tools.
• Follow ASHA’s Code of Ethics: Ensure that AI-generated content aligns with professional standards.
• Review and Customize Outputs: AI should be used as a starting point, not as a replacement for clinical judgment.
• Use HIPAA-Compliant Tools: Verify whether AI platforms are designed for secure and ethical use in clinical settings.

Practical Applications of AI in Speech Therapy

1. Lesson Planning and Therapy Materials

AI can significantly streamline the planning process, allowing SLPs to generate customized lesson plans and therapy resources tailored to specific student needs.

Tools to Consider:

• ChatGPT & Claude AI: Generate lesson plans based on specific goals, age groups, and topics.
• Diffit (D-I-F-F-I-T): Creates leveled reading passages and worksheets for different comprehension levels.
• Magic School AI: Generates social stories, behavior plans, and lesson plans based on SLP input.
• Curipod: Develops interactive slide decks for therapy sessions.

2. Goal Writing

Crafting measurable and individualized goals can be time-consuming. AI can provide a structured starting point for writing IEP goals.

Best Practices:

• Use the WW Approach:
  
  • Who: Define your role (e.g., "I am a school-based SLP working with third graders...")
  • What: Specify the goal (e.g., "Generate an IEP goal for a student working on inferencing.")
• Request specific performance criteria (e.g., "80% accuracy in structured tasks across four sessions.")
• Modify AI-generated goals to align with individual student needs and curriculum requirements.

3. Documentation & Report Writing

While AI cannot fully replace SLPs in documentation, it can provide structured assistance in writing reports, SOAP notes, and progress updates.

Tools to Try:

• Magic School AI: Generates IEP present levels, goals, and accommodations.
• EduAid AI: Assists in crafting progress report comments.
• Everability: AI tool for SOAP note templates and documentation.

Important Tip: Never copy and paste AI-generated content verbatim. Always edit for accuracy and personalization.

4. Enhancing Therapy Engagement

AI can make therapy sessions more interactive and engaging, particularly for students who struggle with motivation.

Ideas for Use:

• Student-Generated Stories: Ask AI to create funny or personalized narratives featuring target sounds.
• Would-You-Rather Games: Generate age-appropriate questions to spark discussion.
• AI-Powered Debates: Compare outputs from different AI tools and discuss which is more accurate or relevant.

5. Creating Custom Therapy Materials

SLPs can use AI to generate targeted worksheets, social stories, and digital resources that cater to student interests.

Recommended Tools:

• Canva MagicWrite: AI-generated writing within Canva for worksheets and handouts.
• ChatGPT & Claude AI: Generate speech-loaded paragraphs for articulation practice.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Approach

The world of AI can be overwhelming, so Jennie Belen recommends starting small. Follow these steps to integrate AI into your workflow efficiently:

1. Identify Your Greatest Challenge: Whether it’s lesson planning, documentation, or goal writing, pinpoint where AI can help you the most.
2. Choose One AI Tool: Start with a single tool, such as ChatGPT for goal writing or Magic School AI for IEPs.
3. Experiment with Prompts: Use the WW Approach to refine AI-generated outputs.
4. Review and Edit: Always personalize AI-generated content to ensure clinical accuracy.
5. Expand Gradually: Once comfortable, explore additional AI tools to enhance other aspects of your practice.

Conclusion: Embrace AI to Lighten Your Workload

AI is revolutionizing the way school-based SLPs approach their work, offering practical solutions for lesson planning, goal writing, documentation, and therapy engagement. By leveraging AI responsibly, SLPs can reduce burnout, increase efficiency, and focus more on direct student interactions.

Call to Action:

Ready to explore AI tools tailored for SLPs? Here’s what you can do next:

1. Download Jennie Belen’s AI Guide: Find a curated list of over 20 AI tools with descriptions and applications. Visit The Latina SLP on Instagram to access the guide.
2. Listen to the Podcast Episode: Gain deeper insights from Jennie Belen on how AI is transforming speech therapy. Check out the full episode on School of Speech

Join the Spring Into Learning Conference: Learn more from experts, including Jennie Belen, on how to integrate AI into your speech therapy practice. Don’t miss out—listen to the podcast for a sneak peek at what’s to come!