This episode helps SLPs prepare for a new school year by focusing on practical strategies for building belonging in speech therapy.
Because the topic of belonging is nuanced and complex, it has many definitions, and the episode begins by considering three of these definitions.
The first definition is from author and facilitator Priya Parker, who writes that belonging is “about feeling a part of the whole, without having to all be the same.”
The second definition comes from the United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who writes that belonging is “the feeling of deep connection with social groups, physical places, and individual and collective experiences.”
The third definition is from the Student Experience Research Network. They define belonging as “…an individual’s experience of feeling that they are, or are likely to be, accepted and respected as a valued contributor in a specific environment.”
The episode then moves into a discussion of practical, research-based strategies for building belonging. Although many of these interventions were designed for classroom settings, they can easily be adapted for speech therapy. They include:
- Fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility
- Building routines to create “the magic of a good opening” in each of our sessions
- Respecting students’ multidimensional identities
- Affirming our students’ ability to succeed (and providing appropriate support to help them do so)
- Honoring student agency
- Supporting students through challenging transitions
- Helping students connect to their core values
If you’re looking for engaging, interactive, and time-saving speech therapy materials that both students and SLPs will love, check out what the Digital SLP® membership site has to offer, or sign up for our 30-day free trial for instant access to more than 2000 engaging, high-quality resources. Our TPT store is also available!
Recent Comments