I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – I seriously take the Internet for granted. On any given day I read numerous blog posts online that directly help me to grow as a practicing speech-language pathologist. These posts are created by some of the best clinicians out there, and I’m so grateful that they are using the Internet as a vessel to share so much valuable and free information with the world.
So what are some of my favorites of 2012?!
This post highlights, in no particular order, my favorite SLP bloggers from 2012. It’s my hope that by sharing their wonderful sites with you, you too can learn from them! I encourage you to check out these bloggers, consume their fantastic content and then reach out to them to say thanks (tell ’em Erik sent ya!).
- Speech Adventures is an absolute must read for all school-based speech-language pathologists. From app reviews to information about RTI, and everything in between. This blog has IT ALL. In fact, this one post in particular helped me BIG TIME in regards to writing a report a few weeks back.
- SLP Echo is a blog that I wish I had while I was a student completing my Master’s degree. Heck, I wish this blog was around when I was an undergraduate because it sure would have given me much more clarity during my wacky SLP journey! I have shared so many links from this blog to my younger friends who are applying to graduate school, such as: applying to grad school, test scores and GPA, and figuring out your plan B (my favorite one!). Such a ridiculously helpful blog. A+
- Speech Room News contains some of the most creative speech therapy ideas EVER (and a ton of them are FREE DOWNLOADS). This blogger loves to share, wait, scratch that, this blogger LIVES to share. Prepare to get inspired!
- Consonantly Speaking is a site that my SLP friends and I cannot get enough of. It’s filled to the brim with therapy ideas that are just second to none. Are you using slap bracelets in speech therapy? I am and it’s all thanks to this amazing post!
- 2 Gals Talk About Speech Therapy contains many nuggets of useful information that have helped the kiddos in my speech-language therapy sessions. One of my all time favorite posts has to be the one that mentions eliciting the /s/ lateral lisp. Is it worth a read? YOU BET IT IS!
- PediaStaff Blog is the #1 online location for blog posts that relate to speech-language pathologists. The PediaStaff team works very hard to hand select each post, so you know that each time you visit their blog, you will be greeted with quality content.
- Speech Snacks is one of the most unique SLP sites out there. With a strong emphasis on healthy eating and increasing effective communication, this site will give any practicing SLPs a plethora of ideas that can successfully exist both in the speech therapy room AND in the kitchen. Interested in chocolate covered christmas mice that can help with sequencing, categorizing, and grammar? This site will make your taste buds sing!
- Speech Gadget is a blog that inspired me BIG TIME in 2012. I knew that this school year I wanted to keep the parents of my speech kiddos much more informed on their progress, but I just didn’t have an organized way to do it. That is, until I came across this perfect post that features a speech therapy update sheet. That sheet is genius. Pure. Genius. I use it all the time and you should, too.
- Speech Techie contains so much useful information, your head just might EXPLODE! If you are looking for ways to integrate technology into your speech-language therapy sessions (and who isn’t?), this site is exactly what you need. I found out about one of my favorite apps (check out the Zoo Champs review) from this site and have forwarded this link to all of my teacher friends that have an interactive whiteboard in their classrooms. Thanks to that post, they learned how to unleash the true awesome-ness of an interactive whiteboard!
- The Speech Guy is THE GUY to turn to if you are trying to tie apps into a specific holiday or season. Did you get a chance to see his super detailed Halloween apps post this past October? No?! Oh boy you totally missed out! Do yourself a favor and check out this site ASAP.
- Let’s Talk Speech and Language is such a beneficial blog because it often focuses on speech-language therapy ideas that middle school kiddos can partake in. This was the blog that gave me the idea to give my older speech kiddos a speech report card each quarter. They love that idea. I gotta give props where props are due – mega big props to this site!
- Activity Tailor is magnificent on many different levels. Yes, this blog provides me with terrific ideas that help make me a better clinician, but it also provides me with positive posts that help me to reflect on what it means to be an SLP. For example, this post a few weeks back about being grateful was one of my most favorite posts. I read it over and over again (and I even printed it out and hung it on my cork board). SO good.
- Speech Peeps is a blog that’s put together by one passionate SLP who is in this field for all the right reasons. Don’t believe me? Read this post RIGHT NOW. “I can’t control everything in my student’s lives, but the small percentage I can, I’ll make count.” So true! We need more SLPs like this and I highly recommend this blog!
- Let’s Talk Speech Therapy is THE BLOG that has, hands-down, saved my iPad! Have you seen the post about the iPad promise (free printable)? No?! Listen, if you use a iPad during speech therapy, you NEED to check out that post ASAP. My students can recite the promise word for word. Trust me, you will love that post and all the other ones on the blog, too!
- Crazy Speech World has a zillion ideas on there that make my speech kiddos go batty! You know that happy feeling you get in your heart when a speech student says, “Oh man, speech is already over?” – well, that’s said very often when I utilize the ideas from this blog. Caramel covered apples anyone? Yes ma’am!
In closing . . .
I attribute much of my therapy success to these bloggers who constantly inspire me. Every single day these bloggers push me to become a better speech-language pathologist. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly commend these bloggers for their creativity and hard work. Thank you for being you and I look forward to continuing to follow all of your blogs in 2013.
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