What should we focus on in middle school and high school speech/language therapy?

In today's episode, I'll share with you a practical, no-fluff framework for supporting teenagers on real-life communication skills through our speech/language therapy sessions.

We'll cover the four big areas that matter most for helping adolescents thrive in school, work, relationships, and independence:

• Executive Functioning Skills Working memory, cognitive flexibility, emotional regulation, planning, task initiation, and the self-monitoring teens need to actually use their communication skills in the real world.
• Communication for Academic Success How to shift from basic language goals to higher-level skills like discourse, figurative language, vocabulary learning strategies, and synthesizing complex information.
• Social Communication Skills Perspective taking, navigating disagreements, repairing breakdowns, using nuance, and advocating for their needs in social and academic settings.
• Life Skills (a.k.a. "Adulting Skills") Practical communication for communicating with others in real-world situations, problem-solving, time management, and understanding personal strengths and accommodations.

If you've ever wondered whether you're targeting the right skills for your older students, or you want a better roadmap for helping adolescents with the skills that really make the biggest difference, today's episode is for you!