A Day in the Life: What It's Like to Be a Speech Pathologist
Miranda Padilla helps a student with speech therapy. Photo: Penn State
By SAFINA RAFAELI
“Growing up, my neighbor Maria was deaf and lacked communication skills,” Arlene Rafaeli, a freelance speech pathologist told me. “I saw the way she constantly struggled to communicate with others and I wanted to find a way to help her.” This led Rafaeli on a path to a career that she has now held for 13 years.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 5-10% of American adults may have communication disorders, and roughly 5% of first graders have noticeable speech disorders. These include issues producing speech sounds correctly or fluently. Stuttering, which affects 3 million Americans (including President Joe Biden), is a common example. Strokes, birth defects, and other physical or cognitive issues can also lead to a speech or communication disorder. Speech pathologists help people overcome these issues.
Justine Sheha, a speech pathologist and contractor of five years, said, “When I was in college and doing my teaching internships, I had the pleasure of working with students one-on-one. No matter how difficult the lesson was, the most rewarding feeling was seeing the child’s face light up when they realized they finally understood something. I loved the feeling of knowing that a student benefited from our one-on-one sessions, and this was always something I appreciated about speech pathology; the student understands much more through sessions outside of a typical classroom setting.”
As with most medical professions, the job does require a lot of schooling. “A typical pathologist, or therapist, needs a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, in which you have to major in some branch of speech, usually pertaining to the arts or sciences,” Sheha said. “This means the education experience usually takes about six years.”
Both therapists started doing freelance jobs to get more experience and then gradually moved up to jobs such as working in a school, medical center, or rehab facility. There are lots of job opportunities as there is always a need for a pathologist’s help.
President Joe Biden struggled with stuttering for many years in his youth. Photo: Gage Skidmore
“A typical freelance speech therapist can choose their hours,” Rafaeli said. “However, while working in a school, there are more restrictions, and there is a tighter schedule. Most schools start speech therapy at around 8:30 a.m., and you take around 24 students a day. This is usually done in small groups of up to three, or one-on-one.”
During these sessions, a wide range of things can be done, depending on what issues the student has. For example, if a student has significant cognitive delays or multiple disabilities, a speech pathologist provides things like visual and verbal prompts or cues, modeling (step-by-step imitation) based on the student’s yearly goals, or physical and tactile cues, as well as American Sign Language, which is the most commonly used practice.
“We also collaborate with physical therapists, who help rehabilitate disabled students, and occupational therapists, who help with fine motor skills, such as eating, picking things up, writing, and other daily activities,” Rafaeli said.
U.S. News and World Report ranked speech-language pathologist as its #7 Best Overall Job in America in 2021, and the fourth best health care job. They list the median salary for the job at $79,120, though of course, this can vary from person to person.
Rafaeli and Sheha both adore their jobs because of how they get to change people’s lives every day. They give many the hope that they will improve skills such as eating, speaking, and writing. These skills might seem basic to the general public, but for many people who were born with disabilities or delays, these aspects of life are very important, and they deserve someone who can help them get better.
While they do take pride in and value their jobs very much, of course there are a few challenges they experience along the way. For example, there have been many incidents where a student hits a plateau and it is difficult for them to get back up on their feet. This is where many people with careers in speech have to relay to their students and parents that even though sometimes progress slows down, there are always still ways to improve.
“It is important for a pathologist to stay positive with every case and every student,” Sheha said.
Disabled and delayed students rely on speech professionals to lead, even when progress is challenging, so optimism and mental toughness are a must, the pathologists explained.
“Anyone looking to pursue a career in this amazing field should be prepared to stay motivated and dedicated to their students’ success,” Rafaeli said.