Speech Therapy and the Transition to Middle School: Preparing for Success
Moving to middle school or middle grades is a big step for any student, and for students who receive speech therapy services, it can come with unique challenges. As students move into a more complex academic and social environment, the demands on their communication skills increase. This is a important time to ensure students have the support they need to succeed.
In middle school, students face more advanced subjects, which require strong listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Speech therapists can help students with communication disorders in areas like understanding vocabulary, following complex directions, and participating in classroom discussions. Social communication becomes even more important in middle school as students navigate new friendships and social groups. SLPs can support students in understanding social cues, improving conversation skills, and practicing strategies for conflict resolution. These social communication skills are key for building and maintaining relationships, which are crucial during the middle school years (ASHA, 2023).
There are several steps students, parents, and SLPs can take to ensure a smooth transition to middle school:
- Review the Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Before the school year starts, it's important to review the student's IEP. The IEP outlines the speech therapy services the student will receive and sets specific goals. Parents and students should understand what supports will be available and make sure that the plan is appropriate for the middle school environment.
- Work with Teachers: Communication between the SLP, teachers, and parents is key. ASHA recommends involving teachers in the student's speech therapy goals so they can reinforce communication strategies in the classroom (ASHA, 2023). Regular check-ins with teachers help ensure the student is progressing and receiving the support they need.
- Encourage Self-Advocacy: Teachers have different expectations for middle school students than in elementary school, and these students are expected to take on more responsibility. SLPs can help students develop self-advocacy skills by teaching them how to ask for help, clarify directions, or request accommodations when needed. These skills will empower students to take control of their communication and other needs as they move through middle school and beyond (ASHA, 2023).
Speech therapy sessions in middle school may look different than they did in elementary school. Sessions may focus more on academic or complex language, like understanding figurative language, summarizing information, or organizing thoughts for written or spoken tasks. Social communication may also take center stage, with role-playing activities to practice conversations or group discussions. SLPs should individualize their interventions to meet the changing demands of middle school (ASHA, 2023). In addition to individually tailored sessions, consider the following tips for working with middle schoolers:
Incorporate Academic Content: Focus on improving language skills tied to schoolwork, like understanding abstract language, synthesizing information, and mapping out ideas for writing. Connect therapy goals to classroom success.
Use Real-Life Scenarios: Middle schoolers benefit from practicing social language through role-playing and group discussions. Create scenarios that mirror real-life situations to improve conversation, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Build Engagement: Like all students, middle schoolers respond well when they feel understood and respected. Incorporate their interests into therapy activities, whether through games, discussions, or multimedia, to keep them engaged and motivated during sessions. For more information on this, look up another Sidekick blog article focused on top motivators for middle school students: https://www.mysidekicktherapy.com/blog/articles/top-ten-motivators-for-middle-schoolers
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2023). Speech and Language Services in Schools.