College of Liberal Arts
Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences
What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Do?
- Training with alternative/augmentative communication devices for those with limited ability to verbally communicate.
- Aural rehabilitation for individuals who are hearing impaired.
- Treatment for articulation errors.
- Provide therapy to individuals with delayed language development.
- Early intervention among preschoolers.
- Work with children to improve language skills and academic performance.
- Treat people who have experienced a stroke or brain trauma to regain language and speech functions.
- Assist individuals who are experiencing swallowing difficulties.
- Assist individuals in developing proper control of the vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production.
- Counsel individuals and families to better cope with speech and language disorders.
- Help those who stutter to increase fluency.
- Participate in clinical (applied) and/or basic research related to speech-language disorders and their effects.
- Teach and supervise future speech-language pathologists.
Examples of where speech pathologists and audiologists work:
- Hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
- Nursing care facilities and community clinics.
- Colleges and universities.
- Private practice offices.
- State and local health departments.
- State and federal government agencies.
- Home health agencies (home care).
- Long-term facilities.
- Adult day care centers.
- Research laboratories and institutes.
- Private industry.
- Nonprofit clinics.
- Public and private schools.
