Australian speech pathologists: is it ethical to hire juniors as independent contractors?
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Australian speech pathologists: is it ethical to hire juniors as independent contractors?

For speech pathologists in private practice, hiring independent contractors seems cheaper and more flexible than hiring employees, e.g. if your practice has unpredictable workflows or seasonal “slow” and “busy” periods. But there are a raft of ethical, client and commercial reasons why it may make more sense to grow your practice with employees. There are…

Speech Pathologists: 7 ways to start and ‘ReWork’ your private practice plans
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Speech Pathologists: 7 ways to start and ‘ReWork’ your private practice plans

I love running my speech pathology practice. But it has its challenges, and I’ve made lots of mistakes over the years! I recently re-read a great business book* that reminded me of some key things I got right (and wrong) in my first couple of years in practice. Here are seven things I now know…

The No Prep Grammar Builder: Uncontractible Copulas (“Who’s happy?” “She is!”)
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The No Prep Grammar Builder: Uncontractible Copulas (“Who’s happy?” “She is!”)

“Who’s happy?” “She is!” Typically-developing children acquire the so-called uncontractible copula “he is/she is/they are” at around 36-42 months. But many children with developmental language disorders and children learning English as a second language do not. Instead, they make errors, e.g.: Question: “Who’s smiling?”…Answer: “She” or “Her”.  (Incorrect.) These errors make children sound less intelligent…

Lidcombe Program stuttering activities: Volume 2 printable activities for face-to-face and telehealth therapy now available
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Lidcombe Program stuttering activities: Volume 2 printable activities for face-to-face and telehealth therapy now available

When we published The Lidcombe Program for stuttering: my 10 favourite therapy activities back in 2014, we had no idea how popular it would be. Thousands of people from more than 20 countries have downloaded our free resource. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many parents and speech pathologists reaching out to thank us for sharing…

Speech pathology graduates: Should you volunteer for experience and exposure?
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Speech pathology graduates: Should you volunteer for experience and exposure?

Every year, I’m approached by speech pathology grads who’ve been offered “opportunities” to work for private practices for free, e.g. to get some experience, prove their value to a prospective employer, or get some exposure to different client groups. Reality bites My views on unpaid “internships” and volunteer work for private practices are fairly well…

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