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What does a Speech Therapist do?

Photo of Brenna Goyette
Brenna Goyette
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert

Published 3 min read

A speech therapist helps people with communication disorders. They work with patients to improve their speech and language skills.

Speech Therapist job duties include:

  • Evaluate patients to determine communication or swallowing difficulties
  • Develop treatment plans for patients based on evaluation results
  • Select appropriate speech therapy methods and activities to help patients improve communication skills
  • Instruct patients and their families in proper techniques to be used at home to continue therapy
  • Modify treatment plans as needed based on patient progress or lack thereof
  • Maintain detailed records of patient progress and communicate findings to physicians
  • Attend conferences and continuing education courses to keep up with latest developments in the field
  • Supervise speech therapy assistants and interns
  • Provide in-service training to staff members on topics such as stroke rehabilitation or AAC use

Speech Therapist Job Requirements

A speech therapist typically needs a master's degree, although some jobs may only require a bachelor's degree. In addition, most states require speech therapists to be licensed. Some employers may also require certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Speech therapists typically need several years of clinical experience.

Speech Therapist Skills

  • Evaluating
  • Diagnosing
  • Treating
  • Counseling
  • Collaborating
  • Referring
  • Reporting
  • Documenting
  • Researching
  • Supervising
  • Consulting

Related: Top Speech Therapist Skills: Definition and Examples

How to become a Speech Therapist

A speech therapist is a professional who helps people with communication disorders. Communication disorders can include problems with speaking, listening, writing, and understanding language. Some people with communication disorders have difficulty using words correctly. They may also have trouble understanding what other people say.

Speech therapists work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly. They often work in schools, hospitals, clinics, and private practices. To become a speech therapist, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or a related field. After completing your degree, you will need to complete a clinical fellowship year. During this year, you will gain experience working with clients and treating communication disorders. After completing your clinical fellowship year, you will need to pass a national exam to earn your license.

Related: Speech Therapist Resume Example

Related: Speech Therapist Interview Questions (With Example Answers)

Editorial staff

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Editor

Brenna Goyette

Expert Verified

Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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