Back to Normal or New Reality? Impact of COVID-19 on School Based SLPs with Lesley Sylvan

Guest: Lesley Sylvan, EdD, CCC-SLP

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/course?name=Back-to-Normal-or-New-Reality-Impact-of-COVID19-on-School-Ba

Join host Carolyn Dolby and guest Dr. Lesley Sylvan in this insightful School of Speech episode presented by Speech Therapy PD. The episode, 'Back to Normal or New Reality, the Lasting Impacts of COVID-19 on School-Based SLPs,' explores how the pandemic has affected school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Reflecting on where they were five years ago when the pandemic started, Carolyn and Lesley discuss changes in service delivery, virtual therapy, educational policies, and the social-emotional and academic impacts on students. Despite challenges, they also delve into how SLPs have adapted and provided effective speech therapy. This episode is packed with valuable information and reflections for SLPs and educators alike.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:23 Episode Overview and Guest Introduction

00:58 Reflecting on the Pandemic's Onset

01:45 Guest Disclosures and Background

04:11 Lesley Sylvan's Journey

08:14 Impact of the Pandemic on SLPs

14:41 Research Findings and Reflections

25:03 Changes in Service Delivery and Future Directions

32:17 Reflecting on Transforming Practices

32:46 The Impact of Virtual Meetings

34:07 Effectiveness of Online IEP Meetings

35:47 Professional Development in a Virtual World

36:52 Balancing Virtual and In-Person Interactions

43:19 The Rise of Virtual SLPs

48:17 Challenges of Hybrid Models

52:31 Sharing Resources and Building Community

59:32 Conclusion and Future Directions

About the Guest:

Dr. Lesley Sylvan is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Montclair State University. She is also program director of the master's degree in speech-language pathology. Dr. Sylvan is a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) with extensive clinical experience working with school-aged children in public and private clinical settings. She completed a Master's degree in educational policy and management and a Doctorate in human development and education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Broadly, Dr. Sylvan's scholarly interests center on the intersection between the field of education and the field of speech-language pathology.

Mentioned in this episode:

Register for the 2026 Autism Conference