Helping Students Find Their Voice: Inside the Work of an Elementary School Speech-Language Pathologist

For many students, communication comes naturally. For others, expressing ideas, building friendships, understanding classroom discussions, or simply asking for what they need can be a daily challenge.

That is where speech-language pathologist Becky Bird steps in.

At Adelaide Elementary, Becky works with students across a wide range of abilities and needs, helping them develop the communication skills that support learning, relationships, and independence. Whether a student is working on speech sounds, social communication, language comprehension, fluency, or using a communication device, her goal remains the same: helping every child become a more effective communicator. 

A Passion for Language

Becky's path to speech-language pathology began with a lifelong fascination with language.

After studying philosophy, she earned advanced degrees in linguistics and language instruction before pursuing communication sciences and disorders. She was drawn to understanding how people acquire language and what happens when communication develops differently than expected. 

She began her career working with adults but eventually found her calling in schools.

"The amount of growth that you see," Becky explained, "it's so exciting to watch students grow and gain confidence and become so much better at what they do over time." 

That growth is what keeps her inspired every day.

More Than Speech Therapy

Many people think speech-language pathologists only help students pronounce sounds correctly. The profession encompasses a much broader range of services.

At Adelaide Elementary, Becky supports students with communication needs that range from articulation and fluency challenges to social communication skills and language development. She helps students strengthen vocabulary, understand figurative language, improve writing and reading comprehension, and learn how to navigate social interactions successfully. 

For older elementary students preparing for middle school, that work often involves developing higher-level language skills.

A student might work on understanding idioms, interpreting abstract language, making connections through analogies, or participating in deeper classroom discussions. These skills help students succeed academically while also improving their confidence in social situations. 

"Communication is about so much more than words," Becky said. "It's about helping students participate, learn, connect with others, and succeed both academically and socially." 

Creating New Pathways for Communication

Some of Becky's most impactful work involves students who cannot rely on spoken language alone.

Through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), students can use tools such as iPads equipped with communication software, communication boards, switches, and visual supports to express themselves. Becky works closely with students to identify the tools and strategies that best meet their needs.  

One student is learning to communicate using switches mounted near her head and hand, allowing her to make selections on a computer. Another student uses a communication app to make requests, answer questions, and interact with others throughout the school day.  

To Becky, these tools are about much more than technology.

"They improve communication for students who really need them in order to participate," she said. "But they also improve the environment for everyone else."  

Over the past two years, she has helped expand communication supports throughout the school by placing communication boards in classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds. The goal is not only accessibility but normalization, ensuring communication tools are visible and available wherever students learn and play.  

Communication Is a Team Effort

While students are at the center of the work, Becky emphasizes that success is always a collaborative effort.

Each year, she meets with families, teachers, specialists, and students themselves to develop communication goals through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. She works closely with classroom teachers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and support staff to ensure students receive consistent support across settings.  

Families play a critical role as well.

"The student spends most of their time with their family," Becky said. "Helping the family understand what they can do at home to support their student is huge."  

By sharing strategies, exchanging perspectives, and creating opportunities for communication both at school and at home, families and educators help students make progress far beyond therapy sessions alone.  

Celebrating Every Breakthrough

For Becky, the most rewarding moments come when students achieve communication milestones that once seemed out of reach.

Those moments might be a student using a communication device independently, asking a question for the first time, understanding a new concept, or successfully navigating a social interaction.

Whenever she encounters challenges or difficult days, she thinks back to the students whose lives have been transformed through communication.

"When you see that change and see the effects of that change, it's huge," she said. "Going from little or no communication to being able to communicate, that's one of the most impactful changes you can make in someone's life." 

Giving Students a Voice

Every day, Becky helps students develop something many people take for granted: the ability to connect with others.

Through individualized support, innovative communication tools, collaboration with families and staff, and a deep belief in every student's potential, she is helping children build skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

"Helping students find their voice and helping them communicate with the world around them," Becky said, "that's why I love my job."  

And for the students she serves, that work is truly life changing.

SLPs in FWPS

The 55 Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in Federal Way Public Schools play a vital role in supporting scholars and families throughout the district, by helping students develop the communication skills essential for academic success and social-emotional growth.

SLPs work with scholars to strengthen their speech clarity, language comprehension, vocabulary development, and social communication abilities, ensuring that every child—regardless of language background or learning differences—can express themselves confidently and participate fully in classroom learning.

They collaborate closely with teachers and families to create individualized education programs (IEPs), provide strategies for home practice, and remove barriers that might prevent scholars from reaching their highest potential.

By partnering with families as critical allies in each child's learning journey, SLPs help ensure that all scholars have a voice, feel valued in their school community, and develop the communication foundation needed to achieve their dreams and bright futures.