How to Become a Speech Therapist

About Speech Therapist

Speech therapists are specialists who treat a person facing problems related to speech disorders. Speech therapists are also known as speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and speech pathologists. Speech Therapists help people having language and speech problems and who lack fluency while speaking. The growing awareness among people to treat speech disorders has increased the demand for these experts. A career as a speech therapist is proving to have great potential for aspiring students. In daily practice, a speech therapist works with people who have difficulty speaking, forming words or sounds, or who are recovering from injury, illness, or trauma that has affected their ability to communicate and fluency.

Eligibility to become Speech Therapist

For Diploma Courses:

• For pursuing a diploma course in Speech Therapist candidates must have passed in 10+2 examinations from any recognized board of education.

• Aside from this, the candidates who have 10+2 in science stream can only apply for Diploma program in Speech Therapist

For Undergraduate Courses:

• Candidates must have passed 10+2 examinations in science stream with minimum 50% to 60% marks. (Minimum percentage can vary from one institute to another)

• Candidates must have studied English, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as their main subjects in 10+2 examinations.

• Candidates who have completed the 3-year diploma after their class 10 are also eligible to apply for undergraduate Speech Therapist course such as B.Sc in Speech & Hearing

• In some of the colleges, the candidates also need to appear for the qualifying exam conducted by the institute for the selection of the students. 

For PG and Doctoral Degrees:

• For the admission in the postgraduate & doctoral course, the candidates need to secure a bachelor degree with a minimum of three duration in the relevant stream.

Types of Job Roles Speech Therapist

There are a number of work profiles available for Speech Therapist that they may choose based on their areas of interest. Here are some of the work profiles that one can select for Speech Therapists:

Audiologist

A specialist who is qualified to diagnose hearing loss and related disorders, including vestibular and ear-ringing disorders, and to rehabilitate those with hearing loss and related disorders. An Audiologist specialist uses a wide range of tests and techniques with auditory instruments to measure hearing and balance function.  Audiologists work in clinical fields with patients and work in a variety of areas such as auditory balance, cochlear implants, paediatrics, tinnitus, auditory care etc

Speech Pathology Reader

Speech Pathology Readers is a profession in which a specialist work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Language disabilities arise if a person finds it difficult to understand others. Speech pathology also helps individuals with hearing problems and deaf people. Speech pathology deals with people who have no language or voice but want to know how to interact more effectively

Clinical Supervisor

Clinical supervisors are professionally responsible for monitoring individual casework and employees' professional problems. They also encourage the production of advice and solutions through assessments and observations. Clinical supervisors are also responsible for mental health counselling for resolving ethical and legal problems.

Lecturer in Special Schools

Lecturers in Special Schools use specialist skills such as braille for visually disabled students and sign language and lip-reading for students with hearing loss. In addition to this lectures also assess children with short-term or long-term learning difficulties etc. Lecturer also adapts conventional teaching methods to the needs of the student and use special tools such as computers and audio-visual resources to encourage enjoyment in learning.

Teacher

Speech Therapist can also work as Teachers who are professionally responsible for designing lesson plans and presenting their programs to students during the semester.  Teacher are also responsible to design assessments, develop and reinforce rules in the classroom, track student progress and prepare students for standardized testing with school management.

Researcher

Speech Therapist also works as Researchers who primarily tracks and manages information between departments in the advancement of research projects. They administer a wide and comprehensive variety of assessments, examinations, and experiments and perform advanced and highly detailed trials to help people with speech and hearing disabilities get a better diagnosis. In addition to this, they also collect specimens and tissues for the analyzes purpose.

Employment Sector/Industry for Speech Therapist

There are a variety of employment opportunities for Speech Therapists in different sectors. Some of the top sectors that require Speech Therapists are mentioned below:

• Government Hospitals

• Private Hospitals

• NGOs

• Health care establishments

• Hearing aid Industries

Pay Scale/Salary of Speech Therapist

At the start of their career, a Speech Therapist gets an average salary of Rs.20,000 to Rs,30,000 monthly. However, years of experience once can earn up to Rs.50,000 to 60,000 monthly. Private hospitals offer better salaries and benefits. Many Speech Therapists set up their private clinics and can earn an annual average income of Rs.10 LPA to 18 LPA. Outside of India, speech therapists are paid much higher salaries. A speech therapist gets an annual average salary of about $52,000 and the highest salary being paid is $80,000 per annum.

Books & Study Material to Become Speech Therapist

Students planning to make a Career in Speech Therapist can refer to the following books for enhancing knowledge:

• The Handbook for Evidence-Based Practice in Communication Disorders by Chritstine A. Dollaghan

• Augmentative & Alternative Communication by David Bekuelman

• Stuttering by Barry Guitar

• Language Development from Theory to Practice by Khara L. Pence Turnbull

Pros of becoming a Speech Therapist

• The employment opportunities for Speech Therapists is expected to rise by 19 per cent in all occupations by 2022, faster than the average.

• A speech therapist can find job opportunities all over the world

• The pro of being a Speech Therapist is that you can make a change in someone's life, helping someone get their speech back and able to talk is one of the sweetest gifts.

Cons of becoming a Speech Therapist

• Speech therapists also have to be working 365 days a year, as does any other medical occupation.
• Being a Speech Therapists can cause you stress due to the nature of the job.