A crucial part of a speech-language pathologist’s work is taking appropriate data. The data provides vital information about a child’s progress and helps guide steps in deciding the next steps for intervention. Though it’s necessary, this is oftentimes a pain point for many SLPs. Follow along in this guide for several data-collection tips to make your life as a pediatric SLP easier!

Types of Data

You’re likely to find that one type of data collection doesn’t cut it for all your therapy sessions. What works for kids with language goals doesn’t work as well for articulation goals, and so on. 

Be confident in a few styles of collecting data so you can focus on the interventions and not stress about how to record progress. 

Soap Notes

SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. This type of note provides a framework for you to use to ensure that you are considering all major portions of data and planning (Podder et al., 2023). 

SOAP notes are credited to Dr. Lawrence Weed around the 1960s. He created these as a streamlined, standardized process for medical documentation. 

SOAP notes can be written by hand or electronically throughout the session or at the end. Try not to wait until after sessions are over because the information won’t be fresh on your mind!

Remember when taking notes that your clients and families have access to these records under the HIPAA Privacy Act. 

These notes are commonly used in the medical field and easily understood by other medical professionals. Even if you work in private practice or schools, choosing to take data via SOAP notes can be a great option. In the subjective portion of a SOAP note, thoughtfully consider if your focus is on compliance. Even though it’s subjective, it shouldn’t include judgment on behavior!

Language Samples 

Language samples are another option for data collection. They can be used to assess a variety of speech and language skills including pragmatics, utterance length, comprehension, syntax, speech intelligibility, and more. 

As the SLP, you will elicit and record a spontaneous sample of your child’s speech. This sample is usually 50-100 utterances. Use a play-based approach to language samples and try to select toys that your client will be motivated by. Don’t forget to be silly too! 

For preschoolers who are suspected gestalt language processors* or who have been identified as such already, language samples are necessary pieces of intervention! These child-led samples will help you monitor the child’s progress through the six stages of gestalt language processing and determine how to target the next step with your client. 

*Read more about gestalt language processing here! 

Because taking language samples is more time-intensive, it’s likely that you won’t use language samples as your daily or weekly go-to for data collection– but they are invaluable sources of information at the right times! 

Handwritten Notes

While much is moving towards technology, there’s just something that feels right about handwriting data down on a piece of paper sometimes. 

For kids who are extra busy or love to touch everythinggg, you might find that collecting data on a sticky note or even on a piece of masking or painter’s tape is most effective (& less distracting for your kid!). 

With this method, you can easily stick the handwritten note to a child’s folder or attach it to a more formal page like this FREE data collection form. 

Using a Clicker

A hand tally clicker is a great way to easily track trials (or correct ones!) for articulation and phonology therapy when you aim for many productions. This tool allows you to avoid using (-) and (+) signs on repeat. 

As an Amazon affiliate, I may receive a small commission when you use the links in my post. There is no increase in the price you pay!

For small group sessions, use a different colored clicker for each child to easily keep track of everyone’s data! 

You likely won’t need this tool for language sessions, but it’s worth the small investment to make your speech sessions run more smoothly! 

Apps

Since you’ll likely have your phone with you throughout the day, consider the FREE TxTools app by PediaStaff. It has a percent calculator, stopwatch, trial counter, and age calculator! 

Frequency of Data Collection

Some SLPs prefer to take data at every session with a child, but this may not be necessary or what’s best. 

Consider each child’s needs when determining how often you collect data. For some children, it may be easy to take data at each session, but for others, trying to maintain data collection at each session is just unrealistic. It can impede rapport and result in less focus on the needed intervention.

Considerations for Data Collection

• Specific speech and language goals
• Personality
• Level of movement needed 

Sharing Data with Parents 

Parent communication is essential for building rapport and seeing the carryover of targeted skills occur. 

Use the FREE Tiny Scanner app to easily share data and notes with caregivers after sessions are complete. You can do this so quickly at the end of sessions so you’re respecting your personal time, and not carrying work home with you! 

Read more about how I use the Tiny Scanner app in real life! 

Developing confidence in your ability to use a variety of data collection tools and methods will allow you to be a better-informed SLP (and reduce your stress in the process!). Remember, you’re exactly the SLP that your clients need! 

References

Podder, V., Lew, V., & Ghassemzadeh, S. (2023, January). SOAP Notes. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482263/ 

You may also be interested in reading:

5 BEST Tips to Make the Most of Your Summer Off as an SLP

Expectations for Preschool Attention Spans