How should an SLP document a child's performance during a therapy session?

Documenting a child's performance during a therapy session is most effective when specific performance data is provided. This means detailing observable behaviors, skills demonstrated, and the child's response to interventions during the session. This practice allows the speech-language pathologist (SLP) to track progress over time, identify patterns, and make informed decisions about future therapy goals and strategies.

Specific performance data includes quantitative measures, such as the number of correct responses, durations of tasks, or articulation accuracy rates, as well as qualitative descriptions of how the child engaged in activities. This level of detail helps ensure that the documentation is useful for evaluating the child's growth, modifying treatment plans, and communicating effectively with other professionals and caregivers involved in the child's education and therapy.

By contrast, documenting past learning experiences or summarizing teachers' observations generally does not provide the immediacy of data regarding the child's current abilities, and focusing only on successful outcomes can give an incomplete picture of the child's performance, missing any areas where they may struggle or require additional support. Thus, comprehensive and specific documentation is crucial in therapy settings for assessing and planning effective interventions.