Learn what skills and qualities interviewers are looking for from a speech language pathologist assistant, what questions you can expect, and how you should go about answering them.
Speech language pathologists (SLPs) work with patients who have trouble speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. As an SLP assistant, you will provide support to the SLP in these areas. You may be asked to lead small groups of patients in speech therapy exercises, help patients one-on-one with reading or writing assignments, or provide support to the SLP in other ways.
Before you can start working with patients, you will need to interview for the job. During the interview, the SLP will ask you questions to get to know you and your qualifications. They may also ask you questions about your experience working with patients, your availability, and your availability to work weekends or evenings.
To help you prepare for your interview, we have compiled a list of common SLP assistant interview questions and answers.
This question can help interviewers determine your knowledge of the field and how you apply it to your work. Use examples from your experience or education to show that you are familiar with current research and best practices in speech-language pathology.
Example: “I am very familiar with the latest research and best practices in speech-language pathology because I have been following them for years. In my previous role, I worked as a speech language pathologist assistant at an elementary school where we used evidence-based practice to develop our students’ communication skills. We also implemented the most recent research on early childhood development into our daily routines.”
This question can help the interviewer gain insight into your experience and knowledge of working with children who have speech and language disorders. Your answer should include a list of common disorders you’ve encountered in your previous work, along with examples of how you helped treat these disorders.
Example: “In my previous role as a speech language pathologist assistant, I worked primarily with children who had apraxia of speech, which is when a child has difficulty producing speech sounds or putting words together to form sentences. In this role, I assisted the speech language pathologist by helping the child practice their speech exercises and providing them with positive reinforcement for their progress.”
This question can help interviewers assess your ability to work with families and children who are experiencing challenging situations. Use examples from your experience that show you can empathize with parents and children, as well as provide them with the support they need.
Example: “When working with a non-verbal child and their parent, I would first make sure to explain all of my assessments thoroughly so the parent understands what we’re looking for and how it relates to the child’s progress. Then, I would ask the parent questions about the child’s behavior at home and in public places to get an idea of where the child is making progress and where there may be room for improvement.”
The interviewer may ask you this question to understand how you use your skills and knowledge to create a treatment plan for patients. Use examples from previous experience to explain the steps you take when creating individualized plans, including how you gather information about each patient’s needs and goals.
Example: “I start by reviewing all of the information I have on the patient, including their medical history, current diagnosis and any other relevant details. Then, I meet with the speech language pathologist to discuss the patient’s progress so far and what they hope to achieve through therapy. Together, we decide on the best course of action for the patient based on their unique needs.”
This question can help the interviewer understand how you interact with patients and their families. It can also show them your communication skills, empathy and ability to work as part of a team. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific example from your previous experience that shows these skills.
Example: “When I was working in my last role, I had a patient who was diagnosed with autism at age three. The family was very upset by the diagnosis, but they were grateful for my support. I helped them learn more about autism so they could better understand what their child would need. Then, we worked together on a treatment plan that included speech therapy.”
This question can help interviewers understand how you handle challenging situations. It is important to show that you are willing to take the time to work with patients and their families to ensure they receive the best care possible.
Example: “I would first try to determine why the patient was resistant to my suggestions. I would then explain my reasoning for suggesting a certain treatment or therapy, and if it still didn’t seem like they were on board, I would ask them what they thought would be best. If they had an idea that seemed beneficial, I would do some research into it and see if there was any evidence supporting it. If not, I would tell them we could try it but that I couldn’t promise results.”
Confidentiality is a major concern for healthcare facilities, and employers want to ensure that you understand the importance of keeping patient information private. In your answer, explain how you would handle this situation in a way that protects the confidentiality of patients while also ensuring that you do not get your co-worker or supervisor into trouble.
Example: “I would first make sure I had proof that they violated confidentiality. If so, I would speak with them privately about it and ask if there was any way I could help them avoid violating confidentiality in the future. If they continue to violate confidentiality, I would report it to my manager immediately.”
This question can help interviewers assess your ability to work in a fast-paced environment. When answering, it can be helpful to mention how you manage stress and prioritize tasks when working under pressure.
Example: “I find that I do my best work when I have time to prepare for projects or assignments. However, I am also able to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected situations. In my previous role as an SLP assistant, I was responsible for organizing the speech therapist’s materials before each session. One day, however, the speech therapist had to leave unexpectedly due to illness. I took over her responsibilities for the rest of the day, including leading the therapy session.”
This question can help interviewers understand your experience level and how you feel about working with patients of all ages. If you have worked with a variety of age groups, discuss the differences in your approach to each group. If you haven’t had much experience working with different age groups, explain what you would do differently if you were given a patient who is older or younger than those you’ve worked with before.
Example: “I have worked with children of all ages, but I also have some experience working with adults. In my previous role, I assisted speech language pathologists with their adult patients. I learned that it’s important to be aware of any changes in communication style as people get older. For example, when working with an adult, I make sure to speak clearly and slowly so they can understand me.”
The interviewer may ask this question to assess your ability to work with children and adolescents. Your answer should demonstrate that you can use your communication skills to engage patients in treatment sessions.
Example: “I find that the best way to maintain a patient’s attention is by using my voice effectively. I speak clearly, at an appropriate volume and pace so that they can understand me. If I am performing a speech therapy session, I also make sure to include fun activities or games that will keep them engaged. For example, if I am working on articulation, I might have them repeat words while bouncing a ball. This helps them practice their pronunciation while having fun.”
HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which is a set of federal regulations that protect patient privacy. The interviewer may ask you this question to assess your knowledge of HIPAA standards and how you would approach ensuring compliance within their organization. In your answer, try to demonstrate your understanding of the importance of these regulations and your ability to follow them.
Example: “I understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality when working with patients’ medical records. I would first make sure all employees were aware of the company’s policies regarding HIPAA compliance. Then, I would ensure that we had adequate security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access to patient information.”
Speech language pathologists often use speech software and other digital tools to help their clients improve their communication skills. The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience using these types of tools. Use your answer to explain which software you’ve used in the past and how it helped your clients.
Example: “I have worked with several different speech software programs during my career as a speech language pathology assistant. I find that each program has its own unique features, so I try to use a variety of them to see what works best for each client. For example, one client had trouble pronouncing certain sounds, so we used a speech software program that allowed us to target those specific sounds. This helped him practice until he was able to pronounce all of the sounds correctly.”
Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and how you can contribute to their team. Before your interview, make a list of reasons why you are the best candidate for this role. Consider highlighting any relevant experience or skills that match what they’re looking for in an assistant.
Example: “I am passionate about working with children who have speech disorders. I feel like my communication skills and patience would be beneficial when working with kids. I also think my organizational skills will help me keep track of important information and documents. My attention to detail is another skill that I believe will benefit this position.”
This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience and expertise. It can also show them which techniques you enjoy using most. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a few specific techniques that you have used in previous roles.
Example: “I’ve had the most experience with articulation therapy, augmentative communication and sensory integration therapy. I find these three techniques to be very effective when working with children who are learning how to speak or communicate effectively. In my last role, I worked primarily with children on their speech development. I found that by implementing these three techniques, I was able to help many children develop their language skills.”
This question can help the interviewer determine how much you know about your role as an SLPA. Your answer should show that you understand what is expected of you in this position and that you are committed to doing those things well.
Example: “I think the most important aspect of my job as a speech language pathologist assistant is helping clients communicate with others. I am passionate about working with children who have speech impediments, so I enjoy being able to use my skills to help them overcome these challenges. I also find it rewarding to work with adults who want to improve their communication skills.”
The interviewer may ask this question to learn more about your experience with assessments. Assessments are a common part of speech language pathology, and the interviewer wants to know how comfortable you are performing them on patients. In your answer, explain that you have performed assessments in the past and describe what types of assessments you’ve completed.
Example: “In my previous role as an SLP assistant, I assisted the primary therapist with assessments regularly. We used several different assessment tools depending on the patient’s age group and needs. For example, we used the Preschool Language Scale-5 for younger patients and the Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language for older patients.”
This question can help an interviewer understand how you might approach a new treatment or therapy that could affect your patients. It can also show them how you would communicate with the speech language pathologist about any changes to their current methods. In your answer, try to explain how you would research the new treatment and discuss it with your supervisor.
Example: “If I were working in a school setting, I would first do some research on the disease and the new treatment. Then, I would speak with my supervisor about the new treatment and see if they had any thoughts on implementing it. If not, I would suggest we start using the new treatment as soon as possible so our students are receiving the best care.”