Preschool Language Resources & Service Delivery Documents

In 2007, San Diego Unified School District implemented a new service delivery model for supporting preschool sites and students. The Speech-Language Leadership Team surveyed the literature to redesign services and utilized existing resources from the SIC service delivery model. To prevent overidentification, the district shifted the focus from assessment to supporting language development for all students. Sharlee Mosburg-Michael, a fellow Senior SLP, and I have worked collaboratively with all preschool leadership, especially Head Start, to establish consultation and interventions for preschoolers at risk for speech and language disorders. All SLPs and preschool sites have received flow maps outlining procedures, checklists for teachers to describe children’s skills (and other possible factors that might influence performance such as initial exposure to English and previous lack of peer interactions) as well as information about language development, play skills and sound acquisition. We also developed four PowerPoint modules that we have encouraged SLPs to present at their respective preschool sites for families and teachers. So far, our efforts have paid off. Last year’s data showed that preschool referrals decreased by 50%. As a district, this has allowed us to focus on the language development of preschoolers, rather than unwarranted assessments.

This web page contains the streamlined forms and resources used by San Diego Unified School District for preschool collaboration. All documents are copyrighted to San Diego Unified School District. SDUSD believes strongly in sharing our resources. If you would like to use or modify these forms, please provide proper attribution to SDUSD.

Sharlee Mosburg-Michael and Jennifer Taps Richard presented at the 2010 ASHA Convention in Philadelphia. Their workshop Supporting At-Risk Preschoolers Through SLP and Teacher Collaboration described an innovative approach for addressing the needs of at-risk preschoolers. San Diego Unified School District reformed its services through teacher collaboration and structured professional development. Two years of project data illustrated the efficacy of this approach, which empowers teachers to provide strong language instruction in the classroom.

These Head Start and SLP collaboration procedural flow maps delineate procedures for students of concern. This includes students with disabilities or students who may be at risk due to external factors. Please note that these flow maps are slightly different for Head Start facilities.

These Child Development Center/State Preschools and SLP collaboration procedural flow maps delineate procedures for students of concern. This includes students with disabilities or students who may be at risk due to external factors. Please note that these flow maps differ slightly from the Head Start flow maps.

​​Teachers complete this checklist regarding students with communication and ​overall learning concerns. Various outcomes include teacher education, short-term​ speech and​ language interventions. A speech/language assessment or a ​comprehensive assessment may be warranted if external factors can be sufficiently ruled out.

These resources provide teachers and families with developmental information about language and play. They are available in English and Spanish. Please note that the Sound Development Chart (Froehlich forms) regarding sound acquisition for boys and girls is not available on this website. We have been unable to contact the original authors to ask for permission to distribute this valuable document.

These five Tier I modules were developed to educate teachers and families about procedures for collaboration, powerful language strategies, sound acquisition, supporting English learners and shared reading. They were created to strengthen the core curriculum of every preschool classroom in San Diego Unified School District, including Head Starts, Child Development Centers and State Preschools. As a result, SLPs focus on language development rather than unwarranted assessments.

It is recommended that this log be kept at every preschool facility in San Diego Unified. This documentation allows administrators, teachers, SLPs and other professionals to know which children are being supported through RtI or IEPs and where they are in the process.

Teachers and SLPs can utilize this form to monitor the progress of children who receive RtI or IEP services. SLPs have found numerous ways to track changes over time.

This checklist was created to support SLPs as they get organized at the beginning of each school year.

When a ​comprehensive ​assessment is warranted, the referring SLP and teachers from the preschool site are strongly encouraged to complete this form regarding the child’s strengths, areas of concern, previous interventions and progress monitoring.