Speech Pathology — Transfer to School-Based SLP for a Child with Language Delay
A community speech-language pathologist transfers a 5-year-old boy with developmental language disorder to the school-based SLP at his new primary school. This beginner transfer case requires communicating the current language profile, the goals in progress, and the classroom support recommendations so the school-based SLP can continue the programme.
Letter type
Transfer
Write to
School-Based Speech Pathologist
Target length
180–200 words
The case notes
Patient: Master Thomas Brennan, 5 years old; entering school next month; developmental language disorder (DLD)
Language profile: Expressive language: approximately 12 months below age level (CELF-P2: Core Language Score 74); uses 3–4 word phrases; vocabulary limited; sentence grammar immature (omits articles, prepositions); Receptive: approximately 6 months below age level; follows 2-step instructions reliably; struggles with complex embedded clauses and WH-questions
Speech sounds: Speech intelligibility to unfamiliar listeners approximately 80%; /th/ and /r/ not yet emerging (within age expectations); no other phonological errors; speech is not a primary therapy target
Current therapy programme: Weekly 45-minute community SLP sessions for 6 months; focus: vocabulary expansion (semantic mapping), sentence combining, narrative structure (beginning/middle/end); parent involved in home practice (15-minute structured play sessions 3 times per week)
Progress: CLS improved from 68 to 74 over 6 months; 3–4 word phrases established (was 2-word at referral); parental report: Thomas is communicating more in structured contexts but still struggles in noisy or busy environments
Goals for school-based SLP: Continue sentence combining (target: 5-word phrases); introduce story grammar (narrative structure); support classroom participation — Thomas benefits from: pre-teaching vocabulary before lessons, visual supports, repeated instruction, small group rather than whole-class for oral language tasks
Task: Write a transfer letter to the school-based SLP, Ms Emma Walsh, providing the language profile and the classroom support recommendations.
Writing task
Write a transfer letter to the school-based SLP, Ms Emma Walsh, providing the language profile and the classroom support recommendations.
What to include, what to cut
The hardest mark to win is selection. The same case notes contain decision-relevant facts and distractors. Here is what an examiner expects to see in a Grade B letter for this scenario, and what should be left out.
Include
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Language profile: CLS 74 (from 68 over 6 months), 3–4 word phrases, receptive 6 months below age level — follows 2-step instructions, struggles with complex clauses
The school-based SLP needs the current level and the trajectory — the score plus the progress. CLS 74 with a 6-point improvement over 6 months tells them more than the score alone.
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The classroom support recommendations: pre-teaching vocabulary, visual supports, repeated instruction, small group for oral language tasks
These are the SLP's most direct contribution to the educational team. The school-based SLP takes this profile to the teacher and the SENCO — these four adaptations are the practical classroom bridge between therapy and the classroom.
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That parents are engaged in home practice (structured play sessions 3 times per week)
Carer involvement in DLD intervention is a significant prognostic factor. The school-based SLP needs to know to continue the parent programme and not start from scratch with the family.
Leave out
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The CELF-P2 subtest breakdown
State the CLS and the functional interpretation. 'Full CELF-P2 report attached' covers the subtest detail. Reproducing all subtests in the transfer letter overloads it with data the school SLP can access from the report.
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The speech sounds profile beyond one sentence
'Speech intelligibility 80% to unfamiliar listeners; /th/ and /r/ not yet emerging within age expectations; speech is not a current therapy target.' This is the complete speech sounds section for this case.
Criterion in focus · Organisation & Layout
A paediatric SLP transfer letter organises naturally into: (1) the language profile, (2) the therapy programme and progress, (3) the goals for the school-based SLP, (4) the classroom support recommendations. Mixing the classroom recommendations into the therapy progress section, or placing the goals before the profile, requires the receiving SLP to re-read to extract the treatment agenda. The structure should mirror the school-based SLP's workflow: know who the child is, know where they are, know what to do next.
Now write the letter — and find out what is blocking your Grade B
Write a 180–200 words transfer letter from these notes, paste it into the free checker for an instant read, then submit it for a human grade against all six criteria. Dr Mariam's team returns line-by-line feedback, from $12.