SLPs and Data Collection
*This post contains affiliate links.
Data collection is one of the biggest pains that SLPs must endure. All we want to do is provide awesome therapy, but somewhere in there, we have to grab a few pluses and minuses to make sure our clients are actually progressing somewhere amid all the excitement!
I will be the first to admit that sometimes when I have a group of 3+ students (particularly language groups), their goals get jumbled in my head. Who has the “following 2-step directions” goal and who has the “following 3-step directions” goal? Who is supposed to be doing this independently and whose goal requires picture cues? Let me enlighten you with what I have tried.
SPEECH FOLDERS
I like to have the students' goals listed right in front of me, so speech folders worked out well. Each student that I worked with had their own, individual data sheet that was kept in their speech folder. Their data sheet had their specific goals on the top of the page for quick reference.
When setting up this system, I had each student decorate their folder so they could easily identify it. The speech folders stayed in my room, and at the beginning of each session, my students would bring their folders to me. I’d take data for the day and keep them in a stack at my desk until the end of the day. After inputting my data into the billing system at the end of the day, I’d put the folders back in their designated area. This system worked really well overall.
DATA TRACKING APPS
At times, it can be tough to quickly switch data sheets when you have a group of students. I’ve also used apps, such as Super Duper Data Tracker and Percentally Pro. Many of these apps allow you to track qualitative and quantitative data, as well as if your client completed the task independently or required cues. Even better, most will graph the data for you and allow you can email it to yourself! The hardest part of using these apps is if you’re keeping track on an iPad while simultaneously using the iPad in therapy. It simply became too much switching back and forth for me.
DATA TRACKING WEBSITES
This has been my most successful so far. These websites also allow you to track qualitative and quantitative data while tracking how much prompting they need during the session. They graph the data for you and honestly, are overall my favorite way to collect data. My students do not have access to my computer, so there’s no switching back and forth. If I’m sharing my screen, I can share the tab we are working on and still keep data on my screen without them seeing it. It works great for teletherapy as well! My favorites that I’ve tried to far that have data tracking capabilities are SLP Now, SLP Toolkit, and Swivel. I’ve reviewed each of these sites in-depth on my blog.
SLP Now Affiliate Discount: Join using the code KAYLASLP and get $10 off! your membership.
SLP Toolkit Affiliate Discount: You can get 20% off your first year or a free month by signing up using this affiliate link.
PENCIL AND PAPER
What I dislike about most paper and pencil data collection options is that I have to handwrite all the students’ information and goals over and over. It feels like busy work to me! I am much more efficient when I can type, or of course, when I can copy and paste the information. This is why I created the Free SLP Data Collection Sheets.
It's an editable PowerPoint document, so you can copy and paste student goals into the page. This way, you only put the information in once but can print the slide as many times as you need! There are multiple datasheet options to choose from, each with room for notes. After each annual meeting, I revise the goals for each student so it’s ready to print with their updated information.
Once the sheet is filled up, I put it in their working folder to use when progress report time comes back around. This system has worked well for me, but this free product is also editable so you can suit it to match your students' needs and your particular data collection style.
I hope something on here helped! Happy data tracking!
Note: Please know that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
