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Elise Ringel is one of three full-time Speech-Language Pathologists at Aaron School Elementary and Middle School. She holds CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence for Speech-Language Pathologists) certification through The American Speech and Hearing Association and TSSLD (Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities) certification through New York State. Elise recently sat down for an interview with music teacher Joseph Lee who wanted to learn more about the speech-language therapy services offered at Aaron School.

When did you start working at Aaron School?

I started working at Aaron School in November 2020.

What is Speech-Language Pathology?

Speech-Language Pathology is a wide field that focuses on diagnosing and treating a range of communication and swallowing problems. Some problems may include the way we say sounds and put words together, how well we understand what we hear and read, how our voices sound, social rules we follow when talking with others, as well as feeding and swallowing difficulty. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work with all ages, from babies to adults. Working in a school, I primarily focus on speech sound, language, and social communication problems with students from K-7th grade.

Where did you study to become a Speech-Language Pathologist, and what are some courses you needed to take?

For undergraduate school I attended Loyola University Maryland, where I majored in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences with a minor in Special Education. Afterwards, I attended graduate school at New York University, where I received my masters degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders. In graduate school, I took a wide array of classes to reflect the various settings a speech-language pathologist may work. For example, I took classes such as motor speech disorders, voice disorders, dysphagia in children and adults, and language disorders. While in graduate school I also had the opportunity to spend a semester studying at Lund University in Sweden, where I was able to visit research labs, international schools, and companies focusing on the development of new speech therapy related technologies such as eye-tracking. After receiving my master’s degree, I began a 36-week supervised clinical fellowship at a charter school in NYC. I continue to take continuing education courses so that I can learn more about the field of speech-language pathology and how to better serve our students!

How do you design specific activities and interventions for our students?

When designing my lesson plans and activities for speech therapy, I first consider the needs and interests of each student. I want to make sure that the intervention is engaging to the student so that the underlying skills are disguised like a fun activity rather than hard work! I also continue to take courses and read research about new intervention strategies for speech and language therapy to incorporate this new information into my therapy approach.

What is your favorite thing about working at Aaron School?

My favorite thing about working at Aaron School is the sense of community between the students and staff. I am very fortunate to work at a school with such a great group of teachers, therapists, administration, and students!

When not at work, what are some of the interests and hobbies you pursue?

On the weekdays after work I enjoy reading, running, and taking Pilates classes. On the weekends I love trying new restaurants with my friends and attending different comedy shows. One of my favorite things to do is travel, so I am most looking forward to being able to visit new countries on my bucket list!