Being a Speech Therapist in Singapore at Bridging the Gap: How To Get Started and Become the Best Speech Therapist You Can Be

Speech Therapy aims to intervene and help individuals with concerns on communication such as speech, language, voice, fluency, and other cognitive communication, as well as swallowing disorders.

Speech Therapists (also known as Speech-Language Pathologists) work with individuals ranging from infants to elderly ages, to provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders. Their ultimate goal is to help individuals achieve effective communication in all areas of life, including home, work, school, and social situations.

At Bridging the Gap, our speech therapists will conduct two assessments to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses and develop a customized intervention plan tailored to his or her specific needs.

 

Methodologies Our Speech Therapists Use:

  • Articulation Therapy

Focuses on helping children to pronounce sounds correctly through proper tongue, lip, and jaw movements.

  • Language Therapy

Intervenes to address language disorders such as difficulty with vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Activities such as reading, writing and storytelling may be involved.

  • Fluency Therapy

Addresses issues and concerns on stuttering or other fluency disorders. Techniques that are helpful may include breathing exercises, speaking at a slower rate, and practicing speaking in a relaxed environment.

  • Voice Therapy

Aims to help children with concerns on voice disorders such as hoarseness or a weak voice. Exercises involved in this therapy are improvement of breathing and vocal cord function, and techniques on strained voice reduction.

  • Cognitive-Communication Therapy

Used to assist children who have difficulty with memory, attention and problem-solving. Some activities in the session may include the enhancement of memory and attention, as well as strategies and techniques for daily communication.

What Does A Speech Therapist Do?

1. Conduct Assessments

An evaluation on a child’s social communication, language, play skills, voice, fluency, and swallowing abilities to determine the nature or extent of one’s disorder.

2. Develop Treatment Plans

A customized treatment plan will be created based on the given assessment; one that is tailored to develop intervention targeting specific goals necessary for the child.

3. Provide Therapy

These sessions may be one-on-one or in a group setting. Play-based activities and exercises to help children improve communication and swallowing abilities will be facilitated.

 Therapy out of the clinical room – addressing the child’s sensory needs too

4. Work With Other Healthcare Professionals

 To ensure that a child receives comprehensive care, collaboration with other healthcare professionals (e.g., developmental paediatricians, occupational therapists, physical therapist) is involved.

5. Utilize Relevant Technology

Alternative communication devices may be used to help children improve their communication skills.

 

Who Needs Speech Therapy?

  • Children experiencing speech and language delays or disorders
  • Child with social communication deficits or disorders
  • Individuals with neurological disorders
  • Individuals with voice disorders
  • Individuals with fluency disorders
  • Individuals with swallowing difficulties

*In general, speech therapy is beneficial for individuals of all ages who experience communication and/or swallowing difficulty or concerns that adversely affects their day to day living.

How Does Speech Therapy Help Children?

  • Develop conversational and communication skills to improve interactions with others
  • Communicate and express thoughts, ideas, and needs in a clearer way
  • Behave in various social situations and settings appropriately
  • Follow the rules for conversation, which includes personal space and choice of words
  • Improve articulation and clarity of words for less confusion and frustration from both communicator and communication partner(s)
  • To understand non-verbal communication skills such as facial expressions or body language
  • Put words together to form correct sentence structures
  • Understand the meaning of more words and how to use them
  • Use alternative communication devices such as picture exchange communication systems, AAC or text-to-speech programs

Goals of Speech Therapy

1. Improve Speech Production

2. Enhance Language Skills

3. Develop and Enhance Social Communication & Skills

4. Improve Swallowing Abilities

5. Improve Quality of Life

6. Betters Academic and/or Occupational Performance

 

Hear From Our Principal Speech Therapist

Xiao Ying graduated in 2012 with Master of Science in Speech and Language Pathology from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. She is a Fully registered Speech and Language Therapist with the Allied Health Professional Council. She has over 10 years of experience in the field. Her areas of specialization include speech, language, fluency (stuttering) and social communication delays/ disorders, and communication difficulties associated with other disorders, such as the Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and Cerebral Palsy.

Other than supporting the communication needs of children spanning from 1 to 18 years old at the Child Development Unit and the Rehabilitation Centre in NUH as a Senior Speech Therapist, she also provided direct intervention with children and worked with their parents/ caregivers, teachers, doctors, and other allied health professionals to support their communication needs outside of the therapy room.

Xiao Ying believes that human connection is an integral part of the human experience. She strives to understand and connect with each child, and to create a learning experience for them that they enjoy and seek. It is her privilege to be able to help the children who struggle with communication connect with their parents/ caregivers, their teachers, their friends, and the other significant people in their lives.

How To Become A Speech Therapist In Singapore?

1. Obtain A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree In Speech and Language Therapy From A Recognized Institution

There are several universities in Singapore and around the world that offer degree programs in Speech and Language Therapy. Check with the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) in Singapore for a list of recognized institutions.

2. Complete a Clinical Practicum 

Most Speech and Language Therapy programs require students to complete a certain number of clinical hours working with clients under the supervision of a licensed speech therapist.

3. Register with The Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC)

In Singapore, speech therapists are regulated by the AHPC. To practice as a speech therapist, you must register with the AHPC and obtain a valid license.

4. Meet Continuing Education Requirements

To maintain your license to practice as a speech therapist in Singapore, you must meet continuing education requirements set by the AHPC.

5. Apply For Jobs or Start A Private Practice

Once you have obtained your degree, completed your clinical practicum, and obtained your license, you can apply for jobs as a speech therapist in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centres, or other healthcare settings.

Alternatively, you may choose to start your own private practice.

Hear From Our Parents

I have been seeing great improvements on my child in terms of the clarity of his words. So happy to hear that he has been using his words to say what he wants. And I’m grateful that I can finally have a conversation with my son!

Nate’s Mummy

My daughter is always so excited to go to Bridging the Gap! She loves the gym and the teachers too. Me and my wife are so relieved to see her so eager to go to school. Also, we are happy to see that she can say what she wants, and she also starts to play with us at home too.

Arya’s Daddy

My little girl has been very shy and doesn’t have the courage to talk and play with her friends because most of the time she is not understood by her friends. Now, she is more confident and does not speak so fast now. Happy with what we have been seeing from our daughter!

Daisy’s Mummy

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are The Certifications/Qualifications Required To Become a Speech Therapist in Singapore?
To practise as a Speech Therapist, you will require these qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Science in Speech and Language Therapy
  • Masters of Science (Speech & Language Pathology) – Graduate-Entry Level Masters (GEMS) Programme

Source: https://www.nuhs.edu.sg/About-NUHS/careers/NUHS-Allied-Health-Professionals/Pages/Speech-Therapist.aspx

Are Speech Therapists In Demand In Singapore?
Yes! According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), the demand of speech therapy services have been on the rise over the years due to an aging population, an increase in the number of children with developmental needs and gaining more awareness of speech and language related disorders.
Should Parents Prepare Anything Before The Speech Therapy Session?
Before the speech therapy sessions, it would come in handy if the parents could provide information and records about the child’s medical history, developmental milestones, and any concerns or observations they have about their child’s speech and language ability.

In addition, it would also be helpful to bring or inform the therapist about any toys or learning materials that the child finds interesting or motivating to make a more engaging and effective session.  The more information the parents can provide, the better prepared and effective the speech therapist would be in providing individualized intervention for the child.

What Age Is Best To Start Speech Therapy?
The best age to stat speech therapy would vary according to the child’s needs and severity of the speech and language difficulty. However, in general, the earlier the intervention is provided, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

For children with developmental delays or known risk factors for speech and language disorders, it is recommended to start speech therapy as early as possible, even before the age of 2 years. This way, the child’s communication development will be optimized.

For children who display signs of speech language delays, it would be recommended to seek an evaluation from a speech therapist. The evaluation will then help determine whether the child needs speech therapy and the appropriate timing to start if so.

What Should I Expect For My Child’s First Speech Therapy Session?
 The first therapy session is usually concentrating towards evaluation and assessment for the therapist to gather necessary data and observations of the child’s strength and weaknesses that are useful to design a carefully curated treatment plan.
What Is The Cost For Speech Therapy In Singapore?
Bridging the Gap can provide a price range or price per therapy session, and how long it usually takes to see results.