Clinical Practices of Bilingual, School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists When Providing Services to Bilingual...

The current understanding of speech services for bilingual children remains limited, particularly in states with unique demographic compositions. New Mexico, with its higher proportion of bilingual speakers and providers compared to national averages, offers a valuable context for examining bilingual service practices. This study investigated the clinical practices of bilingual speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in New Mexico schools when providing services to bilingual children.

This qualitative study employed semistructured interviews with five bilingual SLPs who reported having bilingual children on their school-based caseloads. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis procedures to identify patterns in clinical practices.

Five themes emerged from the analysis: (a) systemic structures influence clinical practices; (b) bilingual assessment and intervention is challenging; (c) approach to bilingual communication; (d) strategies for bilingual practice; and (e) need for support as a clinician. These themes were further developed through subthemes that highlighted nuanced aspects of bilingual intervention.

Bilingual SLPs in New Mexico demonstrate approaches largely aligned with evidence-based practices, despite facing significant constraints from environmental factors and external policies. The findings highlight the need for additional resources and systemic support to address the unique challenges of bilingual service delivery. Future research should examine practices across diverse clinical settings and provider types to develop more comprehensive models for supporting bilingual children's communication needs.