Longwood University. Master s Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Guidelines for Creation of a Professional Portfolio

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1 Longwood University Master s Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders Guidelines for Creation of a Professional Portfolio A professional portfolio is a documentation and marketing tool that will assist the graduating student to transition into the professional workforce. The purpose of the portfolio is to: Document your knowledge and skills in the practice of speech-language pathology; Showcase your unique strengths or competencies which set you apart as a CF-ready professional in speech-language pathology; Provide a tangible record of your knowledge, skills, and accomplishments for review by the agency or individual who is considering you for employment. From the moment you enter a graduate program in communication sciences and disorders, you should begin to plan for the development of your portfolio by collecting documentation and artifacts from each of your content courses, in-house clinical experiences, and offsite practicum opportunities. The development of a portfolio requires planning, organization, and time. With all of the other demands on your time as a graduate student in CSDS, why should you expend the energy to create a professional portfolio? Read the Q & A below to answer that question. What is the purpose of a professional portfolio? To complete a requirement for CSDS 680 To assist with the preparation for Praxis and the Comprehensive Exam To assist with the preparation for the application and interview process for future employment How will I keep all of my documentation organized and contained? Select a container. You may choose a three-ring binder, an expandable file, an electronic format, or other means of containing and organizing your portfolio. Consider your audience when you choose a container and an organization. Your portfolio should be easily viewed and very comprehensible to your reader. How should I begin? Complete a self-evaluation by answering the following questions: What are your individual competencies or skills that might be different from most other graduates from a CSDS program accredited by ASHA? As the portfolio is a marketing tool, use it to the fullest by setting yourself apart from all the others who will be applying for the same job or other opportunity. Which particular skills or competencies you are gaining from your graduate experience are strengths for you? Which projects, activities, assignments have been superior for you? What additional trainings (PECs? SCERTS?) have you attended that make your graduate experience and preparation unique? What service have you demonstrated to the profession or to the professional community (Memberships in professional organization? Planning of literacy fair or other community outreach? NSSLHA participation above and beyond membership?) Summer 2009 Page 1

2 What s the next step? Collect artifacts which represent your response to the above questions, limiting your selections to 1 or 2 exemplary artifacts per category. You are not building a scrap book, but rather a summary of your professional knowledge, skills, and behavior. Create a skeleton for your portfolio using the recommended organization (see below) with dividers for each section. Use word processing to create labels for dividers, sub-sections, and picture or artifact explanations to make your work look professional. Submit the portfolio skeleton (container + introductory page + dividers) within one week of beginning your first section of CSDS 680. Submit the skeleton to your 680 instructor. Failure to submit the portfolio skeleton according to the required timetable may affect the posting of your final grade in CSDS 680. Submit the completed portfolio within one week of beginning your externship (CSDS 685) which is typically your last clinical experience. Submit the completed portfolio to Dr. Agee. You may also address any questions you have regarding the portfolio to Dr. Agee. Failure to submit the completed portfolio according to the required timetable may affect the posting of your final grade in CSDS 685. How should my portfolio be organized? The following sections should be included in your portfolio: Introductory Page 1. Recent photograph (a professional-looking head shot is preferred). Be careful in choosing a professional-looking photo. NO glamour shots or provocative or silly poses, please! 2. Full name and credentials below picture Table of Contents 1. Numbers on pages should correspond to listing in Table of Contents. Check for accuracy! You want your portfolio to be highly user friendly. 2. Titles of sections should match with divider titles. Divider Sections (Sections 5-7 are optional) 1. Introduction of Self Resume (the Advising and Career Center is an excellent resource for assisting you to prepare and review your resume.) Statement of Personal Philosophy. This statement should be a brief, concise, coherent statement of your view of your future role as a member of the helping professions. What will be your role as an SLP as a member of a collaborative team? What will you give to clients? What do you expect from clients? What interaction style do you bring to the position that you are seeking? This statement is an opportunity to showcase both your vision of yourself as a professional and your written language skills. 2. Summary of Academic Preparation Transcripts Praxis Scores 3. Summary of Professional Competencies KASA (ASHA Knowledge and Skills Assessment) Summer 2009 Page 2

3 Formative or summative assessments that demonstrate your competencies gained from either academic preparation or clinical experience. Artifacts that represent at least 5 of the Big 9 competency areas (swallowing, articulation and phonology, language (in children, in adults), voice, fluency, motor speech disorders, aural (re)habilitation, modes of communication). Choose artifacts that represent your competencies related to each of the following areas: prevention, assessment, and intervention. Choose areas of the Big 9 in which you are strong. BRIEFLY EXPLAIN each artifact with a short narrative describing relevance and significance of artifact. NOTE: Select exemplary lesson plans, treatment plans, diagnostic reports, and progress summaries, but SCRUB the report clean of all personal information in order to preserve client confidentiality. List assessments with which you have a demonstrated proficiency. Description of any adaptations you have made to the assessment approach or process that could be considered authentic or dynamic assessments. Feedback from supervisors documenting assessment or intervention strengths. Examples of home programs you have developed. Examples of case management or consultative or collaborative practice with other stakeholders (parents, caregivers, or other professionals). Evidence of the utilization of multiple resources for treatment, e.g., computer software (such as Earobics, Bungalow, Speech Works), CSL or other instrumentation, etc. Summary of Practica/Externship Experiences Brief description of setting, types of clients, skills gained Practica Evaluations that show strong clinical performance Research Copies of research proposals, pilot studies, or completed research projects in which you assisted or completed independently. Honors, Scholarships, Distinctions Related Experiences Include any significant activities that are outside of the practice of speechlanguage pathology or are extensions of that practice Professional Growth Opportunities Presentations (in-class or for external group). Include copies of handouts or brochures. Include any written evaluation of presentation. Specialized trainings (including HIPAA, first-aid, CPR). Attendance at SHAV or other conferences or trainings. Include summary of conference or training and certificates of completion as documentation. Activities in professional organizations (NSSLHA, for example). Include committee work or organizational offices held. Recommendations o Two letters of professional recommendation o Letters or notes from clients, parents, or colleagues that address an issue of professional growth, a job well-done, etc. Summer 2009 Page 3

4 Final considerations: o As you begin to pull your portfolio together, carefully proofread each page of text for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, vocabulary usage, or sentence construction. Your written work must be exemplary! o Ask a friend or colleague to review your portfolio for "user-friendliness" (i.e. Are things easy to find, are you artifacts well-explained so that even someone without background in CSD would understand the relevance and significance of each artifact?) and "correctness," ( is your language {syntax, mechanics, spelling etc.} professional and correct?) o When selecting artifacts (class papers or projects, for example) for which you have gotten feedback, address the feedback, make corrections, and create a pristine copy before adding it to your portfolio. o Take the portfolio with you to any job interviews and offer to leave it with your interviewer for the next week. Return for your portfolio at the agreed time. o Update the portfolio during your Clinical Fellowship Year to reflect any additional trainings, presentations, or refined competencies. Summer 2009 Page 4

5 Longwood University Communication Sciences and Disorders Portfolio Checklist Directions: Submit this checklist along with the completed portfolio by the end of the first week of CSDS 685. This checklist should appear as the first page of your portfolio. Review the completed portfolio prior to submission and sign the statement below. Submit to Dr. Agee for review and feedback. You will not receive a grade; however, failure to submit the portfolio in a timely manner may affect the posting of your final grade in CSDS 685 and so could delay graduation. Please read and sign below: I have reviewed my portfolio using the checklist below and affirm that the portfolio is both accurate and complete. Additionally, I have asked one other person to preview the portfolio and have responded (with corrections and adjustments as appropriate) to his or her comments or questions. Student Signature: Date of Receipt (to be completed by faculty reviewer): Faculty Reviewer(s): 1. Timeliness Portfolio was submitted according to time requirements. 2. Organization and Contents Portfolio is organized according to suggested format. etc) Introductory Page with Professional Head Shot and Full Name and Credentials Table of Contents Summary of Academic Preparation (including current transcript and Praxis scores, if available) Summary of Professional Competencies (including KASA, representative artifacts, Summary of Practica Experiences Research Honors, Distinctions, Scholarships (optional section) Related Experiences Professional Growth Opportunities Recommendations Summer 2009 Page 5

6 Portfolio contains appropriate artifacts from at least 5 of Big 9 categories Portfolio contains appropriate artifacts that represent skills with prevention, assessment, and intervention 3. Formatting Table of Contents matches up with numbered pages All explanations, descriptions, labels have been created using word processor Sections are separated with dividers 4. Presentation and Mechanics Portfolio is user-friendly in its organization and development Portfolio development evidences planning and attention to details Artifacts are well-explained as to significance and relevance Use of creativity compliments and does not distract from portfolio Use of language is clear, concise, effective, and grammatically correct Use of spelling, capitalization, punctuation are correct Comments: Action: (Reviewer, please check one) Summer 2009 Page 6

7 ( ) Your portfolio is well-designed and well-developed and is ready for distribution. ( ) Your portfolio requires some minor corrections and/or adjustments. Please make corrections prior to distribution. ( ) Your portfolio is incomplete or unsatisfactory in its development or formatting. Please make corrections and adjustments and resubmit to the faculty reviewer(s) by. Summer 2009 Page 7