0. An introduction to this blog

In the fall semester of 2022, I completed 25 hours of clinical observation as a prerequisite for a graduate-level program in Speech Language Pathology. In addition to in-person observations, I completed the bulk of these hours through Master Clinician Network (MCN), an online video archive of guided clinical sessions for SLP.

During my observations, I was struck by the talent of the late Dr. Bob Buckendorf, a speech and language pathologist who dedicated 30 years to treating children with communication challenges related to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

This learning journal is a tribute to Bob and aims to share insights from my observations of his practice with autistic children who are either entirely or mostly non-verbal. I also reflect on two talks given by Bob on early language development and share his outlook on the literature, with a focus on language development among autistic children.

The blog is divided into five parts, covering themes that were prominent in both Bob's talks and his sessions that I observed.

• Blog post #1: Early language development, based on two talks by Bob.

• Blog post #2: Pre-linguistic skills.

• Blog post #3: Reciprocity.

• Blog post #4: Using toys and games.

• Blog post #5: The importance of parents.

In each post, I share insights from Bob's outlook on the literature related to the subject of the post and connect them with examples from his practice.

Link to the next blog post:

Blog Post 1: Dr. Buckendorf on the early stages of language development for autistic children