Penny Morris, M.A., CCC-SLP is a New York State Licensed Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist in Long Island, New York. She has provided services to bilingual students since 2001. Her therapy sessions are conducted in both English and Spanish. Penny is a proud graduate of the Bilingual Extension Institute (BEI) at Teachers College, Columbia University. In 2004, Penny visited a speech clinic in Puebla, Mexico where she enhanced her vocabulary and clinical skills during an immersion experience. She received her B.A. and M.A. from SUNY Buffalo.

This book is designed to help professionals that work with Spanish-speaking students, clients, and patients. The Spanish-speaking population in the United States is increasing and the amount of bilingual professionals is limited. Although the majority of professionals are monolingual English clinicians, current research reveals that despite clinician-client mismatch, gains in both languages could be achieved through “creative collaboration.”

The focus of the first edition of this book was intended for speech-language pathologists that may not speak Spanish or have a minimal level of proficiency. The book includes an overview of “Spanish 101” with an emphasis of speech-language terminology and techniques in a bilingual fashion. 

However, this book can and should be used during treatment sessions with bilingual students to help maintain their Spanish, while learning English (additive bilingualism). Please refer to “EssentialSpanish.com” and read the critical research section. There is no current research to suggest that speaking a language other than English will harm a child (though many professionals still believe this). There are numerous articles that support the use of the home language (L1). Clinicians should advise families and other professionals to promote additive bilingualism (the acquisition of home language/L1 at the same time an additional language is acquired/L2), not subtractive bilingualism (loss of native/home language/L1 as a result of acquisition of new language /L2).

Penny Morris, M.A., CCC-SLP