My Journey as a Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist Began Over Two Decades Ago

My adventure into becoming an official bilingual speech-language pathologist began over twenty years ago. I had just completed my Master of Science in Communication Disorders at Southern Connecticut State University and was eager to explore new opportunities. I flew from my hometown in New York to McAllen, Texas where I proceeded to board a bus that crossed the border into Monterrey, Mexico. A chauffeur then drove me to the town of Montemorelos, approximately 75 miles south.

Montemorelos is where I contracted with La Carlota Hospital (Hospital La Carlota) to provide outpatient services. Because there was only one of me for possibly hundreds of miles that doctors knew of, I was forced to treat a myriad of disabilities. One patient was deaf and wanted to learn how to speak. Another lost the ability to communicate after a massive stroke. My favorite visitor was a little girl with Down Syndrome.

On occasion, I visited a nearby elementary school to provide free screenings. There must have been 50 students per teacher. Classes were only half-day, and meals were not served. Some students often arrived without breakfast. Some could not afford school supplies. Most of their parents only had up to a fourth grade education. Side note: When you teach bilingual students who are the first generation in the U.S., please consider their parents’ level of education. We cannot expect parents to support their child at a higher level than they attained.

This was one of my groups. Each member was a beautiful, happy child eager to please their teacher and learn something new, including some of my English slang. My experience in Nuevo León, Mexico gave me a great foundation and love for my profession. If you’ve ever had the desire to serve in another country, don’t give up on that dream. It could turn out to be one of your most rewarding experiences in life. Plus, you can take weekend trips and go sightseeing with new friends. I don’t recommend taking a bus across the desert to the Pacific Coast, though. I did that once on my way to Guadalajara, and the bus broke down!

In Mexico, I had the opportunity to write and publish my first of many books in the profession. Estimulando el Lenguaje en los Años Pre-escolares (Stimulating Language in the Preschool Years) served as a manual of language activities for parents in Mexico to do as much “therapy” as possible without the guidance of a speech therapist. It is out of distribution now, and only I own the last few copies in existence.

I later collaborated with Larry Mattes at Academic Communication Associates in California to create the Bilingual Communication Assessment Resource: Tools for Assessing Speech, Language, and Learning, which has been a popular resource for over a decade.

During the last twenty years, much has changed and improved in the field of communication disorders around the world, and the number of speech-language pathologists in the U.S. alone has more than doubled according to ASHA.

After all these years, I’m still loving my profession and the families I encounter. I currently serve the Spanish-speaking community in Georgia, which is predominantly Mexican. Although their culture is different from my Puerto Rican and Colombian heritage, we are united in language and love for our people.

I proudly run this small business called Bilingual Resources for Therapists and Teachers through Teachers Pay Teachers. It is free for teachers, therapists, and parents to create an account. Download my free products.

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