Pat Van Slyke, Ph.D./CCC/SLP

Title:

Associate Professor
Special Education

Programs/Classes Taught:

Special Education Program

SPE 500 Introduction to Exceptional Children and Adolescents
SPE 501 Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adoles.
SPE 502 Language Development and Challenges in Children and Adolescents
SPE 503 Collaborative and Consultative Teaming and Teaching
SPE 506 Frameworks and Perspectives in Special Education
SPE 508 Critical Literacy
SPE 509 Clinical Literacy
SPE 592C Practicum/Teaching Children and Adolescents with Special Needs
SPE 533 Early Childhood Special Education Diagnostic Assessment
SPE 534 Early Childhood Special Education - Collaboration, Family and Community

Subsequent Certification SPE Coordinator

Areas of Expertise:

Special Education

Speech Language Pathology

Literacy

Response to Intervention (RTI)

Biography:

Language skills are foundational to the process of learning to read, and learning to read is the backbone of academic success. Language and literacy are integrally entwined so that students are able to thrive in the educational curriculum. And who is at the helm in the educational curriculum? Yes, it is the teachers who deliver the instruction, and when students have challenges, many support personnel, such as the speech-language pathologist, special educator, and/or reading specialist, are also involved in the student’s instruction.

Who better to instruct teachers and support personnel in the language/ literacy connection than someone who is knowledgeable, who has taught at many different levels, and has observed, assessed and provided intervention for language challenged children? Bringing my knowledge of evidence – based practice (EBP), my clinical expertise, and my understanding of curriculum and instructional standards to educators is my professional mission. To promote through teaching, speaking and writing the following three things: the connection between language and literacy, the relationship that language foundations have in future academic learning, and the link between academic success, early identification, and appropriate differentiated instruction that matches a student’s learning style are my professional commitments.

Years ago I read an anonymous poem, which I adapted to fit my life. It goes something like this:

In the end, it will not matter how much money I made, or what kind of house I lived in, or if I drove the newest car. What will matter is if I made a difference in a child’s life because he/she can read…..read to learn, read for success, read for fun, AND like to read.

Pat Van Slyke, Ph.D./CCC/SLP

Education:

Ph.D. Special Education, University of Illinois at
Chicago Circle, Chicago, Illinois.
Dissertation: “Language growth after
Multiple Subpial Transection in children
with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome”.

M.S. Speech Language Pathology, Illinois State
University, Normal, Illinois.

B.S. Speech Language Pathology, Illinois State
University, Normal, Illinois.

B.S. Learning Disabilities, Illinois State
University, Normal, Illinois.

Certification and Licensure:

Licensed Speech Language Pathologist, State of Illinois
Type 10 Certification in Speech Language Pathology
Type 10 Certification in Learning Disabilities
Certificate of Clinical Competence, American Speech Language Hearing Association

Research and Interests:

Research areas are in:

Language and Literacy Connection
Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
Differentiated Instruction for Special Learners
Response to Intervention