Clinical instructors play an integral role in preparing students to enter the profession as competent, ethical, and reflective practitioners. By supporting students during clinical placements, clinical instructors enable students to integrate academic knowledge, clinical reasoning, and speech-language pathology values within authentic practice contexts, working with real people, families, communities, and systems.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 1,000 hours in supervised clinical placements throughout the program which includes the minimum 350 supervised clinical hours of direct client contact activities required by the College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists of Saskatchewan (CSASK). Students complete clinical placements across diverse settings including schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, private practice and community-based centers. These placements provide opportunities to address a range of speech, language, voice, fluency, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders in pediatric and adult populations.
Your commitment to mentorship and education is foundational to the future of the profession, and we deeply value the time, expertise, and leadership you bring to speech-language pathology clinical education.
Resources
SLP 901.1: Clinical Placement 1 (1 week)
This clinical placement course introduces students to clinical education in Speech-Language Pathology. This early setting supports students in developing an initial understanding of SLP practice, which is further expanded through classroom and laboratory learning. The experience establishes a foundation for future clinical placements.
*Note: Students will be at a clinical site for one day only.
SLP 902.5: Clinical Placement 2 (5 weeks)
This placement provides a practical learning experience in approved facilities and community agencies. Students begin to apply and integrate foundational knowledge and skills in Speech‑Language Pathology by observing and practicing introductory clinical skills under the supervision of practicing SLPs.
SLP 903.6: Clinical Placement 3 (6 weeks)
This clinical placement course takes place in approved facilities and community agencies for students to apply and integrate knowledge and skills of Speech-Language Pathology. Prior to placement, students receive in-class preparation in communication, culturally relevant practices, and assessment. During placement, students are expected to actively participate in assessments, apply emerging clinical reasoning skills, and build therapeutic relationships while managing a more complex caseload aligned with previous coursework.
SLP 904.6: Clinical Placement 4 (6 weeks)
This placement focuses on the application of knowledge and skills related to more complex Speech‑Language Pathology interventions. Students enhance clinical reasoning and decision‑making and are supported in developing more autonomous practice skills. The placement provides diverse experiences with increasingly complex caseloads.
SLP 905.6: Clinical Placement 5 (6 weeks)
Students gain practical experience managing diverse and complex cases within approved facilities and community agencies. This placement emphasizes independent case management, interprofessional collaboration, and professional identity development, with reduced supervisory support as students approach entry‑to‑practice proficiency.
SLP 906.6: Clinical Placement 6 (6 weeks)
This final placement prepares students for entry‑to‑practice by supporting full caseload management and advanced clinical decision‑making. Students apply advanced knowledge and skills with complex and specialized client populations, with a strong emphasis on professional identity and independent practice within an SLP role.
These resources are recommended for new and returning clinical instructors and preceptors.
- Preceptor Education Program (PEP) - Western University
- An interprofessional training initiative aimed at equipping clinical educators and students for success in clinical education. The program consists of eight self‑paced modules (approximately 30–40 minutes each) addressing preparation, feedback, evaluation, conflict management, and virtual placements.
- Preceptor & Clinical Educator Education - Canada-wide
- Free, interprofessional foundational training for new and experienced preceptors. Topics include orientation, developing learning objectives, effective feedback, managing conflict, and supervising virtual placements.
- Canadian University SLP Preceptor Toolkits & Handbooks
- Examples of Canadian, SLP‑inclusive preceptor handbooks that outline roles, responsibilities, and best practices in clinical education.
- Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) - Practice & Supervision Resources
- National professional resources including supervision, ethics and clinical practice guidance
- University of Alberta - Supervision & Preceptor Resources
- Canadian supervision tools, clinical educator guidance and assessment frameworks
- Dalhousie University - Resources for Clinical Educators (SLP & Audiology)
- Supervision guidelines, resources for supporting students and preceptor education
- University of Toronto - SLP Clinical Education Handbooks
- Examples of Canadian clinical education expectations, assessment and placement structure
- Canadian Assessment of Clinical Competence (ACC) - Speech-Language Pathology
- A nationally recognized competency‑based assessment framework used across many Canadian SLP programs to support consistent evaluation of student performance.
- Council for Accreditation of Canadian University Programs in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology (CACUP-ASLP)
- Provides national accreditation standards and resources that inform assessment expectations in Canadian SLP clinical education.
- UBC/Western Clinical Educator Modules
- Self-directed learning modules for clinical educators focusing on feedback, evaluation, learning objectives, and clinical reasoning.