15 Essential School Supplies for Speech Paths

It’s back-to-school time which means it’s also time to stock up on your essential school supplies! You can find them anywhere from Target to the grocery store. Every store is getting in on the school supply fever! But as a speech pathologist sometimes you don’t know what to get at back-to-school season. And then a couple months later, when you kind of run out of your basic office supplies, you can’t find anything on sale anymore…so annoying.

Here’s a list of all the things that you’re going to need to start off the school year right. Go out and grab them now before they’re all out of stock. Go ahead and download this free speech-focused school supply shopping list (at the end of the blog post) so you’ll be all ready to set up your speech room!

Folders — If you use folders in speech for your students, now is your time to get them for a few cents!
Glue sticks — You will do some kind of craft or scissors and glue activity at school. You will do cutting and gluing: trust me!
Scotch tape — I didn’t use it that much, but when I needed tape at work I could never find it. Get it now!
Markers — I treat myself and buy new markers every August!
Post-it Notes — Post-its are so expensive. Buy some now!
Scissors — You’ll need teacher scissors and kid scissors, but check with administration because they may have extras.
Binders — I keep a couple binders to the side of my desk. One is a “homemade” how-to guide to the computer system I assembled myself. I also keep a binder of student IEP information.
Dry Erase Markers — These are definite must and even if they are provided by the school, you will run out by the end of the year.
Pens — Make sure you have lots of pens! They “walk,” if you know what I mean!
Paper — It might be nice to have one reem of paper of your own, just in case the teacher’s lounge runs out.
Colored Pencils — Last year I found out from the occupational therapist that colored pencils actually increase hand strength.
Notebooks — If you want to start using interactive notebooks with your students, now is the time to buy them!
Envelopes — Sometimes the secretaries run out so keep some on hand to mail notifications to parents.
A pencil box — Keep one for your supplies so that you can keep organized when you travel from school to school.
Glue bottles — Get a couple glue bottles too, but some crafts are easier to make with this kind of glue (as opposed to glue sticks)