The Survival Guide for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists (2000).  By Ellen Pritchard Dodge. Singular Publishing Group, Inc., 401 West A St., Suite 325, San Diego, CA 92101-7904. 384 pages, $53.95. Reviewed by Mitzi M. Ahn, Fairport, NY.

This book is directed toward school-based speech-language pathologists who have caseloads addressing phonological, articulation, language, fluency, voice, hearing, and behavior disorders as well as autism, augmentative/alternative communication, and dysphagia. This resource tool aims to assist in creating programs and delivering services for individuals with the above named disorders. Introductory chapters give information on scheduling, communication, and collaboration. A short chapter is dedicated to the contemporary issue of cultural diversity. Also included in the book are assessment techniques, therapy techniques, reproducible forms, and many tips on the inner workings of a school system.

The book includes many useful and helpful features: a checklist before each chapter to indicate chapter contents, a "question and answer" format highlighted in each chapter, bolded and shaded sections, and clinical tips. There is a suggested reading list and a glossary for each chapter. An appendix includes resources, forms, checklists, and sample letters applicable to the school setting. The book is divided into chapters by disorders. Most chapters include assessment and therapy techniques, home transfer activities, processes, and dismissal criteria, as well as the above mentioned features. However, some chapters do not include the latter half of the above list. The difficult aspect of using this tool is locating needed references. Some forms and graphs are located within the chapters while others are in the appendix. The glossaries at the end of each chapter would prove to be more accessible if consolidated into one master glossary at the end of the book. Also, the clinical tips dispersed through each chapter tend to be too long and wordy. A much-needed addition to this book would be to group all similar resources together or provide a quick index/content page for each section.

Overall, this book would be very helpful for a new speech-language pathologist in the school setting. It includes many morale-boosting, thought-provoking sections, which to some may feel too similar to a self-help book. To read through the whole book would not be effective unless a particular disorder is of interest. Instead, going through the book and marking useful pages for later reference is what this book would most likely be best suited for. The book does meet the publisher' s objectives and would be a welcome addition to most new speech-language pathologists' libraries.