Free ASHA Assistants Certification Exam — speech-language pathology assistants (SLPA national exam) Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the ASHA Assistants Certification Exam — speech-language pathology assistants (SLPA national exam) practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A school principal asks an SLPA to review a newly enrolled student's standardized test scores and decide whether the student qualifies for speech-language services. Under ASHA's SLPA Scope of Practice, how should the SLPA respond?

   1. A. Decline, because interpreting assessment results to determine eligibility for services is reserved for the SLP
   2. B. Proceed, as long as the SLPA met the examiner requirements stated in that test's examiner's manual
   3. C. Proceed, as long as the supervising SLP co-signs the written eligibility decision afterward
   4. D. Proceed, as long as the supervising SLP has verified the SLPA's competence in giving that test

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The SLPA Scope of Practice lists, among activities the SLPA should NOT engage in, "interpreting assessment tools for the purpose of diagnosing disability, determining eligibility or qualification for services." Meeting examiner-manual requirements and having verified competence are conditions that allow an SLPA to administer and score a tool "exclusive of clinical interpretation"; they never authorize the eligibility decision itself, and a co-signature does not convert an out-of-scope interpretation into a permitted task.

   Reference: Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) — Responsibilities Outside the Scope of Practice for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants

2. 2While reviewing yesterday's treatment note in a patient's paper chart, an SLPA realizes they recorded the wrong date. What is the proper way to correct the entry?

   1. A. Cover the wrong date with correction fluid and write the right date over it
   2. B. Draw a line through the wrong date, then sign and date the correction made
   3. C. Rewrite the full note on a new page and shred the page containing the error
   4. D. Erase the wrong date completely and initial the margin beside the new date

   Answer: B

   Explanation: ASHA's documentation guidance states: "The proper way to make changes to documentation is to either create a new entry with the information that has changed or draw a line through the incorrect information and sign and date the change without removing or obliterating what had been written." It adds that changes "should be dated and initialed by the original documenter, not erased, deleted, or whited out." Correction fluid, erasing, or shredding the original removes what was written.

   Reference: ASHA Practice Portal: Documentation in Health Care — Ethical Issues

3. 3With guidance from the supervising SLP, an SLPA wants to take part in prevention activities. According to ASHA's SLPA Scope of Practice, to whom may the SLPA present primary prevention information?

   1. A. Only to clients already diagnosed with a communication disorder
   2. B. Individuals and groups known to be at risk for communication disorders
   3. C. Only to other SLPs attending continuing education workshops
   4. D. Only to families who ask after their child fails a screening

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The Scope of Practice states the SLPA may "present primary prevention information to individuals and groups known to be at risk for communication and swallowing disorders," depending on the setting, training, and SLP guidance.

   Reference: Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) — Responsibilities Within the Scope of Practice for SLPAs, Prevention and Advocacy

4. 4During a classroom visit, a teacher introduces an SLPA to a student's parents as "the speech therapist." Under ASHA's SLPA Scope of Practice and the Assistants Code of Conduct, what should the SLPA do?

   1. A. Let the introduction stand, because the SLPA's name badge already displays the SLPA title
   2. B. Clarify for the parents that they are a speech-language pathology assistant supervised by an SLP
   3. C. Let the introduction stand, because the supervising SLP is named on the student's IEP paperwork
   4. D. Ask the supervising SLP to correct the title at the student's next annual IEP review meeting

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The SLPA is responsible for "Self-identifying (e.g., verbally, in writing, signage, titles on name badges, etc.) as an SLPA to students, patients, clients, families, staff, and others," and the Scope of Practice lists "representing themselves as the SLP" as outside the SLPA's role. The Code of Conduct defines misrepresentation as "Any statement by words or other conduct that, under the circumstances, amounts to an assertion that is false or erroneous," so silently accepting the wrong title in front of the parents is not acceptable even if a badge or the IEP shows the correct roles. Waiting for the annual review leaves the false impression in place.

   Reference: Scope of Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) — Responsibilities Within the Scope of Practice for SLPAs, Service Delivery; Responsibilities Outside the Scope of Practice

5. 5An SLPA tallies a student's responses with check marks on a data sheet during a session and later writes a summary of the student's performance for the SLP. According to ASHA's guidance on school documentation, which item is considered part of the student's record?

   1. A. The check-mark tally sheet used during the session to track each response
   2. B. The lesson plan the SLPA wrote in advance to prepare the session activities
   3. C. A blank copy of the test protocol form before it is used with any student
   4. D. The written summary of performance, such as 70% accuracy with minimal cues

   Answer: D

   Explanation: ASHA explains that check marks and other informal in-session data "are generally not considered part of the designated record set," whereas the interpretation and summary of those data "is meaningful and is considered part of the record." The same guidance states that "Lesson plans are not considered school records," and a test protocol becomes a student record only "Once the protocol has been completed."

   Reference: ASHA Practice Portal: Documentation in Schools — Documentation for Treatment Interventions, Treatment Notes

6. 6An SLPA is helping prepare a prevention session for caregivers of infants at risk for communication disorders. According to ASHA's Preferred Practice Patterns, what does prevention involve?

   1. A. Diagnosing each infant's disorder during the group session
   2. B. Providing information on risks, sensitive to culture and language
   3. C. Prescribing treatment plans for every infant at the session
   4. D. Reviewing each family's insurance coverage for prevention visits

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The Preferred Practice Patterns state: "Prevention involves providing information and guidance to patients/clients, families, other significant persons, or target groups about the risk for or ramifications of a communication or swallowing disorder with sensitivity to cultural and linguistic diversity."

   Reference: ASHA Preferred Practice Patterns for the Profession of Speech-Language Pathology — #8. Prevention Services, Clinical Process

7. 7An SLPA who passed the ASHA Assistants Certification Exam and was awarded ASHA assistants certification is adding a credential after their name on a session note. Which designation correctly identifies that ASHA certification?

   1. A. CCC-SLP
   2. B. C-AA
   3. C. C-SLPA
   4. D. CCC-A

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The Assistants Code of Conduct applies to "Speech-language pathology assistants holding the Certified Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (C-SLPA)" credential. C-AA is the parallel credential for audiology assistants ("Audiology assistants holding the Certified Audiology Assistant (C-AA)"), while the CCC-SLP is the Certificate of Clinical Competence held by the supervising speech-language pathologist, so using it would misrepresent the SLPA as an SLP.

   Reference: ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct — Preamble, list of individuals to whom the Code applies

8. 8An SLPA is told that a box of confidential therapy records has reached the end of the retention period set by district procedures and may now be destroyed. How should the records be disposed of?

   1. A. Shred the documents securely rather than discarding or recycling them
   2. B. Place the documents in the school's paper recycling bin after removing names
   3. C. Return the documents to the families, who may then keep or destroy them
   4. D. Discard the documents in a sealed trash bag in the regular school dumpster

   Answer: A

   Explanation: ASHA's school documentation guidance states: "Confidential records should be securely disposed of by shredding the documents rather than discarding/recycling them." Recycling, regular trash, or handing records out are not secure destruction methods.

   Reference: ASHA Practice Portal: Documentation in Schools — Record Retention

9. 9According to ASHA's Preferred Practice Patterns, who conducts prevention services for communication and swallowing disorders?

   1. A. SLPAs working independently in community outreach programs
   2. B. SLPs, possibly supported by SLPAs under appropriate supervision
   3. C. Any community volunteer who has attended an awareness event
   4. D. Classroom teachers, with SLPs serving only as consultants

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The Preferred Practice Patterns state: "Prevention services are conducted by appropriately credentialed and trained speech-language pathologists, possibly supported by speech-language pathology assistants under appropriate supervision."

   Reference: ASHA Preferred Practice Patterns for the Profession of Speech-Language Pathology — #8. Prevention Services, Individuals Who Provide the Services

10. 10At the first session with a new adult client in an outpatient clinic, an SLPA introduces themself by name and job title. Under the Assistants Code of Conduct, what else must the SLPA make sure the client is fully informed about?

    1. A. The number of supervised fieldwork hours the SLPA completed during training
    2. B. The mailing address the client would use to file an ethics complaint with ASHA
    3. C. The passing score the SLPA earned on the ASHA Assistants Certification Exam
    4. D. The role and the professional credentials of the SLPA's supervising SLP

    Answer: D

    Explanation: The Code of Conduct states: "Assistants shall not misrepresent their credentials and shall fully inform those they serve of their role and the role and professional credentials of their supervising audiologist or speech-language pathologist." Self-identification therefore covers both the SLPA's own role and the supervising SLP's role and credentials. Training hours, exam scores, and the ASHA Standards and Ethics mailing address are real facts about certification and ethics, but the Code does not require them to be disclosed to clients at the start of services.

    Reference: ASHA Assistants Code of Conduct — Principle of Conduct I, Conduct Fundamentals