Short answer: YES. Let me tell you why.

When I first heard about the 5-minute speech model, I had the same reaction a lot of SLPs probably do: “Wait, how can I get anything done in just five minutes?”

It sounded... rushed. Like I’d be sprinting from kid to kid, hoping to squeeze in enough repetitions to make it count.

But once I actually tried it, like really committed to it for the right students, I realized something surprising: five minutes is plenty of time to make meaningful, measurable progress... if you set it up the right way.

Here’s what I’ve learned after using the 5-minute model for 5+ years, and why I’m still a big believer in what it can do.

It works. Like, really works.

When I’ve used this model with the right students, mainly articulation kids working on a single sound or phonological process, the progress speaks for itself.

Faster goal achievement? ✅
Better carryover into conversation? ✅
Less resistance from students? ✅
Fewer behavior issues because they’re in and out before boredom kicks in? Also yes.

I’ve seen students make huge gains with minimal instructional time. We’re talking about kids who were dismissed by kindergarten because of short, consistent, targeted practice.

And no, I didn’t just feel like it worked, I had the data to back it up. I tracked progress using percentages and regular probes, just like I would in a traditional session. The only difference? We weren’t spending 10 minutes setting up or reviewing last week’s session. We were jumping right in.

Why five minutes is enough (when the fit is right)

Let’s be clear: 5-minute speech isn’t for every student. I say this all the time, and it’s worth repeating.

If a student isn’t stimulable for their sound yet, this model usually won’t cut it. They need more time to establish the sound and practice with support, and 5 minutes just isn’t long enough for that kind of teaching.

But once a student can produce the sound and just needs repeated practice to build accuracy and generalize it? That’s where this model shines.

In five minutes, I can get in:

High reps (like, 100+ productions easy)
Focused feedback
Easy data tracking
Zero wasted time

It’s short, but it's productive.

But is five minutes really enough?

If another SLP asked me that, I’d say:
YES. Get those kids dismissed.

If your goal is to help a student reach mastery and get back to class with strong, confident speech, then yes, five minutes is enough. In fact, it’s often more effective than a traditional group model where kids only get a few turns in a 30-minute session.

You’re removing distractions. You’re maximizing practice time. And you’re keeping things moving.

The key is not trying to force a full lesson into five minutes. You’re not doing intro, warm-up, drill, review, and homework all in one. You’re zoning in on a very specific goal and drilling it with intention.

When it didn’t work

There were times I tried the 5-minute model and it flopped, and every time, it was because the student wasn’t quite ready. They couldn’t produce the sound yet, or needed more visual/tactile cueing than I could realistically give in such a short session.

That doesn’t mean the model is broken. It just means it wasn’t the right fit for that student at that time.

Short doesn’t mean shallow

I used to think therapy had to be long to be effective. But now? I’d argue the opposite. I’ve seen some of my most meaningful articulation progress come from short, focused, high-repetition sessions that barely last the length of a song.

So yes, you really can make progress in 5 minutes. Just make sure you’re using those 5 minutes wisely, and with the right students.