If you’ve ever looked at your caseload and thought, “There’s no way I can keep up with this many students using traditional therapy groups,” you're not alone and you’re also not wrong.

That’s where the 5-minute speech model came in for me. I’ve used it for over five years, and it’s one of those tools I keep coming back to because... it actually works. Is it perfect for every student? Definitely not. But for the right kid, it’s magic.

If you’re thinking about trying it, or gave it a shot and weren’t sure if you did it “right”, here’s what I’ve learned over time.

Who it works best for (in my experience)

This model is most effective for articulation students. Think:

Single sound errors
Phonological processes
Students who are already stimulable for targeted sounds

That last part matters. If a student isn’t stimulable yet, the 5-minute format can feel like you’re spinning your wheels. You need time to teach and elicit the sound first, and that doesn’t really fit into a 3–5 minute window.

But once a student can produce the sound, even at the word or syllable level, this model is a great way to boost consistency, accuracy, and carryover without overloading your schedule.

How I made it work logistically

Getting the actual therapy part down was easy. Scheduling it? Not so much.

At first, I tried squeezing students in between traditional groups, but it was chaos. What eventually worked best was blocking out a full 30-minute chunk and seeing students back-to-back. I’d take a linear path through the school, where I’d start at one end, walk through classrooms, catch 5–6 kids in a row, then head back.

That system worked better for me, and it made it easier to stay consistent week after week.

Pushback happens, and here’s how I handled it

Not gonna lie: I did get some side-eye from teachers and a few questions from parents. The idea of “just 5 minutes” made people think it wasn’t real therapy.

I found that being transparent helped. I explained that 5-minute speech doesn’t mean less therapy, rather it means more frequent, targeted practice. For articulation students working on a single sound, that’s often exactly what they need.

Also? It was hard to argue with the progress data. When teachers saw the kids improving (and how quickly) the buy-in got easier.

Tools I relied on for the best results

I didn’t overcomplicate it, but I also didn’t wing it. A few tools kept me organized and efficient:

Programs like Speedy Speech and 5-Minute Kids give structure when starting out
Articulation Station Hive app became my go-to because it also tracked my data
Quick visuals for cues, mouth placement, etc. Mine were on the iPad (Speech Tutor Pro)
A small binder with tabs between student sections for easy tracking
A tote bag to keep everything with me as I walked through the school
A timer to stay on track (yes, it’s easy to go over with chatty students!)

Why I’ll keep using it
This is one intervention that I’ll absolutely keep using going forward and recommend it to other school SLPs.
It’s not the answer for every student or every goal, but when it works, it really works. You’re maximizing your time, giving students high-rep, targeted practice, and reducing the pull-out time that often disrupts their day.
A few wins that stood out
I’ve had preschoolers who started 5-minute speech with me and were dismissed by kindergarten. These weren’t just “easy” cases. These students made measurable progress and were ready to go.
And with some of my older, trickier students who had been stuck at a plateau? I started to see carryover click when I switched to short, consistent sessions.
Those moments are what keep me coming back to this model, even when the logistics get tricky.
One last thing...
If you’ve tried 5-minute speech and felt like it didn’t work, it might’ve just been the wrong fit for that student, or the setup wasn’t quite right yet. It takes a few tweaks to get your flow, but once you do, it can make your therapy feel way more efficient (and your caseload a little less overwhelming).
Still not sure if it’s worth it? Try it with just a couple of students and see what happens. You might be surprised by how much you can do in just five minutes.