Speech pathology experience helps with special education
Chad Hunter

Chart Reporter

While Elizabeth Betebenner, instructor, was growing up in Oklahoma City, she decided she wanted to become a speech pathologist. That decision eventually led her to teach at Missouri Southern.

She graduated form St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., with degrees in psychology and speech science. She then received her Master of Science in speech language/ pathology from Phillips University in Enid, Okla.

 My training as a speech pathologist led to helping more special education children,  she said.

Betebenner teaches several of the special education classes in the teacher education department as a full-time faculty member.

 I find that speech pathology lends itself to teaching by showing how to deal with special education children,  she said.

She is also an adviser for students declaring special education as a major.

Before coming to the College full time, Betebenner worked here as an adjunct professor. She has also worked for the Joplin R-8 school district, Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare among others.

 I feel moving around led to more varied experiences,  Betebenner said.

Through these experiences, she believes she has gained some insight to give to her students.

 Speech pathology is more one-on-one; special education is much the same in that you look at the individual needs of the student,  she said.

Betebenner came to Joplin with her husband Curt, director of the Southern Foundation.

 My husband is from here and wanted to be by his family,  Betebenner said.

She teaches both day and night classes.

 I m more comfortable teaching a night class,  Betebenner said.  I can cover a topic in its entirety. The difficulty is keeping it interesting.

 I enjoy interacting with the students and impacting more teacher candidates about a young child s skills and needs. 

When she s not teaching, Betebenner enjoys snow skiing, cooking and gardening. She is also interested in training assistance dogs for the handicapped. She went to a conference for Animal Assistance Therapy, and her love of dogs joined hand-in-hand to give her the interest in the training.

For now, Betebenner enjoys teaching, but if this profession wasn t possible, she would enjoy owning a plant nursery.

Jessica Firor/The Chart

Instructor Elizabeth Betebenner teaches her educational psychological testing in special education class how to prepare tests for its students. She returned to the Joplin area to be closer to family.