Congratulations to Virginie Pilon, MPO, for graduating from the Apraxia Kids Intensive Training Institute (Apraxia Boot Camp)!

Virginie Pilon holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in speech and language pathology from the University of Montreal (2006-2007). She then worked in the health sector and the education network in Quebec, Canada. She has now worked for several years at Centre François-Michelle in Montreal, a specialized primary school for children with mild intellectual disability and co-occurring conditions. In parallel, she gave a workshop for speech therapists on intellectual disability at the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec (OOAQ), as well as workshops on childhood apraxia of speech for school professionals. In 2016, she collaborated on the collective work “Le Québec à l’heure des choix, Tome 2” with the vulgarisation text “I tell, you tell, we tell: the use of children’s literature with children with learning difficulties” co-written with fellow teacher, Magalie Paquin-Forest. As of 2022, she is recognized by Apraxia Kids for Advanced Training and Expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech.

Virginie offers services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Apraxia Kids: What are the top 3 things you learned from this training experience?
Virginie: First, a better knowledge of the state of research on CAS in the world right now throughout all the articles we had to read. Second, a good understanding of the Principles of Motor Learning and how to use them in the CAS treatment. Finally, a better lecture of all the process a child and their family must go through from assessment to the end of therapy sessions.

Apraxia Kids: How did the boot camp experience change or expand your network of colleagues/friends?
Virginie: I’m so happy to have developed friendships with my team, we are always happy to reach out and ask questions to one another, as we now share this great experience and knowledge.

Apraxia Kids: How have you implemented the knowledge you gained at Boot Camp?
Virginie: I have the chance to work with a lot of children who live with CAS, so I could get my hand in it rapidly, by applying principles and approaches. The case study we have to write after Boot Camp is a colossal task, but it helped me understand and integrate so much of all I’ve learned.

Apraxia Kids: What is an example of how you have been able to (or plan to) use your expertise as a local resource/support for other professionals and/or families since attending the intensive training?
Virginie: I now explain much more and much better how I work with the children to the parents and my colleagues at the school (teachers, educators, other SLPs…). I hope to be able to help them understand what they can do to help the child too. I also plan to develop workshops and presentations for SLPs, professionals, parents, teachers, educators…

Apraxia Kids: What would you say to someone considering applying to boot camp next round?
Virginie: Prepare for A LOT of work and dedication, but you’ll be well guided and will retrieve a lot from your work and experience.