In France, speech therapy is a paramedical occupation which devotes a large part of its activity to providing for reading and writing difficulties. Speech therapy’s field of competence therefore overlaps partly with that of education. On the basis of a sociological inquiry into the recognized competences of speech-therapy, the knowledge it uses and the practical modes of occupational practice, the purpose of this paper is to study the occupation’s autonomy, not only in relation to the medical institution to which it belongs, but also in relation to the educational institution. It thus shows some actual autonomy while also underlying dependency as well as an attempt to distance itself from school.