Managing Linguistic Diversity in the Clinic: Interpreters in Speech-language Pathology

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to offer a contemporary viewpoint on accent services and contend that an equity-minded reframing of accent services in speech-language pathology is long overdue. Such reframing should address directly the use of nonpejorative terminology and the need for nurturing global linguistic diversity and practitioner diversity in speech-language pathology. The authors offer their perspective on affirmative and least-biased accent services, an in-depth scoping review of the literature on accent modification, and discuss using terms that communicate unconditional respect for speaker identity and an understanding of the impact of accent services on accented speakers. Conclusions: Given ongoing discussions about the urgent need to diversify the profession of speech-language pathology, critical attention is needed toward existing biases toward accented speakers and how such biases manifest in the way that accent services are provided as well as in how clinicians conceptualize their role in working with accented speakers. The authors conclude with discussing alternate terms and offer recommendations for accent services provided by speech-language pathologists.

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Preliminary evaluation of applicants to master's programs in speech-language pathology using vignettes and criteria from a holistic review process

10.31234/osf.io/a34zj ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Teresa Girolamo ◽

Stephen Politzer-Ahles ◽

Samantha Ghali ◽

BRITTANY WILLIAMS

Keyword(s):

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Preliminary Evaluation ◽

Barriers To Entry ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Master's Programs ◽

Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽

Holistic Review ◽

Language Pathology ◽

High Level ◽

Future Work

Purpose: Little is known about how others evaluate applicants to master’s programs in speech-language pathology along criteria used during holistic review, despite more programs adopting holistic review. This knowledge gap limits our understanding of whether holistic admissions may offer a more equitable pathway to entering speech-language pathology. This study investigated how faculty and Ph.D. students evaluated applicants to master’s speech-language pathology programs along criteria used during holistic review.Method: We administered a survey online through a Qualtrics platform. Respondents (N = 66) were faculty and Ph.D. candidates in U.S. speech-language-hearing departments. Survey blocks included demographics, professional background, and vignettes. Vignettes featured profiles of applicants to master’s programs in speech-language pathology. Vignettes systematically varied in the indicators of applicant criteria, which were specified at low, moderate, or high levels, or not specified. After reading each vignette, respondents rated the applicant and indicated their admissions decision. Analysis included descriptives.Results: Relative to an applicant who was at a high level for all indicators except cultural and linguistic diversity, respondents ranked applicants who varied in their indicators of criteria levels lower. Respondents were also less likely to make an explicit “accept” decision (versus “waitlist” or “reject”) for this latter group of applicants. Conclusion: Even when implementing criteria used during holistic review, applicants who vary from a “high-achieving” stereotype may still face barriers to entry. Future work is needed to understand the precise nature of how holistic admissions review may play out in actual practice and help increase diversity in the profession.

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Academic and Clinical Preparation for Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Speech-Language Pathology: Program Director Perspectives

Contemporary Issues in Communication Science and Disorders ◽

10.1044/cicsd_36_s_63 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 36 (Spring) ◽

pp. 63-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Cara Hammond ◽

Pamela Mitchell ◽

Michelle Johnson

Keyword(s):

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Program Director ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽

Clinical Preparation ◽

Language Pathology

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Perspectives on Preparing Graduate Students To Provide Services to Diverse Populations in Schools

Perspectives on School-Based Issues ◽

10.1044/sbi11.2.33 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 33-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rochel Lazewnik ◽

Nancy Creaghead ◽

Sandra Combs ◽

Lesley Raisor-Becker

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Linguistically Diverse ◽

Culturally And Linguistically Diverse ◽

Diverse Populations ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Cultural Backgrounds ◽

School Settings ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Practicum Experiences

Abstract In today's school settings, speech-language pathologists are likely to engage in assessment, intervention, and consultation for students from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Therefore, speech-language pathology graduate programs must make changes that will prepare monolingual and bilingual graduate students to meet the needs of these children. Graduate students can learn information about cultural and linguistic diversity through independent courses and when these topics are incorporated into all courses. Practicum placements and experiences with children from culturally and linguistically diverse populations in the community can provide the necessary skills. When practicum experiences with diverse children are not available, faculty may consider simulated experiences, as well as experiences with typical speakers from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

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The Influence of Linguistic Bias Upon Speech-Language Pathologists’ Attitudes Toward Clinical Scenarios Involving Nonstandard Dialects of English

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00382 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-17

Author(s):

Catherine Easton ◽

Sarah Verdon

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Service Provision ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Clinical Scenarios ◽

Language Pathology

Purpose Variation within languages, including dialects, takes on an indexical function, marking belonging and connection. Meanwhile, attitudes toward these speech varieties become marked by linguistic bias. Within the speech-language pathology profession, research evidence, assessment tools, and intervention programs have largely been designed for and by the White, English-speaking middle class. As such, linguistic bias with a preference for standardized dialects is prevalent in the training and practice of the speech-language pathology profession, resulting in discriminatory and racialized practices. Method To investigate the influence of linguistic bias upon speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') clinical decision making, data were collected from 129 Australian SLPs via an online survey. Inferential statistics were used to investigate the relationship between clinical decision making and SLPs' attitudes toward nonstandard dialects as well as personal and professional factors. A content analysis of extended responses was conducted to identify themes in clinical decision making. Results SLPs with more years of experience and those who had received professional development were significantly more likely to seek out more information before making a diagnosis, while those with more negative attitudes toward linguistic diversity were significantly more likely to identify a disorder than a difference. SLPs provided a range of justifications for their clinical decision making, but few acknowledged the influence of their own attitudes and bias upon their decision making. Conclusions SLPs' linguistic bias towards speakers of nonstandard dialects has the potential to impact upon their clinical judgment of difference versus disorder and lead to inequality of service provision for speakers who do not express themselves in standardized forms. Before the profession can truly move toward an antiracist approach of equitable service provision for all, SLPs must engage in critical self-reflection to disrupt the adherence of the speech-language pathology profession to standardized “White” norms of communication.

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Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Admissions: Implications to Diversify the Workforce

Communication Disorders Quarterly ◽

10.1177/1525740120961049 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 152574012096104

Author(s):

Mark Guiberson ◽

Debra Vigil

Keyword(s):

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Graduate Programs ◽

Survey Study ◽

Diverse Students ◽

Degree Programs ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽

Graduate Admissions ◽

Professional Degree ◽

Language Pathology

The purpose of this survey study was to describe screening and admission processes and considerations for graduate speech-language pathology (SLP) programs, with an eye for how programs consider cultural and linguistic diversity (CLD) in these processes. Responses were obtained from 110 graduate SLP programs. In addition to admission processes and decisions, the survey also asked specific questions about how bilingualism was considered, holistic admission processes and outcomes, and barriers to recruiting students from CLD backgrounds into programs. Based on results obtained as well as knowledge from admission considerations for other professional degree programs and trends in the field, the authors present promising undergraduate supports and holistic admission processes to recruit diverse students to graduate programs.

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Integrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Issues Into the Multicultural Curriculum in Speech-Language Pathology: Instructional Strategies and Learner Perceptions

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_pers-sig14-2018-0007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 384-394 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nidhi Mahendra

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Historical Context ◽

Care Providers ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Future Health ◽

Multicultural Curriculum ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Diversity Issues

Purpose Instructors teaching courses on diversity issues in communication sciences and disorders do not typically or uniformly teach about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) culture. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with a detailed description of the importance, historical context, and pedagogical methods for integrating LGBTQ content and history into courses on diversity issues for speech-language pathology and audiology students. Conclusion Content on LGBTQ culture and history merits inclusion in the curricula for future health care providers given the backdrop of historic and continuing discrimination as well as persistent health disparities among LGBTQ-identified persons. This article provides one example of the instructional design of an LGBTQ teaching module, embedded into a required course on cultural and linguistic diversity for speech-language pathology students. This preliminary investigation revealed that learners responded positively to this content module, demonstrating interest and engagement as well as improved awareness and knowledge for better serving LGBTQ clients.

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Preliminary Evaluation of Applicants to Master's Programs in Speech-Language Pathology Using Vignettes and Criteria From a Holistic Review Process

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2021_ajslp-20-00352 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Teresa M. Girolamo ◽

Stephen Politzer-Ahles ◽

Samantha Ghali ◽

Brittany Theresa Williams

Keyword(s):

Linguistic Diversity ◽

Preliminary Evaluation ◽

Barriers To Entry ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Master's Programs ◽

Cultural And Linguistic Diversity ◽

Holistic Review ◽

Language Pathology ◽

High Level ◽

Future Work

Purpose Little is known about how others evaluate applicants to master's programs in speech-language pathology along criteria used during holistic review despite more programs adopting holistic review. This knowledge gap limits our understanding of whether holistic admissions may offer a more equitable pathway to entering speech-language pathology. This study investigated how faculty and PhD students evaluated applicants to master's speech-language pathology programs along criteria used during holistic review. Method We administered a survey online through a Qualtrics platform. Respondents ( N = 66) were faculty and PhD candidates in U.S. speech-language-hearing departments. Survey blocks included demographics, professional background, and vignettes. Vignettes featured profiles of applicants to master's programs in speech-language pathology. Vignettes systematically varied in the indicators of applicant criteria, which were specified at low, moderate, or high levels or not specified. After reading each vignette, respondents rated the applicant and indicated their admissions decision. Analysis included descriptives. Results Relative to an applicant who was at a high level for all indicators except cultural and linguistic diversity, respondents ranked applicants who varied in their indicators of criteria levels lower. Respondents were also less likely to make an explicit “accept” decision (vs. “waitlist” or “reject”) for this latter group of applicants. Conclusions Even when implementing criteria used during holistic review, applicants who vary from a “high-achieving” stereotype may still face barriers to entry. Future work is needed to understand the precise nature of how holistic admissions review may play out in actual practice and help increase diversity in the profession.

Download Full-text