‘There’s this big fear around palliative care because it’s connected to death and dying’: A qualitative exploration of the perspectives of undergraduate students on the role of the speech and language therapist in palliative care

Background: Speech and language therapy in palliative care is a developing discipline of clinical practice. Research literature has highlighted that undergraduate palliative care education in speech and language therapy is inconsistent and inadequate. However, limited research has been carried out to date in relation to student speech and language therapists and palliative care. Aim: To explore the role of speech and language therapists in palliative care from the perspective of speech and language therapy students in Ireland. Design: A qualitative descriptive research study was conducted, involving focus group interviews. Setting/participants: Purposive sampling was used to recruit 12 student speech and language therapists from one university site for this study. Undergraduate second, third and fourth year students were eligible for inclusion. Results: This study revealed that undergraduate student speech and language therapists collectively agree that there is a role for speech and language therapy in palliative care. Although students acknowledged that speech and language therapists can make a positive difference to patients’ lives, and academic lectures were positively received, insufficient exposure to palliative care has resulted in fear, uncertainty and a lack of confidence amongst student speech and language therapists. Conclusions: A greater emphasis on palliative care is needed in undergraduate speech and language therapy education to ensure confidence and competency development. An exploration of student speech and language therapists’ experiences in a specialist palliative care unit would be advantageous to determine the appropriateness of this setting for clinical placements.

Telepractice in service delivery: A survey of perspectives and practices of speech and language therapists in Ireland during COVID-19

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 accelerated telepractice implementation in speech and language therapy (SLT) in Ireland. OBJECTIVE: This study documents the service delivery changes that took place in the SLT profession in Ireland during the public health crisis. METHODS: An online survey of speech and language therapists (SLTs) in Ireland was conducted from June-September 2020 to investigate their perceptions of telepractice. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and frequency distribution. RESULTS: 173 SLT responses were analysed. Over half of the participants worked in urban locations. Respondents’ years of experience varied from less than four years to over 20 years. Slightly over half the participants reported using telepractice, with 85% starting to use telepractice in the six months prior to the survey. Telepractice uptake was not influenced by participants’ professional experience or geographical location (p > 0.05). Almost all participants who used telepractice were trained informally (92%,). Telepractice was most commonly used with school-aged children with developmental language and speech sound disorders. Respondents perceived that telepractice was not suitable for all individuals who need SLT, including those with complex needs. Clinicians reported that telepractice facilitated access to therapy for clients and opportunities to see clients in their own environments. Technology barriers were the biggest hurdle to telepractice use. CONCLUSIONS: Uptake of telepractice by the SLT profession in Ireland was widespread during COVID-19, highlighting the profession’s flexibility and innovation. Respondents indicated they are likely to continue to use telepractice as a complementary service delivery model post-COVID due to the distinct benefits for clinicians and clients.

Nonword Repetition Performance Differentiates Children Who Stutter With and Without Concomitant Speech Sound and Developmental Language Disorders

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine how nonword repetition (NWR) performance may be impacted by the presence of concomitant speech and language disorders in young children who stutter (CWS). Method: One hundred forty-one children (88 CWS and 53 children who do not stutter [CWNS]) participated. CWS were divided into groups based on the presence of speech sound and/or language disorder or typical speech sound production and language abilities. NWR abilities were measured using stimuli composed of one- to four-syllable nonwords. Results: CWS with typical speech and language and CWNS had higher accuracy scores than CWS with concomitant speech and language disorders. We found no difference in accuracy scores between CWNS and CWS with typical speech and language abilities, nor did we find differences between CWS with speech sound disorder and CWS with both speech sound and language disorders. Accuracy decreased as nonword length increased for all groups. Conclusions: We found that the presence of a concomitant speech and language disorder was a driving factor behind poorer NWR performance in CWS. Accuracy scores differentiated CWS with concomitant disorders from CWS with typical speech and language but not CWS with typical speech and language from CWNS. Considering the speech and language abilities of CWS helped clarify poorer NWR performance and enhances generalizability to the population that exists clinically.

Mobile Technologies in Learning the Chinese Language for Students of Non-Linguistic Courses

The methodological potential of mobile technologies in teaching Chinese language to students of non-linguistic areas of training is considered. The author defines the term “mobile learning,” offers a list of mobile technologies that can be used in teaching Chinese language, and develops a nomenclature of speech and language skills formed by students of non-linguistic training areas based on mobile technologies. The author demonstrated the advantages of using mobile phones in learning Chinese language as a second language. The areas of mobile language-based learning discussed in this research are vocabulary, listening, grammar, phonetics, and reading comprehension.

Studying peculiarities of variability of speech, language and motor processes in children with dysarthria

Introduction. The author investigates the problem of communicative development of children with dysarthria. The purpose of the research is to reveal the characteristic features of the variability of speech and motor processes in children with dysarthria (in particular, with a mild degree of pseudobulbar dysarthria) and to prove the existence of comorbidity levels of the disorders under study. Materials and Methods. The research is based on international and Russian refereed studies into language and speech, movements for organizing the communicative development of children with dysarthria (L. V. Lopatina, O. G. Prikhodko, T. V. Tumanova, T. B. Filicheva, G. V. Chirkina, Michael Robb, Kathleen Wermke). The research program was complemented by the application of an innovative technology based on biofeedback - Pablo System. The experimental study was conducted at preschool educational settings in Moscow (the Russian Federation). The sample consisted of 450 older preschool children with dysarthria (with a mild degree of pseudobulbar dysarthria) and a similar number of peers without speech disorders. Results. The article describes a modern interdisciplinary problem of studying speech and language and movement disorders in children with dysarthria (mild degree of pseudobulbar dysarthria, erased dysarthria, minimal dysarthric disorders) in the context of determining their codependency and conjugation. The study revealed variative characteristics of speech and language disorders and movement disorders in children with dysarthria. General and specific errors of speech and language and motor disorders in preschoolers of the experimental group were determined. The levels of comorbidity of speech-language and motor processes in children with dysarthria have been identified and scientifically substantiated. Conclusions. In conclusion, the author summarizes the main features of the variability of speech, language and motor processes in children with dysarthria.

Ethical Representation of Speech while Communicating in the Short Film “Pemean”

This study analyzes the ethics of one of the characters in the film "Pemean" through the speech and language he uses based on sociolinguistic studies. Background: this research departs from ethical problems in the use of speech used by the community when communicating in terms of the dialogues in the conversation of the film "Pemean". Objective: This study aims to provide understanding and skills in the use of speech and ethics that can be implemented properly in everyday life. Question: The question of this research is what is the relationship between speech and language through conversation used by the characters in the short film “Pemean”, which is based on people's reactions. Method: In this study, the researcher uses a qualitative method with a descriptive narrative approach, where the researcher analyzes the short film "Pemean" from the language side of the character's dialogue and relates the dialogue to the prevailing ethics in Indonesia, especially in the Java based on the results of questionnaires and interviews. Respondents are Javanese people aged between 15-30 years and understand the context of conversation and language use in the short film "Pemean". Research data: results of questionnaires and interviews as well as dialogues of the characters in the film "Pemean". Results: the analysis of this study resulted, 1) A person's speech reflects that person's behavior; 2) Most people choose to remain silent or ignore them when they find a figure like Mbak Sum's character. Recommendation: for further research, we hope that researchers can find out how a person's speech can reflect his behavior and the reason why people prefer silence in dealing with someone like Mbak Sum. Limitation: on the relationship between a person's speech and language with his behavior and attitudes taken by society in responding to similar problems as in the movie.