The influence of cultural, linguistic, group, and personal characteristics on speech-language pathologists and on speech-language pathology. Cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills; providing culturally and linguistically appropriate clinical services for all clients, families, and communities; and multicultural competence in the domains of professional practice.
Athena Title
Multicul Iss Speech Lang Path
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in CMSD 6640E
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
As a result of having participated in this course, students will increase their ability to recognize the influence of culture on their own thinking and practices, on their clients’ perceptions and needs, and on the overall practice patterns of speech-language pathology in the United States.
As a result of having participated in this course, students will increase their ability to explain, critique, and combine multiple culture-related requirements and resources for professionals, including those provided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and others.
As a result of having participated in this course, students will increase their ability to analyze and synthesize research reports and other sources of information about people, languages, communication, communication disorders, and culture.
As a result of having participated in this course, students will increase their ability to apply this information to their own professional actions in service delivery and in the domains of professional practice, as defined by ASHA’s Scope of Practice for Speech-Language Pathology.
Topical Outline
1. Introduction, ASHA’s Requirements, and Other Necessary Frameworks
- self-assessment and studying culture at a professional level
- models for culturally appropriate professional practice from SLP, education, and medicine
- intent and impact; potential positive and negative influences of cross-cultural speech-language pathology; consideration of our roles as SLPs for clients whose identities differ from our own
2. Language as a Central Cultural Issue for SLP
- bi/multilingual language development in children
- bi/multilingualism as typical and multidimensional
- working with clients, families, and colleagues whose English, dialects, or languages differ from our own
- working with interpreters and translators
- African American English and the influence of race-based stereotypes on linguistic judgments
3. Group Tendencies and Individual Characteristics Other than Language
- influence of potential group tendencies and individual identities within SLP practice (e.g., power distribution, uncertainty avoidance, gender, (dis)ability, age, religion, wealth, fertility)
- consideration of relationships among identities, privilege, and oppression in the context of SLP
4. Specific Clinical Practices – “How To” in the Domains of Clinical Service Delivery
- specific clinical practices with children, including for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of childhood-onset speech or language disorders in the context of the child's own cultural and linguistic background
- specific clinical practices with adults, including for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment of acquired speech or language disorders in the context of the client's own cultural and linguistic background
5. Beyond Specific Clinical Practices – “How to” in the Domains of Professional Practice
- cultural and linguistic issues for advocacy and outreach, supervision, education, research, and administration and leadership in SLP
