Overview

The module 'Intro to Speech and Language Therapy' provides an extensive overview of the speech and language therapy profession, emphasizing collaborative work with individuals facing diverse speech, language, and communication challenges. Starting with an exploration of head and neck anatomy, physiology, and neurology, it progresses to examining developmental and acquired communication conditions across various populations. Students gain insights into assessing, managing, and ethically addressing these conditions, applying linguistic principles in clinical settings and working with culturally diverse and bilingual patients. This module serves as a preparatory step for aspiring speech and language therapists, offering opportunities for practical application through assignments like case study reports, therapy session design, and presentations. Neurology in acquired communication disorders, swallowing difficulties, developmental conditions including dysfluency, phonological disorders, and co-occurring issues like Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down syndrome are explored, focusing on diagnostics, treatment options, and therapeutic outcomes via case studies. Additionally, the course covers counseling strategies, considerations for bilingual patients, alternative communication methods, and ethical/professional standards through lectures, readings, and class discussions. Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; dedicated lab facilities for experiments, a professional grade sound isolation booth and high-end recording equipment setup, acoustic and phonetic analysis software and clinically recognised standardised psychometric and language tests.

The course will begin with an overview of the profession, contexts and clients, followed by an introduction to the anatomy and physiology of head and neck mechanisms. We will then investigate neurology in the context of acquired communication disorders (affecting articulation, voice, expressive and receptive language, literacy, and cognition), as well as swallowing and feeding difficulties, followed by exploration of developmental communication conditions, including dysfluency, phonological and language disorders, and co-occurring conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, and pragmatic difficulties. Specific emphasis will be placed on assessment, diagnosis, and management processes, client counselling, working with bilingual populations (including Welsh speakers and English language learners), signing systems and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), and ethical and professional expectations within the field.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold (D- to D+) Submitted work is adequate and shows an acceptable level of competence as follows: 1.Generally accurate but with omissions and errors.2.Assertions are made without clear supporting evidence or reasoning.3.Has structure but is lacking in clarity and therefore relies on the reader to make links and assumptions.4.Draws on a relatively narrow range of material.

Good (C- to B+) Submitted work is competent throughout and may be distinguished by superior style, approach and choice of supporting materials. It: 1.Demonstrates good or very good structure and logically developed arguments.2.Draws at least in parts on material that has been sourced and assessed as a result of independent study, or in a way unique to the student.3.Assertions are backed by evidence and sound reasoning.4.Accuracy and presentation in an appropriate academic style.

Excellent (A- to A*) Submitted work is of an outstanding quality and excellent in one or more of the following ways: 1.Has originality of exposition with the student’s own thinking being readily apparent.2.Provides clear evidence of extensive and relevant independent study.3.Arguments are laid down with clarity and provide the reader with successive stages of consideration to reach conclusions.

Learning Outcomes

• Differentiating between causal factors of speech, language, and communication disorders.

• Evaluating the principles and practices of intervention and management in the profession of speech and language therapy and generating an awareness of the sense of professional identity needed within the contexts experienced by a speech and language therapist.

• Identifying and describing professional practices, issues, and responsibilities involved in the delivery of speech and language therapy services.

• Identifying and interpreting principles and practices of assessment, intervention, interpersonal relationships, and team building in the profession of speech and language therapy.