Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies - Volume 14, issue 1

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14101

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. i-i, 2004

Authors: Walsh, Irene | Sloane, Pauline

Article Type: Editorial

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14102

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. ii-ii, 2004

Authors: Creed, Aisling

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper examines the abilities of a group of individuals with and without brain damage to process idioms. The investigation consisted of a survey and a specially devised assessment. Ten idioms were selected from the survey, five of which could be interpreted in both a literal and a non-literal sense; the other five could only be interpreted in a non-literal sense. The assessment consisted of definition, multiple-choice, and collocation tasks. Both brain damaged and non-brain damaged groups experienced difficulties with some of the tasks. All subjects were most accurate on the collocation task, followed by the multiple-choice task, and then …followed by the definition task. Both found it significantly easier to process the idioms that could only be interpreted in a non-literal sense. This suggests a possibility that these types of idioms carry a lighter cognitive load, because there is no question as to whether the intended meaning is literal or non-literal. The implications of these findings for clinical practice are discussed. Show more

Keywords: idioms, literal, non-literal, salience, brain damage, left hemisphere, right hemisphere

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14103

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-34, 2004

Authors: Howorth, Caroline

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper explores whether using contextual information affects the ability of the person with chronic schizophrenia to mentalise, that is, to use their Theory of Mind (ToM) skills. Put simply, peoples’ mental states (i.e. their feelings, intentions, desires) are ‘invisible’ and therefore need to be hypothesised. Such hypothesising requires a Theory of Mind (ToM) (Cahill & Frith, 1996). Lacking a Theory of Mind (ToM) may be one explanation for some pragmatic language impairments often seen in people with schizophrenia, for example, failing to take listener needs into account. The research question was investigated by assessing five participants’ …ToM skills within three target areas. The target areas were understanding of irony, false beliefs and humour. Each area was assessed first within an informal conversational context, and subsequently in a formal test environment. Performances in each environment were then compared. Comprehension of false beliefs provided a clear area of strength for all participants in both conversational context and a formal test environment. Performance on false belief tasks was strongest in conversation. In contrast, comprehension of both irony and humour was found to be considerably impaired in all live individuals, across both presentations. Further, successful performance on irony and humour tasks decreased in conversation. Therefore, irony and humour were believed to require more complex mentalising skills. The importance of the role of context in facilitating understanding in communication, and in creating a more accurate representation of the language and communication skills of people with chronic schizophrenia, has been supported by the findings of this study. Show more

Keywords: schizophrenia, theory of mind, irony, humour, false beliefs, contextual information

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14104

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 35-63, 2004

Authors: Murphy, Kathleen

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper aims to outline some of the advantages and disadvantages of the implementation of a problem based learning approach to education. A questionnaire was devised which consisted of five open-ended questions that explored students’ perceptions of PBL and was distributed to first year and second year speech and language therapy students at Trinity College Dublin. Some of the advantages found in teaching psychology through PBL were as follows: the learning is deeper and more meaningful; the learning is fostered by a problem which is relevant to the students’ profession and solutions are generated as a result of teamwork, analysis …and synthesis. Some of the disadvantages can include: a lack of meaningful interaction between students until the process itself had been learned and a perception of increased workload. The results indicate that while some of the practical issues of PBL, like workload and the ambiguity of the learning issues, are seen as disadvantages by the students, they appreciate on problem resolution that they have explored the issues more thoroughly and have thereby learned more deeply. Show more

Keywords: Problem based learning, education, speech and language therapy

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14105

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 64-76, 2004

Authors: Hayden, Aoife

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Ireland has long been a country with speakers of more than one language. This is reflected in acknowledgement of both Irish and English as official languages since the creation of the state. In more recent times however, the number and variety of bilingual and multilingual speakers has increased greatly. This has significant implications for speech and language therapy services in particular. This article reviews the literature on speech and language therapy and bilingualism. It furthermore describes the results of research investigating the current provision of services to bilingual clients in a selected Irish regional health authority. A lack of appropriate …services to bilingual clients is identified and some recommendations are made for improving service provision. Show more

Keywords: bilingualism, speech and language therapy services, guidelines, advice, interpretative services

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14106

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 77-99, 2004

Authors: Kallen, Jeffrey L.

Article Type: Discussion

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14107

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 100-110, 2004

Authors: Cederman, Kaye

Article Type: Discussion

Abstract: In Ireland over the last two years it has become apparent that Health Boards are progressively more interested in providing inclusive child health and disability services which work in a transdisciplinary way. Indeed the newly established Mid-Western Regional Child Development Centre and Early Intervention Services have instigated transdisciplinary, play-based assessments of a child’s cognitive, social-emotional, sensory-motor and communication areas. The rationale underpinning this method argues that when professionals get alongside the family to share roles and responsibilities and purposely cross disciplinary boundaries, all participants learn from each other and work together to progress the goals of each child and family. …But what might be some of the implications of this ‘trans’ method of collaborative practice for speech & language therapists? The paper critically appraises transdisciplinary practices which are inclusive, holistic and non-hierarchical. Show more

Keywords: Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment, holistic, speech and language assessment, intervention, parent-centred

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14108

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 111-116, 2004

Authors: Logan-Phelan, Theresa

Article Type: Discussion

Abstract: Speech and language therapy (SLT) services arc increasingly in demand. Obviously, the infrastructure to attract new therapists and provide them with continuous education, and their clients with accessible services has not changed at the same pace. The evolution of the World Wide Web (WWW)has provided us with a host of technological communicative tools, which allow people to connect and communicate with each other like never before. Despite distance, location and time, with a computer connected to the web we can all have access to these standardized communications tools. There is some preliminary evidence, reviewed in this paper, that Information and …Communication Technologies (ICTs), and in particular, the web, could offer the tools to bridge those gaps. This paper reviews a number of web resources such as information websites, on-line communities, web-based education for SLTs, preventive and therapy programmes which represent current practice in the use of the web in SLT in Ireland. The objective is to present some of the ways the web is currently used in supporting SLT and open up discussion for exploring new opportunities and potential for the integration of the World Wide Web to the profession. Show more

Keywords: speech & language therapy, e-learning, information technology, world wide web

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14109

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 117-126, 2004

Article Type: Book Review

DOI: 10.3233/ACS-2004-14110

Citation: Journal of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 127-134, 2004