Style and Delivery in Speech Pathology

The goal of a speech pathologist is to teach others how to communicate. In class, we have studied that style is the how of speech. So really, you could say that speech pathology is a low style of communication (between patients and therapists) focused on improving an individual's ability to apply style while communicating. The situation of the client determines the method used to increase style application and thus improve quality of life. Though each therapy is unique, there are a couple of constants I have identified in regards to style on the part of the speech pathologist:

1. Low Style

Speech therapists must maintain a low level of style while communicating with clients. The goal is to teach effectively so that the individual can learn the skills they lack. For example, individuals on the autistic spectrum often have a hard time interpreting facial expressions. Thus, a therapist can use appropriate facial expressions to try and reinforce what is being taught. For example, picture flashcards depicting different emotions may be shown to help teach the principle, and then reinforced by the therapist through smiling when answered correctly.

      2.  Clarity

This is highly emphasized by speech pathologist. Not only clear, informative expression  with families and insurance companies, but clarity when interacting with the individual. A medical vocabulary is very necessary when communicating for insurance needs; but, to an individual with the cognitive ability of a seven year old,  simpler terms and instructions will be more effective.

Sometimes as a speech pathologist, written communication will be necessary. Because in my field there is a high emphasis on oral communication, I am still learning and identifying ways in which I will rely on written communication. In previous posts, I have mentioned documentation and insurance as possible sources of written communication. I'm not entirely familiar just yet with how that all works or is structured. So, for the purpose of this post, I have focused on the use of written communication in therapy. First of all, literacy is one means of assessment speech therapists use to identify an individual who may need therapy (where there are reading and writing problems, speech problems are likely to follow). There is also one type of therapy that I know for sure relies on written cues:

1. Aphaisa

Aphasia refers to the language displacement suffered by individuals recovering from a stroke. After a stroke, these individuals have varying degrees of ability to comprehend language and also produce it. They rely heavily on verbal cues (often needing another person to be able to fill in the blanks or suggest keywords to help them express their ideas, very similar to the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon). However, the girl in the video, Sarah, who suffered a stroke at the age of 18, writes down the first letter of the word she knows she wants to say and the visual of seeing the first letter helps her locate and produce the word. Pictures (I consider written communication) are another means used to help these individuals increase their speech output and understanding. In the video, Sarah shows just how difficult it is for her to describe what is going on in the picture.  (4:10-7:52 relate to what I was talking about in this post with written cues and describing a picture)