Feeling Inspired

Recently on Placement I have been engaging in Intensive Interaction and Attention Bucket. So I felt it best to go read up on both of these, find a solid evidence base and have a complete holistic view of both of these approaches.

So I was quickly led to a therapyideas blog all about Gina Davies' speech at a conference detailing how you use the Attention Bucket.  Well it sounded inspiring so I went in search of a similar video on youtube and ended up at a brilliant website "Attention Autism".  On that page was some information about Gina Davies' most recent speech, of which is 5 minutes talking about how to inspire attention in children, and it utterly completely inspired me!

My current placement is 4 days per week for 5 weeks and each day I have a different setting - so Monday is Early Years, Tuesday is Mainstream, Wednesday is a SLCN unit, Thursday is a SEN school.  And this has really got me in a muddle as to where I want to go and what I want to do as an SLT.  Its been a brilliant experience and I feel I've had my eyes open to so many wonderful different experiences, but finally I feel inspired - and it's come from a 5 minute video! I just wish I had more time to spend in the SLCN unit and the SEN school to really dig my hands deep and get a complete feel. I have 2 more weeks to go, so 4 more days within the SLCN and SEN settings and then it'll be a long wait till I am qualified - but that means getting my head down and completely whole-heartily researching about working with children with Autism and MLD/PMLD children. 

Though my head feels it may explode after today, and this week (what is a very short week for me thanks to the bank holiday!) - I feel inspired to keep on learning! I believe I've come such a long way since September '11, and will continue to grow and learn!

And for any other SLT students out there that may occasionally feel less than inspired to continue with the hard work and the long hours - watch Gina Davies; I can guarantee you will be inspired.

ACE Centre + Theraplay: What they have in common.

In a time of such political change, and the current campaigns such as the Giving Voice - it surprises me to read of all these centres that are about to close!

Talk to any parent that has a child with a Speech Language or Communication need and they will tell you how invaluable SLTs are to their life's and to their children's. 

Talk to any educational staff member, they will also vouch for the lack of SLTs and how necessary it is for more to be put in place.

Yet here we are, with many centres that offer support and a sense of community closing down! 

I am devastated and somewhat saddened that places which give so much to the community, are being closed and the effect that has on these children is huge.  Recently the case of the ACE centre in Oxford, where many have petitioned and raised awareness of this amazing centre and its soon-to-end future, but now we hear that in West Sussex another SLT centre is to close! Its just appalling - talk to people and they will tell you that they are in high demand and need for SLT support, but yet the funding, the jobs and the centres are non-existent! I think its about time we start fighting for not only our jobs, but our children!

It's necessary to be constantly aware of how changes like this are occurring and how they effect the perception of the therapy role - so lets get out there and raise our voices to promote the Giving Voice Campaign. Where would you be without your voice?


Links
BBC News - Theraplay to close

ACE Centre Closing

Thinking before Speaking

So, today's hurdle was one that I suspect many, if not most, SLTs go through on a daily basis.  The tactical way to approach parents.

This week I've sat in on many Annual Reviews of which the parents have all been in attendance (hooray no DNA's!) and have written a couple of end of year SLT Reports.  My biggest hurdle has been altering my communication - and I'm sure non-SLTs that may have stumbled across my blog are thinking - "but aren't you an expert in communication?" - well it still proves difficult from time to time, that's the honest answer!

I've had to adapt my writing style to be able to discuss the child's difficulties in a positive light, whilst still being realistic about the child's progress over the year and where the child's problems lie so that relevant support stays in place - and this sounds easier said than done! All technical lingo goes out the window and everything you could say face to face is too informal. 

But then in face to face scenarios you have to tread even lighter! At least if you write something in a report that you think doesn't sound positive enough, or you need to rephrase a sentence detailing the child's progress to still provide motivation to continue with the therapy, you can just delete and re-write! However, in a face to face meeting you really have to be wary of thinking before speaking - something that I don't tend to do in my day to day life! And each set of parents is different - the up-front and honest approach might work for some, but for others a different approach may be necessary - so tread lightly!

But both the annual reviews and the reports were a success - in relative terms mind you!

So its definitely my thought of the day: how we as SLTs need to learn to adapt our communication for the audience (in this case the parents!!) - something that many of our children and young adults with Speech, Language and Communication needs struggle to do.  It's eye-opening to even spend a second in their shoes - not being 100% sure that what you say is going to be taken in the right way and worrying if you will be able to make your point understood, and having to have that pause to really think before you speak, something that these children are challenged with every time they want to communicate!

Communication is a powerful tool so we all need to think before we speak!

SLT & Social Networking

I began my MSc in September 2011, and one of the initial thoughts was - set up a Twitter account.  This thought occurred to me as I realised that with the lack of evidence base that the job role has there was an ever changing policy and practice based on new research and contemporary clinical reasoning - So I really needed a fast way to access this and began adding everyone and anyone with "slt" or "slp" (speech language pathology!) and any notable names in the research field of speech, language and communication.

Having found a wealth of information, and a fantastic way to brainstorm, problem solve and the ability to communicate with SLTs from UK, Ireland, America, Canada and even as far as Australia, I can safely say that Twitter has me hooked! Ok sure, I have the odd band or stand up comedian on my list - but the moment I sign on, I scroll through the latest updates - then proceed to search for my favourite hashtags! And for any of you SLT's to be (or just those new to Twitter), I recommend a look at the following hashtags:

#SLPeeps

#SLP2B (or in lower case #slp2b)

I've been able to discuss a range of things with my followers (and fellow SLT's) from speech interventions that work best to different types of formal and informal speech assessments and have even received help and support about my upcoming essay titles!  I feel like I have a SLT family to support and guide me when needed and am even beginning to offer my own suggestions and views based on clinical practice within placement.  With the development of modern technology, both networking with other professionals and the promotion of the profession to others is now accessible to everyone and anyone!

Ok so the downside might be that I tend to spend a portion of my "study" time ever-so slightly distracted by twitter, my blog, facebook etc.  But the benefits in this case, definitely outweigh the cons!

So for all you modern day SLTs, whether you are a student or not - get on to twitter! And when you do, follow me - you can guarantee I'll follow you back!

Giving Voice

Giving Voice - RCSLT

A video to show how important SLT can be, made by a SLT Student.
Something to watch over the weekend!
Enjoy
-Gemma

Life as a Consultant

So, I have recently begun a 5 week block placement and am now 2 weeks in. I am enjoying it immensly and cannot wait to be fully qualified now!

However, I found the biggest shock to be going into mainstream primary schools.  Here a consultative model of working is used, whereby a child is referred, then the SLT goes into the school and assess's the child.  A report of their abilities and difficulties is then produced and circulated to relevant individuals (family, health professionals, allied health, educational staff) and a programme of work is sent to be put in place by the family or the Teaching Assistant.  This was highly intriguing as my previous placement had a very different model of working following the Expert direct 1:1 model whereby the SLT went into school to engage in assessment, therapy and review, any programme that was left was as an extra on top of the therapy she had previously worked on during the day.

So, this leaves me thinking..is the future for SLT to move toward this more consulatative model? It's more financially beneficial for the service, it eases up more time to see more children and the programme is being put in place by the person that see's the child the most.. so what could be the downfall to this? Does this then undermine the job role? Do Parents still view us as supporting health professionals?

Though I feel that both the service and the child may benefit from the consultative model, what this postgraduate degree has taught me is to dig deeper to find out something is truly as good as it may appear on the surface. 

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on your experiences of the SLT service, and the future you think this holds for us.

Its officially the weekend now, so happy May Bank Holiday everyone - see you on the other side!
 - Gemma

The Role of the SLT in the Diff. Diagnosis of ASD/SLI in primary school aged children

Ok, so this is my recent essay title that I am working on and though it may seem like the most difficult part of this title is being able to distinguish between the two disorders, what has surprised me is that that is actually the easy part!

The evidence base for the SLT role has really stumped me lately.  There appears to be no contemporary research to support how we should work to be most effective and to suggest where our role lies within the primary school setting.  Even McCurtin, A. and Roddam, H. (2011) report that the evidence base for our profession just isn't very substantial. 

So that leads me to question the effectiveness of the current evidence base that clinicians rely on, of which this is the SLT's current practice.  Current practice does indeed reflect current clinical judgement and results in clinical desicions being made from tried and trialed practice.  Therefore generalisability between PCTs cannot occur, and can growth of the profession occur if national practice is not inline?

Critically evaluate your role as a SLT, and give yourself time to wonder if there is an evidence base to support your clinical practice.

References

McCurtin, A. and Roddam, H. (2012) Evidence-Based practice: SLTs under siege or opportunity for growth? The use and nature of research evidence in the profession International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 47.1

Twitter

Follow me on Twitter for daily updates on life as an SLT Student


https://twitter.com/GemmaBiles

Welcome!

As an active member of the Twitter community, I felt that Speech & Language Therapist's, their work and their resources were being represented well within the blogger community and on the Twitter network.  However, little was out there for students of SLT and so here I have created my own blog to share with SLT students alike!

I will endeavour to update this blog as a personal CPD of my professional training, and continue to post any relevant resources for both students of the SLT graduate and postgraduate community around the world.

Enjoy!

& Happy Studying!
- Gemma