Speech and Language Therapy
The course provides detailed knowledge in communication and language difficulties. The candidate will be able to independently develop, implement and evaluate speech therapy related initiatives in an interdisciplinary way and for all ages in the education and health sector. This includes evaluating whether the initiatives should be in the form of prevention, diagnostics, training and/or counseling as well as the relationship between individual and system- oriented initiatives.
The course consists of four main topics each providing 10 ECTS: Aphasia and cognitive difficulties after brain damage. Language and speech difficulties. Voice difficulties. Speech flow difficulties.
Topics dealing with aphasia and cognitive difficulties after brain damage are: Aphasia in a health care and communication perspective. Memory impairment and other cognitive loss. Dysphasia. Surveying, diagnostics and treatment methods. Use of communication tools.
Language and speech difficulties consists of the following topics: Specific language difficulties and additional social, emotional and learning difficulties. General language difficulties as a consequence of different mental disabilities. Phoneme difficulties with cleft lip, jaw gap and cleft palate. Language difficulties developing written language skills. Language and hearing impairment. Bilingualism related to language and speech difficulties. Diagnostics criteria and language development in school-age and preschool age children. Procedures for surveying and relevant measures in a communication and interaction perspective.
Voice difficulties includes the following topics: Functional and organic voice difficulties in children and grown-ups. Differential diagnostics of speech difficulties. Voice hygiene, prevention and different treatment strategies. Developing one's own voice.
Speech flow difficulties consists of the following topics: Characteristics of stuttering and cluttering. The developmental pattern of stuttering and psychological consequences. Speech flow difficulties in a communicative perspective. Diagnostics, prevention and treatment.
On successful completion of the course the student will gain the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
The candidate will gain:
- in-depth knowledge of terms, theories and models related to the four main topics in speech therapy
- broad overview and understanding of relevant diagnostic and surveying tools
- detailed knowledge of treatment methods
- extensive knowledge of preventive and system- oriented work in the field
Skills
The candidate will be able to:
- critically reflect upon his or her own practical work and relate it to relevant theory
- apply relevant diagnostics and surveying tools in his/her work
- analyze diagnostics and surveying results and implement relevant measures
- evaluate relevant professional activities on individual, group and system level
General knowledge
The candidate will be able to:
- apply his/her skills in relevant innovation processes
The teaching methods include lectures, case-/problem based teaching, exercises, group and plenary discussions as well as obligatory test courses. Absence from the test course means that the course must be re-taken wholly or partially at a later time.
There will not be lectures in all topics in the course plan, and it is expected that the candidates will work individually and in groups between the sessions.
Due to the Covid-19 epedemic, a number of assessments and exams at Nord University has been changed.
Changes are made in accordance with the Temporary Regulations on Supplements to Regulation 31/01/2019 no. 63: Concerning Studies and Examinations at Nord University - Extraordinary Measures as a Result of the Coronavirus Epidemic- according to §2 of the Corona Epidemic, Assessment Methods, Sections 1-3
To accommodate this, the form of assessment will be changed from written examination to take-home - examination on this course in the spring of 2020.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
PE320L - Speech therapy subjects - 40 credits
SPD5009 - Developmental Language, Speech and Communication Disorders - 15 credits
SPD5010 - Aquired Language, Speech, Communication and Swallowing Disorders - 10 credits
SPD5011 - Speech Disorders and Fluency Disorders - 15 credits