American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

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MMI Foundational Courses: Sample Syllabi

Communication Disorders in Multicultural Populations

Course Objectives

  • Identify cultural and linguistic variables that may impact speech-language pathology services to members of specific culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) groups.
  • Summarize cross-cultural differences in communication styles of various cultural groups, and analyze and critically evaluate how these differences impact speech-language services.
  • Describe normal second language acquisition and bilingual development in children.
  • Contrast communication differences and communication disorders in CLD populations.
  • List practical applications of various theories in the research literature relevant to assessment and treatment of CLD clients with communication disorders.
  • Describe potential limitations of standardized tests with CLD clients.
  • Explain how to use alternative, nonstandardized methods for nonbiased assessment.
  • Plan, implement, evaluate, and modify educational program plans for serving CLD children within the public school setting.
  • List and describe appropriate treatment techniques for CLD children with speech-language disorders.

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Required Text

Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (2002). Multicultural students with special language needs: Practical strategies for assessment and intervention (2nd ed.). Oceanside, CA: Academic Communication Associates.

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Recommended Readings

Brice, A., & Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (1996). A case example of a bilingual education: A tutorial. Florida Journal of Communication Disorders, 19, 25- 31.

Davis, P.N., Gentry, B., & Hubbard-Wiley, P. (1998). Clinical practice issues. In D.E. Battle (Ed.), Communication disorders in multicultural populations (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Hammer, C.S. (1994). Working with families of Chamorro and Carolinian cultures.  American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 3, 5-12.

Maestas, A.G., & Erickson, J.G. (1992). Mexican immigrant mother's beliefs about disabilities.  American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1, 5-10.

Roseberry, C.A., & Connell, P.J. (1991). The use of an inverted language rule in the differentiation of normal and language-impaired Spanish-speaking children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 34, 596-603.

Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (1997). Understanding Filipino families: A foundation for effective service delivery.  American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 6(3), 5-14.

Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (2000). Mirror, mirror on the wall: Reflections of a third culture American. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 21(4), 242-245.

Roseberry-McKibbin, C. (2001). The source for bilingual students with language disorders. East Moline, IL: LinguiSystems, Inc.

Roseberry-McKibbin, C.A. (1994). Assessment and intervention for Limited English Proficient children with language disorders. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 3(3), 77-88.

Tonkovich, J.D. (2002). Multicultural issues in the management of neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders. In D.E. Battle (Ed.), Communication disorders in multicultural populations (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Buttrworth Heinemann.

Wilson, W.F. (1998). Delivering speech-language and hearing services in the Arab world: Some cultural considerations. In D.E. Battle (Ed.).  Communication disorders in multicultural populations (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.

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Class Outline

Class 1: Introduction to Multicultural Issues in the Profession

  • Cultural Sensitivity
  • Professional and public policy
  • ASHA's position regarding cultural and linguistic diversity, communicative disorders and disability
  • State-specific and U.S. demographics
  • Cultural diversity and special education
  • Developing sensitivity to multicultural issues
  • Text introduction
  • Reading: Roseberry-McKibbin (1994)

Class 2: Impact of Immigrant/Refugee Status and Religion

  • Implications for Speech-Language Pathologists
  • Text Chapters 1 & 2
  • Reading: Davis, Gentry, & Hubbard-Wiley

Class 3: Anglo-European Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Clients

  • Text Chapter 3
  • Reading: Roseberry-McKibbin (2000)

Class 4: African American Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Considerations for culturally sensitive assessment and treatment
  • Distinguishing language and dialectal differences from disorders
  • Text Chapter 4

Class 5: African American Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment (continued)

Class 6: Hispanic Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Cultural and linguistic characteristics
  • Assessment and treatment
  • Text Chapter 5
  • Reading: Roseberry & Connell

Class 7: Hispanic Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment (continued)

  • Guidelines for culturally appropriate assessment and treatment
  • Distinguishing language differences from language disorders
  • Reading: Maestas & Erickson

Class 8: Asian Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Cultural and linguistic issues in assessment and intervention
  • Text Chapter 6

Class 9: Asian Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Effective assessment and intervention
  • Reading: Rosebery-McKibbin (1997)

Class 10: Native American Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Demographic characteristics
  • Cultural values
  • Effective assessment and treatment
  • Text Chapter 7

Class 11: Pacific Islander Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Cultural and linguistic issues in assessment and intervention
  • Text Chapter 8
  • Reading: Hammer

Class 12: Middle East Language and Culture: Implications for Assessment and Treatment

  • Cultural and linguistic issues in assessment and intervention
  • Text Chapter 9
  • Reading: Wilson

Class 13: Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism

  • Linguistic and social features of second language acquisition and bilingualism
  • Issues in language loss
  • Text Chapter 11

Class 14: Second Language Acquisition and Bilingual Development

  • Theories of Cummins: Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP)
  • Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (BICS) vs Cognitive-Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)
  • Threshold Hypothesis

Class 15: Strategies for Conducting Assessments

  • Legal considerations
  • Standardized tests and cultural-linguistic bias
  • Alternatives to standardized tests
  • Text Chapter 12

Class 16: Conducting Nonbiased Assessments

  • Alternatives to standardized tests
  • Working with multidisciplinary teams
  • Pre referral and case history considerations
  • Cultural and environmental influences on language and academic performance
  • Reading: Brice & Roseberry-McKibbin

Class 17:  Best Practices in Assessment

  • Language dominance and proficiency testing
  • Dynamic assessment: Feuerstein's theory of structural cognitive modifiability and practical applications
  • Text Chapter 13

Class 18: Assessment Alternatives

  • Narrative assessment and analysis
  • Portfolio and curriculum-based assessment
  • Bilingual support personnel utilizing the services of interpreters

Class 19: Service Delivery Options for Multicultural Students with Communicative Disorders

  • Incorporating multiculturalism
  • Selecting appropriate goals, materials, and educational settings
  • Alternatives for LEP children, ESL, bilingual education options
  • Holistic strategies approach to treatment
  • Text Chapter 14

Class 20: Practical Treatment Strategies and Materials for Multicultural Students with Language Disorders

  • Roseberry-McKibbin (2001)

Class 21: Treatment Considerations: Specific Strategies for Developing Oral and Written Language Skills

  • Thematic redundance approach to teaching vocabulary
  • Practical treatment strategies for phonological awareness
  • Text Chapter 15

Class 22: Treatment Considerations: Involving Families

  • Reading: Al-Hassan & Gardner

Class 23: Treatment (continued)

Class 24: Intervention Guidelines and Options for Multicultural Clients with Neurological Impairments

  • Working with adult neurologically impaired multicultural clients
  • Intervention considerations and options
  • Cultural differences affecting services to multicultural groups
  • Reading: Campbell
  • Reading: Tonkovich

Class 25: Intervention with Neurologically Impaired Clients (continued)

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Assignments

Ethnographic Interview

You are requested to interview a person who has immigrated to the U.S. from another country. The results of this interview should be written in a 2-3 page, double-spaced summary. Please indicate the interviewee's first name, gender, what country they are from, their primary language, and age they were when they came to the U.S.

You can ask the interviewee questions such as:

  • What were your/your family's reasons for coming to the U.S.?
  • What are some of the major differences you notice between your country and the U.S.?
  • What have been some of your greatest challenges in adjusting to American life?
  • In your opinion, what are some of the most positive characteristics of Americans?
  • In your opinion, what are some of the most negative characteristics of Americans?
  • Has learning English been a challenge for you?  If so, please describe.
  • How do communication styles differ between Americans and natives of your country? (e.g., eye contact, being direct vs. indirect, etc.)

At the end of your written summary, please indicate what you learned from this interview that impressed you the most.

If you cannot find a person to interview, you may summarize (in 5 double-spaced typewritten pages) a journal article relating to course content. This article must be pre-approved by the instructor, and a copy of the article must be attached to the summary when it is handed in. The article cannot be from the Recommended Readings for this course.

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