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In order to effectively meet the needs of an increasingly diverse multicultural clientele, it is very helpful for speech-language-hearing professionals to be aware of the historical, social and political factors that have contributed to the development of various speech communities throughout the United States. Speech-language-hearing professionals should also be sensitive to changing demographics of their communities and clientele as these changes are likely to have a significant impact on current and future service delivery.
The topics that are addressed in readings referenced in this factsheet include:
- The changing demographic profile of the U.S. population with an emphasis on cultural, ethnic and language diversity;
- Projected trends in population growth for the year 2000 and beyond;
- How these trends are likely to impact on the delivery of services in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology;
- History of immigration in the United States;
- Historical, social and political factors that have played a role in promoting the language assimilation and/or maintenance of various speech communities in the U.S.
Adler, S. (1993). Multicultural communication skills in the classroom. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Battle, D. (1993). Communication disorders in multicultural populations. Boston: Andover Medical Publishers.
Conklin, N. & Lourie, M. (1983). Host of tongues: Language communities in the US. NY: Free Press.
Langdon, H. (1992). The Hispanic population: Facts and figures. In H. Langdon with L.L. Cheng (Eds.), Hispanic children and adults with communication disorders: Assessment and intervention. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.
National Center for Education Statistics (1993). Language characteristics and schooling in the United States, A Changing Picture: 1979 and 1989. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
The New Face of America (1993, Fall). [Special Issue]. Time, 142(21) .
Compiled by the Multicultural Issues Board May 1996
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