SLP Students Prepare to Care for Those in Our Community

What does it mean to be bilingual? For students in Seton Hall University’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, this question goes beyond simply speaking proficiently in two languages and instead exists along a continuum of linguistic abilities.

As speech-language pathologists, we work with individuals from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. With bilingualism and multilingualism becoming increasingly common in our communities, developing an understanding of bilingualism and its impact on language development is an essential part of speech-language pathology service delivery.

To build this foundation, students in Seton Hall’s program have the opportunity to explore the various facets of bilingualism through their coursework in Clinical Seminar on Bilingual Service Delivery, taught by Sindhu Chennupati, Ph.D., CCC-SLP. Chennupati, a multilingual speech-language pathologist, specializes in cultural and linguistic responsivity and is committed to advancing equity in the field of speech-language pathology.

The course content and sequence developed by Chennupati allows students to approach the vast topic of bilingualism in a digestible way. Students are first introduced to bilingual service delivery as a whole, building a foundation across key concepts such as the distinction between a language difference and a disorder, as well as the issues of overrepresentation and underrepresentation in service identification.

Chennupati further introduces students to bilingual language development, where the stages of development and bilingual norms are discussed. Bilingual language development is an essential precursor to assessment and intervention, which are discussed later in the course with topics focusing on standardized and non-standardized testing, dynamic assessment and culturally responsive intervention. By structuring the course through a scaffolded approach, Chennupati allows students to build upon their knowledge as they move from understanding bilingual development to applying that knowledge to assessment and intervention. This creates a strong foundation for bilingual service delivery in clinical practice.

Not only are students learning about bilingualism in the classroom, but they are taking that knowledge and putting it into clinical practice through their bilingual clinical simulation in Seton Hall’s Standardized Patient Center. This hands-on experience allows students to step into the role of a speech-language pathologist working with a bilingual client. By having students participate in a simulated learning experience, Chennupati facilitates another layer of learning where students can draw back on concepts of bilingual language development and the disproportionality in service identification.

Ultimately, Chennupati’s meaningful course content in Clinical Seminar on Bilingual Service Delivery allows students to switch the lens they view their clients by training them to go beyond merely identifying what languages their clients speak. Instead, students develop a strong foundation in considering the individual linguistic experiences each client brings to the table and how knowledge concerning bilingualism and multilingualism can inform clinical decision-making.

Categories: Education, Health and Medicine