Abstract
Academic education in speech-language pathology should prepare students to provide professional services that mirror current knowledge, skills, and scope of practice in a pluralistic society. This study seeks to examine the impact of speech-language pathology (SLP) students prior multicultural experiences and previous formal education on attitudes and beliefs toward language diversity. A survey to investigate SLP students attitudes toward language diversity was applied. After the research study and instructions to complete the consent form questionnaire was presented by a research assistant, an announcement was given by a graduate student who speaks English as a second language with an accent. The participants then completed a questionnaire containing questions related to attitudes about the presentation of the announcement in particular and toward language diversity in general. Responses suggested a relationship between self-reported cultural bias and ability to concentrate on speech with an accent, and the extent of interaction with individuals from a cultural and linguistic diverse (CLD) background. Additional outcomes revealed that cultural bias may be predicted by factors related to amount of CLD exposure. Results of this study indicated critical areas that need to be considered when developing curricula in speech-language pathology programs. The results will be useful in determining procedures applicable in larger investigations, and encourage future research on attitudes and beliefs toward aspects of cultural diversity.
Highlights
When working with multicultural populations, speech‐language pathologists (SLPs) should provide services that are culturally appropriate
In order to meet the communication needs of a growing multicultural population in increasingly globalized communities, speech-language pathology (SLP) are challenged to provide culturally competent services. This may not be a simple task, with approximately 90% of ASHA affiliated SLPs identifying with a Caucasian background, as estimated by the demographic profile of certificate holders from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)(4)
The main objective of this study was to examine procedures and aspects involved in a broad investigation regarding attitudes and beliefs regarding language diversity, by examining attitudes and beliefs of SLP students toward the accented speech of individuals who are nonnative Standard American English (SAE) speakers
Summary
When working with multicultural populations, speech‐language pathologists (SLPs) should provide services that are culturally appropriate. In order to meet the communication needs of a growing multicultural population in increasingly globalized communities, SLPs are challenged to provide culturally competent services. This may not be a simple task, with approximately 90% of ASHA affiliated SLPs identifying with a Caucasian background, as estimated by the demographic profile of certificate holders from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)(4). These professionals may lack the understanding of other cultures and may be uncertain about designing assessments for individuals from a diverse background. SLPs must develop a thoughtful and sensitive attitude about cultural background because there are no established solutions for dealing with every situation involving a diverse caseload[8]
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