Culturally Responsive Speech-Language Services and Preprofessional Training in Ghana

Abstract

Purpose: In Ghana, cultural competence is not only one of the most important skills required to a speech-language pathologist (SLP), but it is also ubiquitous throughout the country's preprofessional training program. In this article, we describe the field of communication disorders in Ghana as well as culturally responsive strategies SLPs implement and model to preprofessionals to serve the country's highly diverse ethnicities and multicultural communities. Conclusions: Culturally responsive strategies in Ghana include, among other behaviors, overt acts of empathy, affirmation, and additive/complementary expertise statements. These strategies could be more overtly applied within the United States to improve SLP services, preprofessional training programs, and the lived experiences of clients in the United States who come from various ethnicities and cultures.