Studying clinical linguistics as an independent discipline in Bangladesh: A post-hoc needs analysis from the perspectives of learners

Abstract

Clinical linguistics is the application of linguistic theories and methods to the study of causes, nature and treatment processes of different types of speech and language disorders. In this study, the importance of studying clinical linguistics in the higher academic institutions of Bangladesh was analysed as it deals with a severe problem existing in our society. This study was conducted following a qualitative approach to collect relevant data that would justify the objectives accordingly. The participants of this study were 16 students, studying at the master's level in the Department of Linguistics, University of Dhaka, who studied clinical linguistics as a full compulsory course at their undergraduate level. The participants were interviewed individually and an open-ended questionnaire was used to extract data from them. The findings of this research suggest that society needs graduates of clinical linguistics to serve the nation by combating speech and language disorders. The majority of the participants (75%) were in favour of developing a new associated department named ‘Communication Disorders’ or ‘Clinical Linguistics’ as an extension of the study of the applied field of linguistics. They explained that the new department would produce skilled graduates or expert in speech and language therapists to serve the nation properly in the context of communication health of the masses. Like any other linguistic community throughout the world, our society is also sensitive to speech as well as language disorders. Therefore, the universities of Bangladesh must take immediate initiatives to introduce clinical linguistics either as a full course under linguistics or in a separate department to produce skilled graduates.