SL3004 - Acquired Language Impairments

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	Sch Public Health,Trop Medicine&Rehabilitation Sc

Enrolment is restricted to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Speech Pathology, Speech Pathology IHCAP Program and the Bachelor of Speech Pathology Honours Programs.

This subject aims to provide the theoretical foundations and develop the skill base necessary for speech pathology competence when working with clients with acquired language impairments across the lifespan. This will include areas of assessment, diagnosis and intervention planning. The subject will cover a variety of aetiological factors (i.e. underlying causes of language impairment) such as left hemisphere stroke, right hemisphere stroke, traumatic brain injury and degenerative neurological conditions such as the dementias. You will become familiar with theoretical models of language processing and you will apply these models when hypothesising levels of impairment from assessment data.

Learning Outcomes

• you will gain knowledge of formal and informal methods for assessing acquired language impairments and you will be able to apply this knowledge to identify appropriate assessment methods to gather further information;
• you will apply knowledge of cognitive- neuropsychological models of language processing for the purposes of analysing and interpreting assessment data;
• you will synthesise information from a variety of sources (e.g. case history, aetiology, and assessment data) in order to formulate communication profiles and clinical diagnoses and also in developing speech pathology intervention plans;
• you will be able to summarise, report and evaluate outcomes of assessment and intervention and demonstrate ability to make recommendations for future speech pathology management;
• you will demonstrate awareness and competence in working with clients and their families/carers within a holistic context (i.e. through applying principles of the ICF) and demonstrate awareness of cultural and social implications of such communication disorders.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments, and to reason and deploy evidence clearly and logically;
• The acquisition of coherent and disciplined sets of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics from at least one discipline area;
• The ability to reflect on and evaluate learning, and to learn independently in a self directed manner;
• The ability to manage future career and personal development;
• The ability to speak and write clearly, coherently and creatively;
• The ability to work individually and independently.

Prerequisites:

HS2402 AND HS2403 AND RH2002 AND SL2002 AND SL2003 AND SL2004

Availabilities
Townsville, Internal, Study Period 1
Census Date 28-Mar-2013
Coordinator:	Dr Chris Plant
Lecturers:	Ms Louise Brown, Dr Chris Plant.
Contact hours:	39 hours lectures 39 hours tutorials
Assessment:	end of semester exam (30% - 50%); quizzes or tests (10%); presentations (10% - 20%); assignments (30% - 50%).
Special Assessment Requirements:	All components of assessment must be passed.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.