tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66169365242025641082024-03-13T01:20:49.930+00:00Speech and Language Thera-peersGemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-39384318429823649172014-05-28T12:58:00.003+01:002014-05-28T13:58:29.554+01:00Gemma Biles SLT<span style="color: #073763;">For anyone looking for SLT support in the South West, UK region please visit my blog "<strong><a href="http://gemmabilesslt.blogspot.co.uk/">Gemma Biles SLT</a></strong>" for information regarding my <strong>Private SLT practice. </strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong></span><span style="color: #073763;">Feel free to contact me on </span><a href="mailto:gemmabiles@googlemail.com"><span style="color: #073763;"><strong>gemmabiles@googlemail.com</strong></span></a><span style="color: #073763;"> with a referral for yourself or a family member regarding speech, language and communication needs. </span>Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-43924075746016601422014-05-28T11:56:00.002+01:002014-05-28T11:56:22.249+01:009 months later...<span style="color: #073763;">After completing my last blog post I did not expect it to be so long till my next one... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">I have been swept up in <strong>the wonderful world of SLT</strong> and over the past 9 months have been head down concentrating on completing my <strong>Newly Qualified Practitioner competencies</strong>. And I am pleased to say, 7 months in I managed it! Celebration time all round.. I can now use "<strong>certMRCSLT</strong>" after my name and along with "<strong>Ba (hons)</strong>" and "<strong>MSc</strong>" I am overjoyed at the little letters that just about manage to convey the blood sweat and tears that went into achieving them.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldqK6ngH7xHvVTFGhIeMijL2udOPCphgqB10B25fmkg7fcDqmrhs7AQTArGGCqluoJUI0ayIA9uKUbQikuP0rBPpPWqBdOyZC-Nxo3WsBH1BlZcRxN87HemngenDOYchtk6Q-GlmX5Nq2/s1600/IMG_2949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldqK6ngH7xHvVTFGhIeMijL2udOPCphgqB10B25fmkg7fcDqmrhs7AQTArGGCqluoJUI0ayIA9uKUbQikuP0rBPpPWqBdOyZC-Nxo3WsBH1BlZcRxN87HemngenDOYchtk6Q-GlmX5Nq2/s1600/IMG_2949.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">A resource I made for the classrooms to support time concepts</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I have been lucky enough to work with a wonderful bunch of children and young adults, engaging in <strong>1:1 direct therapy</strong> on a daily basis, and <strong>indirectly working</strong> with adapting the environment and supporting Teachers and Teaching Assistants. A job in <strong>education</strong> has been a step I never expected on my path, with the view of SLT being NHS based. But I have learnt much more about the education system by being in it than I would have in a NHS setting, I have been able to apply this knowledge to make my work more effective, and <strong>being on site</strong> to be called on at the drop of a hat is a huge benefit to these children's day to day school life. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">I've learnt a lot about management also, with an <strong>assistant to manage</strong>, as well as being the <strong>lead SLT</strong> in the school - it's been a big jump in the deep end that's for sure! I've created school development plans as well as <strong>individual therapy plans</strong>, and contributed to <strong>pupil voice</strong> through the school council. I've liaised far and wide to ensure the pupils are supported in all their <strong>transitions</strong>, into the school from Early Years and supported leaving the school at 19+. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">On a <strong>typical day</strong> I get to engage in 5 half n hour slots of direct therapy, I create resources, or plan resources with my assistant. I attend a meeting or two, usually in regards to a specific pupil, but often as a general school discussion and update. I write reports, contact parents and wider MDT professionals. I pop my head into classes and observe as much as I can between seeing pupils, and on occasion I take communication groups with the older end of the school working on social skills. If I am particularly lucky I get to go out of school for training - of which I have undertaken a lot this year so far. From 8.45am till home time I am never without something to do, and even from the challenging behaviour to the hugs the children make it worth it every moment. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPswQ5B3zQlo0cMlIPiHPuf5lj5XA9DzkFjci-DN7cqf8_YmjAKyk7cL_yGdJZPBRHIFBGlDGIaNWFEu9-Igw1xNOX1c5FJDD1I_HjvpUWpSzbJT7FD6jw58RGo0uLWkX4AkFiJZ6ShkT5/s1600/IMG_3722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPswQ5B3zQlo0cMlIPiHPuf5lj5XA9DzkFjci-DN7cqf8_YmjAKyk7cL_yGdJZPBRHIFBGlDGIaNWFEu9-Igw1xNOX1c5FJDD1I_HjvpUWpSzbJT7FD6jw58RGo0uLWkX4AkFiJZ6ShkT5/s1600/IMG_3722.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Just one of the resources I have made for the staff room</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763;">For any SLT students reading this, the <strong>first year of a job is a whirlwind</strong>. Believe people when they say it's going to be hard. But also <strong>believe them when they say it's going to be worth it</strong>!! Enjoy every second, even the hard bits - because they make you stronger. A job as an SLT has always been my dream, and <strong>dreams do come true</strong> - and they're fabulous when they do! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">If anyone has any questions about my job role, life as an NQT or anything else - please leave a comment! </span></div>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-60255461292980556652013-08-08T19:02:00.003+01:002013-08-08T19:02:19.787+01:00The end of an era...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I finished my final lecture, ever - a time for excitement and happiness as well as goodbyes and sadness! Recently my cohort had a "<strong>end of year party</strong>", and whilst this may seem a little premature for most people on my course as the final deadline of 2nd September still seems a million miles away, it's certainly become <strong>the time of goodbyes</strong>, and <strong>final thoughts</strong> and so I thought it might be nice to blog about this.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgGH56Xecedl7yPZJpUfbXOvEvHGilkUFfUNpISBVqoMbwFpHcpdB-yx65WUUaQhG5Bt05UDmp4ulfJMKwhsHVmlIeQdDz2Hp15bXVh_OV73QvNtHlVTnfTR3DisAt1fL7a7dEoqtId1D/s1600/DSC067262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgGH56Xecedl7yPZJpUfbXOvEvHGilkUFfUNpISBVqoMbwFpHcpdB-yx65WUUaQhG5Bt05UDmp4ulfJMKwhsHVmlIeQdDz2Hp15bXVh_OV73QvNtHlVTnfTR3DisAt1fL7a7dEoqtId1D/s320/DSC067262.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SLT Students at the University of Essex</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, I have a job and I know where I am going (moving myself down to Somerset may not have been in my 5 year plan but I can safely say I am very excited about the future!), whereas for others this may be a time of finishing university and going into the unknown. But despite knowing where I will be in just under 4 weeks, this doesn't mean the <strong>panic of finishing my course</strong> isn't there. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are so many feelings, including <strong>being excited that university is over</strong>, and feeling glad that the constant stream of coursework, placement, deadlines and <strong>university demands will be over</strong> - and I know that throughout the 2 year masters we have all wished this day to come when the deadlines will be no longer! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, <strong>none of us quite expected the fear of leaving university behind</strong>. It's become somewhat of a comfortable habit to be stressed, to be busy and to have the security net of wonderful lecturers to guide us when it gets tough. <strong>We know who we are as SLT Students</strong>, we have some idea of how we are clinically thanks to placement, but we don't know or yet identify ourselves as SLTs, and maybe that is the fear. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then come the other things - <strong>How will I still keep on top of evidence base</strong> and CPD without the net of university supporting that? Who will become my peers that will support us in times of panic in the real world? and, <strong>What challenges will be ahead of us now?</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maybe <strong>that panic of "am I going to be able to do this?" never truly leaves us</strong>. Maybe the comfort of university, becomes the comfort of our workplace, and just maybe learning for ourselves won't be the worst thing - at least we will be able to <strong>tailor our own learning</strong> to our passions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it is at this point that my blog becomes <strong>less about my experiences as a SLT student</strong>, and more about <strong>my experiences as NQP in my first band 5 post</strong> - and I can certainly say that fear and panic aside, I cannot wait for this journey to commence!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Good luck</strong> to my cohort and the journeys that you will all now take, and to any SLT Students reading this, <strong>enjoy your time at University</strong> - it'll surprise you to know that you'll be sad when it's time to say goodbye! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7rNVUpdPsDX9Kyo63I_VvGGA0rwgpGHALA7EDw1GIIICVbFg7sWeDM58IIktHkNZMWcHkJ1QLw0fiwhbl4RqwTldK745zv5nPJzZgS7Jnb0JEHP4r6uA1u4cAIUY3zeg-xTdgCKC9cXV/s1600/DSC06723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7rNVUpdPsDX9Kyo63I_VvGGA0rwgpGHALA7EDw1GIIICVbFg7sWeDM58IIktHkNZMWcHkJ1QLw0fiwhbl4RqwTldK745zv5nPJzZgS7Jnb0JEHP4r6uA1u4cAIUY3zeg-xTdgCKC9cXV/s400/DSC06723.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>My fabulous MSc cohort</u></span></td></tr>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-401289270176321802013-08-03T11:36:00.005+01:002013-08-07T18:07:55.598+01:00What’s acquired brain injury?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Heard the term acquired brain injury or ABI but
don’t quite know what it means? If so read on…<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC8Q7gbdZ6mqckjnHnS1uUHZs82JUhbNjcvOp5tkOeWVEXKwgixdcD4jHapHMv12wEVKYlZHjaq6K4eLZexKhU90BBSBE-k-Va8Vmx8MEaNGAXAXLW-CMh0Rf3BBoG8Srv5lrXoZhlWfb/s1600/Copy+of+KW20110630-A-153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAC8Q7gbdZ6mqckjnHnS1uUHZs82JUhbNjcvOp5tkOeWVEXKwgixdcD4jHapHMv12wEVKYlZHjaq6K4eLZexKhU90BBSBE-k-Va8Vmx8MEaNGAXAXLW-CMh0Rf3BBoG8Srv5lrXoZhlWfb/s320/Copy+of+KW20110630-A-153.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to </span><a href="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/mbaillie/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/WT82IZLO/(http:/www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/news.asp?itemid=5432&itemTitle=Action+for+Brain+Injury+Week+2013&section=30&sectionTitle=News&page=2),"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">draft NHS Figures</span></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> around 40,000 children
sustain an </span><a href="http://www.braininjuryhub.co.uk/information-library/about-acquired-brain-injury"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">acquired brain injury</span></a><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
(ABI) every year as a result of an accident or illness. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Just as each child is unique, so is the way they
respond to a brain injury. Whilst there are two main types of brain injury:
‘traumatic’ caused by a blow to the head such as a road traffic accident or
fall, and ‘non traumatic’ caused by illness such as meningitis, a brain tumour
or stroke, there is an enormous range of difficulties a child might face – from
minor problems with memory, or speech to serious, long-term, physical and
learning disabilities. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Some children on the outside may appear ‘normal’
having made a full physical recovery but they can have considerable
difficulties with cognitive, communication, emotional and behavioural skills.
Some of the effects may not be noticeable until years after the injury was
sustained as the brain continues to develop into early adulthood. It is because
the changes and difficulties surrounding ABI are hard to spot that it is
sometimes called ‘the hidden disability’.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oifTt9OZelAg5v1nWZ7atySFeTiOtCtyEphEeT5Yyv-woeijq4mpnQijXb1yjmN9-8bDe1TzMmETgjAoRevBVNfXQfvT2U12exiTH7UtatJPZfMNZB0uLBBfikbaTTvLt9IzAMaMH46l/s1600/046_100415CT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oifTt9OZelAg5v1nWZ7atySFeTiOtCtyEphEeT5Yyv-woeijq4mpnQijXb1yjmN9-8bDe1TzMmETgjAoRevBVNfXQfvT2U12exiTH7UtatJPZfMNZB0uLBBfikbaTTvLt9IzAMaMH46l/s320/046_100415CT.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Difficulties experienced by a child after an ABI
vary and depend on: their age when they sustained their injury, the area of the
brain that has been damaged, and the severity of the injury. As different areas
of the brain work together, if one part is damaged, it is likely to affect the
function of other parts of the brain too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately there is no single ‘cure’ or
treatment for ABI, and some children will never fully return to the way they
were before their injury. Progress may also not always be rapid. But there are
opportunities for children to get back some of the skills they’ve lost, through
different therapies and support, and that’s where The Children’s Trust can
help. The Children's Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with
acquired brain injury, multiple disabilities and complex health needs. Based in
Tadworth, Surrey, the Trust’s services include brain injury rehabilitation and
community-based support, working with hundreds of children and young people
from across the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdAtByclUX-bddbzJd7EP27H8W_5uHttshaeIwt0z_t6rQZgaZ5VBQkaHIrdwNSEc-aO7fs3O2vk7cjSpVD27l3dv9w12eG5_PKBhTJbDbiDy0SOPUg2XPj0AWGpO5kJS2OCagXnObPxF/s1600/Low-res+TCT+colour+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdAtByclUX-bddbzJd7EP27H8W_5uHttshaeIwt0z_t6rQZgaZ5VBQkaHIrdwNSEc-aO7fs3O2vk7cjSpVD27l3dv9w12eG5_PKBhTJbDbiDy0SOPUg2XPj0AWGpO5kJS2OCagXnObPxF/s200/Low-res+TCT+colour+logo.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like to find out more about The
Children’s Trust visit </span><a href="http://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk</span></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If you’d like
to know more about brain injury please visit the Brain Injury Hub, The
Children’s Trust’s information website </span><a href="http://www.braininjuryhub.co.uk/"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.braininjuryhub.co.uk</span></a><span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">- <em>written by </em></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><em>Michelle Baillie</em></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRREcjvVqYboE8mLmRwpay7rWEJs8M5h8NPdlj4xehBdmb-XDqkWrtQ60QKSBsa4uZ-nqH8LDNkNEvyKqTzmYwvJmav_UHPNk4glsLI7IWjYGChXPQIxEXCKIR2t-aOi65hm2RM5kmTfL/s1600/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="39" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRREcjvVqYboE8mLmRwpay7rWEJs8M5h8NPdlj4xehBdmb-XDqkWrtQ60QKSBsa4uZ-nqH8LDNkNEvyKqTzmYwvJmav_UHPNk4glsLI7IWjYGChXPQIxEXCKIR2t-aOi65hm2RM5kmTfL/s320/image001.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><o:p><em><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">All writing and photos accredited to The Children's Trust, Tadworth. Not for reduplication.</span></span></em></o:p></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-86361183555567663182013-06-23T13:55:00.004+01:002013-06-23T13:56:15.003+01:00Inspiring the young<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently the <strong>SLT Society</strong> were asked to host a stall at <strong>"Children's University Family Learning Festival"</strong>. It was intended for Children between 7-14 years of age and their parents to learn about the University, what courses it offers and <strong>inspire career choices</strong>. In fact, the turn out for the day even included much younger children and it was an opportunity to talk to both children and their parents.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"></span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAUkzk69udcOekrYs5XROrXdsJ6w3VoGazx0U4_3iT61zrjAAhn8HxbTRPzfgDZmE2WZ1rZpT3mEKYu6EzQYFMdk2DSXCf7TKXovZLPdrQNhf4wNGClW6qPyJcLSu_wJmg8T8kfQLdcP9/s1600/DSC06264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoAUkzk69udcOekrYs5XROrXdsJ6w3VoGazx0U4_3iT61zrjAAhn8HxbTRPzfgDZmE2WZ1rZpT3mEKYu6EzQYFMdk2DSXCf7TKXovZLPdrQNhf4wNGClW6qPyJcLSu_wJmg8T8kfQLdcP9/s320/DSC06264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5O43gbSU9rUCcpcfsSMe4a9DBhuhKJiX4Bs7UBqin0i-gIAE-CqtTY1G8GKak7oddWhDLTG7sNvM8u2PhB2VHNXbdgxuJB7GbUAh0ihARkSw0NAn7dPobS_aCyztJ7NKReK9O9EBFuk2/s1600/IMG_0860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw5O43gbSU9rUCcpcfsSMe4a9DBhuhKJiX4Bs7UBqin0i-gIAE-CqtTY1G8GKak7oddWhDLTG7sNvM8u2PhB2VHNXbdgxuJB7GbUAh0ihARkSw0NAn7dPobS_aCyztJ7NKReK9O9EBFuk2/s320/IMG_0860.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The SLT Society hosted a big stall, containing <strong>both communication and dysphagia aspects</strong> of the vocation. For the Communication aspect, we had<strong> AAC</strong> - including Go Talk's, Big Buttons, <strong>Symbols and PECS</strong>. We also had many posters about the impact of communication difficulties and the range of which SLTs work in, and many leaflets from the HELLO campaign. Then there was a <strong>communication game</strong> for children and their parents to get involved in, the children were asked to say a sentence to their sibling, parent, or friend without speaking. This brought on some giggles. Some <strong>children</strong> even got involved in <strong>filling in a speech bubble </strong>with <strong>what they thought communication was</strong> and some extremely pictorial images of communication difficulties and how people communicate were drawn!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVlnLNGhug_xITEOIMrp4jxyWYBnA6WOEwGSgaH-9DgXfxZ-yxbdd2V4dBLswlyLl4UgCdElw4ALbKGUBe8gBoT7GHioOOc1viWVXAPYARkSgVEoQ_V7OJOY6D_mF-EdhcNLjF42fPGy-/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVlnLNGhug_xITEOIMrp4jxyWYBnA6WOEwGSgaH-9DgXfxZ-yxbdd2V4dBLswlyLl4UgCdElw4ALbKGUBe8gBoT7GHioOOc1viWVXAPYARkSgVEoQ_V7OJOY6D_mF-EdhcNLjF42fPGy-/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">"What Is Communication?" A 6 year old's definition.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the <strong>dysphagia aspect of the stall got the most attention</strong> - though what 7 year old isn't tempted by chocolate mouse or digestive biscuits! We had a taste test, "<strong>which is the easiest to eat" game</strong>, and put out sliced banana, chocolate mouse and digestive biscuits. Nearly all of the children were able to identify that the mouse was easiest! Then we discussed with them <strong>why we as SLTs were interested in eating, drinking and swallowing</strong>, and had lots of plastic models to demonstrate swallowing techniques. We even had <strong>Videofluroscopy videos</strong> to teach the children and their parents how we investigate swallowing and show them where their food and drink goes! Then we had thickener, and created thickened water to stages 1, 2 and 3 consistency. Many of the <strong>children wanted to try the thickened fluids</strong>, and big spoonful's of stage 3 were spooned into their mouths before contorted faces were pulled! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuIGEO98AdbjtO6KazgCM1JUbSavuuIiYdEcVbxPbVP7cfnrmS_-W7Eo8lVBZ5cxsZDuL_b6gOYdHB7O9JLCA1z9zAsr1e58qzwzslTKGsJZzAoQqEEvdd4YFhbI3psr685NAwdUwOf49/s1600/DSC06261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuIGEO98AdbjtO6KazgCM1JUbSavuuIiYdEcVbxPbVP7cfnrmS_-W7Eo8lVBZ5cxsZDuL_b6gOYdHB7O9JLCA1z9zAsr1e58qzwzslTKGsJZzAoQqEEvdd4YFhbI3psr685NAwdUwOf49/s320/DSC06261.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, <strong>the children and their parents learnt a lot</strong>, many were intrigued in the job role and <strong>stated that they didn't know what SLTs did until the day</strong>, and many parents even recalled their children having SLT input. It was also <strong>a great learning experience for us SLT Students</strong>, who developed our ability to talk about communication and dysphagia completely jargon free, <strong>a lesson in how to train people in our complex role</strong> in a simpler fashion. We all learnt lots, enjoyed our time, and promoted the wonderful profession!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The highlight of the day was when one mother stated <strong>"I hope one of my children becomes a speech therapist after today"</strong> - <u>Mission Complete</u>! </span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-77674764197130577692013-06-14T12:16:00.001+01:002013-06-14T12:18:32.955+01:00PODD: An Update!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently I was contacted and asked to distribute information about an upcoming PODD training session. I have <strong>had some interest from viewers of my blog re:PODD</strong> since I wrote a blog post on my experience of it at the London Autism SIG, so I thought I would <strong>share the information about the next training day.</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span></strong> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>If anyone does go on the course</strong>, or if anyone reads this that is already booked on the course, <strong>I would love to hear about it</strong>, receive a<strong> review of the training</strong>, and hear the <strong>stories of you all implementing it</strong> across SLT.</span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For all Speech & Language Therapists and those working with children/young people with Autisitc Spectrum Disorder: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">Eagle House School, Mitcham, is running an Introductory Workshop to the PODD Communication System; 20-21st June (£250 for 2 days, includes lunch). It is being run by Haylee Parfett, who is visiting from Australia. (she was at Eagle House school for about 2 years, then she left, but she is coming back to do this training)<span style="font-family: "lucida grande",tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">As you know - PODD is a fantastic system being used across Eagle House Primary</span></span></span><span style="display: inline; font-family: "lucida grande",tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and Secondary schools with some amazing results - non verbal children learning to communicate using full length autonomous and functional sentences using the PODD (picture symbol) books.<br /><br />There are still some spaces left - contact the Charlotte or Noora in the School Business Office on 084555 074 2972 if you or anyone you know would be interested! We have a flier with further details which we could send you by email. contact </span><a href="mailto:admin@eaglehousegroup.co.uk" target="_blank"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">admin@eaglehousegroup.co.uk</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We appreciate that this is very short notice - but we wanted to let people know about the last few spaces left.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.lburkhart.com/PODD_books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://www.lburkhart.com/PODD_books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-85306202373885941142013-06-11T11:54:00.003+01:002013-06-11T11:54:24.794+01:00How do we keep on top of it all?!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lately I've been distant from the blogging scene and the Twitter scene, and I wish I could say it was through no fault of my own, but <strong>things have just gotten very hectic</strong>!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any qualified SLT knows what the last few months of their degree are like.. Writing the research proposal, being on a block placement, applying for jobs and then preparing for interviews offered (not that I am complaining about the interview part!) and keeping on top of other coursework/timetable demands. Turns out my quote that I wrote in my guest blog on Smart Talkers for Libby was true... <strong>I am well and truly a Swan. So calm and graceful in the face of it all, yet paddling like mad underneath</strong>. Whilst I am able to keep a balance of all my coursework, research proposal, placement and job applications... I am disappointed that my blog and twitter have come 2nd best to all of this, and the reason why I'm disappointed is that it is my contact with other SLTs for some much needed empathy, and also my wide source of evidence base. I recently looked through past tweets from some of my favourite SLT tweeters, and found I had missed so many news articles and recent research. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has really changed my view on how I promote Twitter and Blogging to SLTs, as many of you know that I like to promote SLTs using it. However, when <strong>demands are high on a daily basis I wonder how easy it is</strong>. Even I who love Twitter and Blogging have <strong>neglected it.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I have decided that at least once a week during this busy time I will log on to twitter, for 30 minutes maximum and search #slpeeps and #slt2b and #slp2b hashtags, identify any key links to news, blogs, or research. That will be <strong>my put-a-side dedicated online CPD time</strong> and I will make sure I squeeze this in, even if it's whilst I eat breakfast... </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www2.hull.ac.uk/administration/images/cpd%20(medium).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://www2.hull.ac.uk/administration/images/cpd%20(medium).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Keeping on top of your CPD in the face of life's demands</span>.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do you keep up with <strong>your CPD</strong>? How do you keep up with your online CPD networks? I would love to hear how others do it! Because in this busy climate, <strong>how do you really keep on top of it all?</strong></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-16637944071564810842013-04-17T12:43:00.001+01:002013-04-17T12:49:33.966+01:00My experiences.. Job Applications and Interviews<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently I sought the <strong>hints tips and suggestions of SLT's and SLT2B's</strong> about <strong>job applications and interviews</strong>, and have had some <strong>great responses</strong> to the things mentioned and have heard some fab stories about the process of <strong>job hunting in the SLT world.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, I am not here to talk about other peoples hints tips and suggestions anymore, instead <strong>I want to reflect on my recent experience</strong> in the job hunting world. <strong> I applied for my first Band 5 job </strong>in April this year and was <strong>lucky enough to get an invite to interview</strong> for the post following my submission of a personal statement. Unfortunately I did not get the job, but found <strong>the whole process a great learning experience</strong> - even in learning how to handle waiting for the phone to ring, and taking in feedback and points to develop (of which any student SLT on placement knows can be difficult at times, especially if you may not fully agree with the comments posed). So this post is to say that, <strong>even if you do get knocked back, every knock back is a learning experience and will only endeavour to make you better in the future.</strong> So here are tips from my recent experience:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Job Application</em>:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be concise in your personal statement.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make it focused on the service you are applying to.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have had experience within the service you are applying to, mention it! Drop names even!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow the person specification in your personal statement, ensure you cover all essential and some desirable!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Interview</em>:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be calm and confident, you've already made it so far! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Give yourself time to settle down, you're only human!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't understand a question or can't remember it all, apologise and ask for repetition.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seek clarification if you are unsure of the question - one way is to paraphase "do you mean..".</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sell yourself, if you are asked to "add anything else", make sure that you use that opportunity to shout about your skills and why they should hire you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Prepare answers to scenarios, and questions prior to the interview. Try to consider all your placement/work experience and the strengths, challenges and points to develop of these before you go into the interview.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ensure you thank them for the opportunity at the end of the interview, manners go a long way! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Post-interview call back:</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure you answer the call when you have time to talk, and are in a suitable environment without lots of noise.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if it is a call of rejection, thank them for everything.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seek feedback, or if offered, accept feedback.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Discuss with them honestly how you felt it went, or give them more detail about why you felt that question was difficult.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Write down the feedback they give you, including tips for future interviews.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consider the positives of the feedback, or where they do not offer positives, ask for positive feedback.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of all, it is necessary you remember that <strong>every interview is different</strong> and that <strong>every interviewer is different</strong>. And, like I said before, <strong>every knock back is a learning curve to take a leap forward with.</strong> I know that I am grateful for the opportunity to interview, it showed me strengths in my personal statement, and showed me that I did have what it takes to be considered for a Band 5 post. I am also glad that I have learnt so much from the interview experience and the feedback given and I hope that future interviews to come will also support me in developing and learning. Then one day, I am positive, an interview will end in my dream SLT job! *Fingers crossed*. Good luck to all #SLT2B's out there!</span></div>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-27426681498951633962013-04-10T16:37:00.000+01:002013-04-10T16:37:06.865+01:00Extremely SLT-Related and Incredibly Fun<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So last night was the first event for the <strong>SLT Society at the University of Essex</strong>, and we watched <strong>Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close</strong>. It was voted as the film of choice due to people knowing it had <strong>links to aspergers/social communication</strong> and was "easy going". Well the later was not true, as many people teared up during it! But it certainly did have some great links to SLT. Whilst the main character Oskar did not have a formal diagnosis of Aspergers (despite being tested as he mentions during the film) <strong>he shows some examples of many clients</strong> that all of us in the audience could relate with, from <strong>repetitive behaviours to extreme anxiety talking to strangers and inappropraite questioning</strong>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that wasn't the best part, Oskar meets <strong>"The Renter" who "has no voice",</strong> which Oskar goes on to discuss <strong>reasons behind voice disorders</strong>, <strong>why it's not physiologically possible to have "no voice"</strong> and basically outsmarting 90% of the audience with his terminology and diagnosis! "The Renter" then proceeds to show <strong>his right hand, which has a "yes"</strong> inked into it, and <strong>his left hand which has a "no"</strong> inked into it. He and Oskar go on to have real rapport and "The Renter" supports his "yes" and "no" hands with his <strong>notepad and pen</strong>, a really <strong>great example of low tech AAC</strong>. It highlights how two very different people communicate successfully, how different communication impairments can impact someone and how you problem solve around this to <strong>continue to communicate</strong>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall a fabulous choice for our first event and first film night! Any suggestions for our next film night are welcome - and if you haven't seen this film, go watch it and let me know what you think!</span></div>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-37757839445723105682013-04-08T13:03:00.001+01:002013-04-10T16:41:34.331+01:00How to: SLT Job Applications and Interviews<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's<strong> that time of year</strong> for many SLT2B's (SLT Students for those not "down" with twitter lingo!) <strong>when discussions about job applications</strong> <strong>and job interviews start</strong> cropping up. Within a single hour yesterday I was asked "<strong>Who do you think you'll use for your references?"</strong> <strong>"Do you think its too soon to apply?"</strong>, and the competitive side of some people starts to show. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But after attending the RCSLT Student Day last week, where <strong>many suggestions about job applications and interviews were given from NQT's</strong>, it got me wondering what those who are potential interviewers may be expecting. I also wanted to compile <strong>a handy "how to" blog to help all those students in transition just like me</strong>. So I posed the question on twitter and a flood of tweets giving suggestions from both potential interviewers and students came in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Here are the twitter suggestions:</u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Be yourself & bring extra copies of your resume to the interview. Ask about supervision, training, & opportunities for continuing ed" - <em>Kimberly Scanlon</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"for interview stage prepare some questions b4hand, ur mind will sometimes go blank so good 2 have 1-2 ready" - <em>Sarah Bobeldijk</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"remember u could potentially end up working with/for these ppl so ask them q's about the service, the job, the team etc" - <em>Gina Roy</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Also good to get idea of personalities of team - its not just job u have to b right 4. U need 2 fit in w/ the team" - <em>Sarah Bobeldijk</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Be proactive and ask to see the department before interview." - <em>Ashleigh Westwood</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">"also</span> <span style="color: #0b5394;">don't b afraid to go have a look around, it'll get ur face out there & u get a better idea of what t job entails & environment" - <em>Sarah Bobeldijk</em></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"When </span><a class="twitter-hashtag pretty-link js-nav" data-query-source="hashtag_click" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23slp2b&src=hash"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><s>#</s>slp2b</span></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> job hunting, ask if company/school will provide the supervision and request it be put in the contract, if possible" - <em>Kate Millican</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"thoroughly read person spec - if there's items u dont meet eg dysphagia trained, st8 what u do have like experience than gloss over" - <em>Sarah Bobeldijk</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"My 1st application was unsuccessful but I emailed for feedback after not hearing anything. If you ask, they'll most likely... give it to you & you can improve on your next application which hopefully will end in success! :)" - <em>Ashleigh Westwood</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"look everywhere for jobs - my first one was on Facebook, and that was in 2007! Best job I could have asked for!" - <em>ASDSpeechie</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">"apply for part time, even if you want full time. I didn't get the original job, but got a full time year long contract instead!" - <em>Helen Sutton</em></span></span></span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"don't be disheartened by some interview processes. Had 1 where 40 of us did a test, top 6 were invited back for interview....got to interview stage, told I was second fave choice. Felt demoralised at the time but gave hope I was doing ok in the process too!" - <em>ASDSpeechie</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">& <em>Mike Richards</em> also blogged about this last summer </span><a class="twitter-timeline-link" data-expanded-url="http://www.speechlanguagesolutions.co.uk/category/sls-blog/" dir="ltr" href="http://t.co/lB0q30BnTL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://www.speechlanguagesolutions.co.uk/category/sls-blog/"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="invisible">http://www.</span><span class="js-display-url">speechlanguagesolutions.co.uk/category/sls-b</span><span class="invisible">log/</span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span>…</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (take a look, it's worth a read!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, <strong>get to know the department and the people</strong>, including <strong>visiting the department pre-interview</strong> (or pre-application if there is time!), <strong>get to know the person specification</strong> and job description, <strong>bring along your CV</strong> to the interview and <strong>ensure you ask lots of questions</strong>. Then once the interview has happened, <strong>if unsuccessful don't forget to ask why</strong>! This will support your future applications.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;"><u>Other hints, tips and suggestions for job applications from the student day include</u>:</span> </span></div>
<ul>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make your application (or personal statement) systematic, structured, punchy and personal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Short concise applications, personal statements or email enquiries are more likely to be responded to than lengthy ones.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ensure your application form/personal statement covers all aspects of the person specification.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make your application form as individual as possible, don't just copy and paste.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Include all transferable skills, non-clinical experience that can contribute to the job role.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apply for jobs within NHS, charities, independent sector, local authorities - you're not just restricted to NHS work in NQT year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sell yourself - make it sound like you're the only one that can do this job.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gain experience by volunteering, keep in touch with peers and clinicians, start or join journal clubs and attend SIG's.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Other hints, tips and suggestions for interviews</u>:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be punctual</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ask questions and find out what is involved in the job</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Show your personality and b</span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">e enthusiastic</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think before you speak</span></div>
</li>
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<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plan answers to questions (e.g. prepare for questions such as team working, MDT role etc)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Show your interpersonal skills (ability to reflect, team player etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Show your clinical knowledge (theory, caseload management etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a solid client knowledge.</span> </div>
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<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question the models of supervision you may receive, especially if applying to private/independent organisations.</span>
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<li><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Consider the bigger picture - knowledge of RCSLT, HCPC and wider service provision.</span></div>
</li>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I hope this gives any "slt2b's" a<strong> wider insight into the application and interview process</strong>, and comes in handy for those that are also starting the transition into NQT just like myself! Hopefully once I do begin applications and interviews, I can report back some of my own handy tips that I have experienced! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Good luck to all student SLT's in the process of job hunting!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"><em>Many thanks to all the Twitter responses, Mike Richards for his blog post and Emma Marfleet and Gina Roy for their fab presentation at the RCSLT Student Day</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">For any #slt2b's that are feeling they want more support with time management, caseload management, reduce stress and be more productive in the preparation for NQT jobs then you should take a look at the upcoming day from Therapy Ideas at: </span><a href="http://therapyideas.org/workshop"><span style="color: #0b5394;">http://therapyideas.org/workshop</span></a><span style="color: #0b5394;"> - Great for the CV!</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"><strong><u>Updated 10th April 2013</u></strong> - Many people have contacted me about this blog post and offered their suggestions, so here is a link to a fab blog on job applications and interviews for Band 5's from a SLT herself <a href="http://www.aptus-slt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/tips-for-newly-qualified-speech-and.html">http://www.aptus-slt.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/tips-for-newly-qualified-speech-and.html</a> and don't forget to check out Journal Clubs in your area for extra brownie points on your CV - <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><u><span style="color: #0084b4;"><span class="js-display-url">sltjournalclub.co.uk</span><span class="invisible"></span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span></span></span></u><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - Pediastaff also have a graduate careers guide that you can check out at : </span><a href="http://ht.ly/jRQpy"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://ht.ly/jRQpy</span></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> (works best on laptop/pc rather than mobile!)</span> </span></span></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-38439983204567947862013-04-06T10:01:00.003+01:002013-04-06T10:01:43.590+01:00SLT Society..an update!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, having now been ratified as a society there has been many committee meetings establishing a budget and a code of conduct (boy oh boy, I<strong> did not realise how much work this society thing would take</strong>!) and now we are just awaiting a go ahead on gaining members and we are off!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in the meantime <strong>we've planned a film night</strong>, showing a film that is <strong>SLT related</strong> (but is not the King's speech!) so we selected Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close to highlight social communication and we will be <strong>holding a discussion group</strong> about the interpretation from book to film and how communication is portrayed in the film format. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTnAgD66x-dZwThs6jsAzGTFCIdSKyDVG7KHTIdD6VrGJweUGZ8Fmkjb5qluMDgqYAVDBucsdUl5iIuySl59_UdiQ59RaBIr9QOiKum8b7_1yzdcJxJ_ff27VKmBWiqA5ZNAQzidCdC9f/s1600/BG7WEZOCUAELACM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTnAgD66x-dZwThs6jsAzGTFCIdSKyDVG7KHTIdD6VrGJweUGZ8Fmkjb5qluMDgqYAVDBucsdUl5iIuySl59_UdiQ59RaBIr9QOiKum8b7_1yzdcJxJ_ff27VKmBWiqA5ZNAQzidCdC9f/s320/BG7WEZOCUAELACM.jpg" width="265" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As well as this, we have created a <strong>Giving Voice Ballot Box</strong>! Now all RCSLT members should have received their April Bulletins and be eagerly reading them back to front, so if you have done this you'll know that the <strong>General Elections are taking place in 2015</strong>, and <strong>RCSLT want the MPs to include a manifesto about SLT provision in their campaigns</strong>, so this is an opportunity for real SLTs and SLT Students to put their thoughts down of what they actually want the government to provide SLT to improve it. We were able to have <strong>a go at this at the RCSLT Student Day </strong>last week and it was actually a great way to realise that even though we know we need more SLT resources, what do we really want to gain!? </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr_zbEuT-m5-LGogu1KzrKGGK3WxubnG3b2zKrpIiHWsLuJj4FUDOkjlvfWZ1Ev7DCU2x3TJKTa4ODV2ByCya-bAahZ5DsqqhLKjprq6T_1op4FESvuN5HOXYIie3DJtliIqSqzj6BoIp/s1600/BG63lTCCAAAzUAV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr_zbEuT-m5-LGogu1KzrKGGK3WxubnG3b2zKrpIiHWsLuJj4FUDOkjlvfWZ1Ev7DCU2x3TJKTa4ODV2ByCya-bAahZ5DsqqhLKjprq6T_1op4FESvuN5HOXYIie3DJtliIqSqzj6BoIp/s320/BG63lTCCAAAzUAV.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Our Ballot Box!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">The Ballot Box, Manifesto Blank Forms and Polling Station</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr_zbEuT-m5-LGogu1KzrKGGK3WxubnG3b2zKrpIiHWsLuJj4FUDOkjlvfWZ1Ev7DCU2x3TJKTa4ODV2ByCya-bAahZ5DsqqhLKjprq6T_1op4FESvuN5HOXYIie3DJtliIqSqzj6BoIp/s1600/BG63lTCCAAAzUAV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhnMJZKbdqYH_-fihD6ew9Q4YUfIm7_2jxeiHkxzZTZrf9xLmrGQh75E0xfHgBNW2hJX9GCb9qp8rgbLqHeUOHVKsTirNrOXHBUQ3XlM6EJWa-wrmNkEtgaHb6i5ZTDu4HiRm6xQLZ9zb/s1600/BHEr2NbCcAAEHt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are also plans for engaging in the <strong>non-verbal week from 22nd April</strong> (thanks to Inclusive Communication Essex who will be helping us out at local Essex libraries to provide AAC to use during this week!) and plans to <strong>host a Giving Voice stall to promote our society</strong>, the <strong>SLT profession</strong> and the <strong>Giving Voice Campaign</strong> on campus at the University of Essex. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So whilst it feels like we only have a few months with this society before we move on to being qualified professionals (eek!), <strong>we have a lot of great stuff in the pipeline</strong>!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;">If there are any <strong>other SLT Societies out there</strong> that have suggestions or ideas of events or activities that worked well, I would really appreciate <strong>a comment or tweet</strong> about it :)</span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-57108170114450586042013-04-03T12:58:00.005+01:002013-04-03T14:15:42.562+01:00My Toddler Talks: A Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">My train journey provisions</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently I was <strong>asked by Kimberly if I would like to review her new book My Toddler Talks</strong> and I jumped at the chance. So I eagerly awaited by the postbox for it to arrive and once it did it was time for my Easter weekend break, and the RCSLT Student Day up in Leicester. So with my bag packed with Kimberly's book, a notepad, pens, highlighters and many post-it notes I was ready for my train ride and to dive into this book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I had <strong>never reviewed a book before</strong> I thought post-it notes of my thoughts would be the best way to keep my thoughts organised and have been swimming in post-it notes ever since (finding them in the strangest of places such as in my bed!).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgVkKJQ_4vayNsl-5Ikh2e-AxMl4X1TGx76qTXUP1v5wPo425WKb7fqp8TIMk3vUl9M1mn9a3v2ikQsijTB1uJVGz7GM-kXhefzKcHHg7PcEIQvd6w1vQEQ07RxnOQ9jFLi-H2f2yGF2M/s1600/thinking-bubble-without-shadow-blue-hi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But down to what you all want to hear..<strong> "What did you think of Kimberly's book?"</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">Well.. <strong>It is fab! Absolutely great!</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763;">As someone who's course is split 1st year paediatrics, 2nd year adult (and now being in 2nd year) it's been nearly a year since I have engaged in paediatric therapy and it <strong>was fantastic to read this book to re-jig my memory of child language development</strong> <strong>and milestones</strong>, hints and tips for how to engage with children and some fun games</span> that would be great for encouraging language. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgVkKJQ_4vayNsl-5Ikh2e-AxMl4X1TGx76qTXUP1v5wPo425WKb7fqp8TIMk3vUl9M1mn9a3v2ikQsijTB1uJVGz7GM-kXhefzKcHHg7PcEIQvd6w1vQEQ07RxnOQ9jFLi-H2f2yGF2M/s1600/thinking-bubble-without-shadow-blue-hi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgVkKJQ_4vayNsl-5Ikh2e-AxMl4X1TGx76qTXUP1v5wPo425WKb7fqp8TIMk3vUl9M1mn9a3v2ikQsijTB1uJVGz7GM-kXhefzKcHHg7PcEIQvd6w1vQEQ07RxnOQ9jFLi-H2f2yGF2M/s200/thinking-bubble-without-shadow-blue-hi.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><strong>So whilst Kimberly aims her book to parents</strong> to support them in communicating with their toddler and providing a language rich environment, <strong>I feel it should be for all SLT Students and SLT Practitioners</strong>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>I know I'll keep My Toddler Talks</em></span><em><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in </span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my SLT Toolkit for </span></em><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>my remaining 5 months as a student </em></span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>and into my career as a practitioner.</em> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now if I consider a parent reading this, and stepping out of my shoes as a SLT, <strong>I think it's a fab book for working in conjunction with a SLT and a therapy program</strong>. However, there are a few times in the first part of the book (where Kimberly outlines routines and language modelling techniques) where I wonder if parents would fully understand the terminology used and the strategies outlined. But <strong>I envisage a parent being recommended this book following a SLT session</strong>, and in that case I think a parent could take a great deal from this book, and would be able to question and clarify any words or strategies with the SLT in charge. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So whilst there may be some SLT jargon, or language modelling techniques that parents may need explaining, <strong>Kimberly outlines that this book is not a replacement for SLT</strong> and for me this is one of the important aspects to ensure parents take away from using this book. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCLCqW1N4EcCw60JXr6lzilXPYWRVeNGHb5NpcDJBFd8cgQzD9eZ344NEll7KURMgUwgmBTpLw2TDJDaRsDmfljvk6AJ-lQB9pRAo-KKzhB1vmulz-Dh4_9LW_U2DnJHHsQ-RRK3M9EGT/s1600/My-Toddler-Talks-Book-Cover-300-dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUCLCqW1N4EcCw60JXr6lzilXPYWRVeNGHb5NpcDJBFd8cgQzD9eZ344NEll7KURMgUwgmBTpLw2TDJDaRsDmfljvk6AJ-lQB9pRAo-KKzhB1vmulz-Dh4_9LW_U2DnJHHsQ-RRK3M9EGT/s320/My-Toddler-Talks-Book-Cover-300-dpi.jpg" width="242" /></span></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kimberly's book initially <strong>comprises of theory, outlining language development and milestones, onto general strategies and tips for encouraging language development</strong>. This is a great opener to </span><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">support parents, children and language development. But <strong>my personal favourite part of the book</strong> would have to be <strong>the activities section</strong>. This thoroughly outlines resources needed, time needed, the structure of the play and extra tips for engaging in many different activities and is <strong>extremely accessible and adaptable to suit the parent and child's needs</strong>. It is also highly transferable for SLTs that are stuck in a rut and need a new activity for therapy! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many positives in this book for parents, Kimberly effectively <strong>outlines that the parent is the expert of the child,</strong> not the SLT and <strong>detailing that play should be child led and positive throughout</strong>. Extra tips such as reducing questions, imitating and video recording are many things that us SLTs do intrinsically, but are essential to be detailed for the parent. Having these hints, tips and strategies in this book <strong>for parents to keep at home at all times</strong> is great, and makes it really accessible. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, <strong>Kimberly's book covers both theory and basics of language development, strategies and tips to support encouraging language</strong> by adapting the parent/carer/professionals language, and <strong>extremely well detailed activities that rely on resources that accessible in most homes that effectively encourage play and language development.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is <strong>a book that all paediatric speech and language therapists should have access to</strong>, a book that can be recommended to parents and be implemented alongside therapy in the early years. I know for a fact that when I get stuck on my language development milestones, or am in need of a new game for therapy <strong>I will turn to Kimberly's book.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to take this opportunity thank Kimberly,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for giving me such a useful tool as a student </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and as a future practitioner. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>To read more about Kimberly's book go to:</em> </span><a href="http://www.mytoddlertalks.com/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.mytoddlertalks.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>Or to purchase go to Amazon</em>: </span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toddler-Talks-Strategies-Activities-Development/dp/1477693548/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364994876&sr=8-3"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toddler-Talks-Strategies-Activities-Development/dp/1477693548/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1364994876&sr=8-3</span></a></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-48669064880252633122013-03-20T19:13:00.000+00:002013-03-20T19:13:08.238+00:00Speech and Language Therapy Society<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently at the University of Essex I have been <strong>trying to start a SLT Society</strong> to <strong>bring together both the year 1 and year 2 students</strong>, as well as to <strong>promote SLT</strong> to the undergraduates on campus that may have an interest in language, the sciences and communication. We wanted to be able to <strong>get a budget</strong> and invite members so that we could <strong>fund external speakers</strong>, <strong>training days</strong> and <strong>SIGs</strong> as well as develop journal clubs and a <u>safe area to discuss issues</u> between peers. Having pushed and pushed for this since December 2012, we were finally offered the opportunity to be ratified today!</span></div>
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<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314429_171348792958559_33017872_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314429_171348792958559_33017872_n.jpg" width="166" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to prepare a 2 minute speech and was informed prior to today that I would give this <strong>2 minute speech about why we wanted to be a society</strong>, then there would be an <strong>anonymous vote</strong>. I had assumed this would be a select few members of the Student's Union and was then surprised when I <strong>walked into a big lecture theatre</strong> to find committee members from all societies on campus! I had managed to drag another committee member with me from the SLT Society and so when 'societies to be ratified' were called to the front of the lecture theatre I dragged her with me (luckily she was willing!).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another hopeful society went before us, and she spoke for 2 minutes, was then bombarded with questions and was then told the voting would commence. Suddenly arms were flying in the air to the words "not in favour of this society" and hardly any movement during "in favour". She unfortunately didn't get ratified. Well, it was <strong>fair to say I was nervous</strong> following this as I had <strong>not been mentally prepared for questions</strong>, <strong>nor had I been prepared for a non-anonymous vote</strong> - now I was faced with watching people say that they were for or against us. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgci4Ak7bPCSkFrq4VpM35tqTeOOj6hfXdbss2lybwjXBXLc3ecwJjP4nfSwYju4aRU8NSd0WGGdoQNl0bIxIY47UlKtW_5QlYrJSqadfG-SLy2NMdFvVGgfJMoVsx6PWPX-ThuoxVLFVRg/s1600/imagesCANX9P0Z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgci4Ak7bPCSkFrq4VpM35tqTeOOj6hfXdbss2lybwjXBXLc3ecwJjP4nfSwYju4aRU8NSd0WGGdoQNl0bIxIY47UlKtW_5QlYrJSqadfG-SLy2NMdFvVGgfJMoVsx6PWPX-ThuoxVLFVRg/s1600/imagesCANX9P0Z.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>In the essence of being a therapist though I remained swan-like</strong> and despite my <strong>desperate nervous paddle</strong>, I <strong>looked graceful on the surface</strong> and took to the stage with my accomplice. I <strong>spoke of how it was imperative that the 2 year groups merged</strong> more over the course of the 2 years on the MSc programme <strong>and how we longed to draw in members from linguistics, sciences and psychology degree programmes to share knowledge and work together</strong>. I spoke of recent news that SLT is "least preferred" profession for teenagers, <strong>highlighting the lack of awareness of SLT</strong> and how we really wanted to bring this to light, who we are and what we do. In my flustered state my accomplice took over and really reiterated that we wanted to <strong>promote awareness and inclusion</strong>, before I then went on to outline that we hoped to have social events as well as academic events in the form of external speakers and journal clubs. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then it was doomsday time. The floor was opened to questions. <u>Not a single person had a single question</u>. We paused a second to enjoy the moment of relishing in the fact <strong>we had made our points clear and concise to the audience</strong>. Only to then return to doomsday feelings of vote time. I could have <strong>jumped for joy</strong> and screamed <strong>when "those in favour" was said and the whole room shot their hands in the sky!</strong> Of course, there was the cynical man in the front row who put his hand to "not in favour", but besides him, we were on the full stretch home. The VP of activities then said the sweet word <strong>"congratulations"!</strong> We were <strong>officially a society!!!</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Hard work, persistence and dedication</strong> to the cause <strong>paid off</strong>, all whilst looking calm and collected - all features of the SLT profession from my experiences so far!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47h6IQOX_wjCt9P9d2h-bhuJMKpVvQkhOrjL59L5IDECXz8fB_w5AzWTOlq-QFzQ6P882W2463rK_JkucOvtP4sTCmMZhk6cIRAYJaBnpHZOfiDQy5Rjsj2-ITak3QZQXk_nNSg2KEmaJ/s1600/Chorion_LittleMissSunshine.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47h6IQOX_wjCt9P9d2h-bhuJMKpVvQkhOrjL59L5IDECXz8fB_w5AzWTOlq-QFzQ6P882W2463rK_JkucOvtP4sTCmMZhk6cIRAYJaBnpHZOfiDQy5Rjsj2-ITak3QZQXk_nNSg2KEmaJ/s200/Chorion_LittleMissSunshine.png" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was an even lovelier moment when a girl from the crowd came up to us at the end of the meeting to tell us she desperately wanted to be a SLT and that she was so glad we had decided to start up, asking for our email addresses and more info. <u>We had our first member!! </u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's safe to say that from now till I leave in August, there will be much <strong>awareness raising, many academic events </strong>and a much <strong>better sense of community</strong> between year 1 and year 2 students.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>I am so looking forward to this journey! </strong></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-26955382069420787342013-03-19T16:01:00.001+00:002013-03-19T16:01:11.688+00:00Clinical Reasoning Models: Applying these to supervision<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I had a lecture on <strong>clinical reasoning and</strong> <strong>clinical supervision</strong>. It was really <strong>eye-opening</strong> to see that <strong>my feelings</strong> that I had reflected on in my previous 2 blogs on clinical supervision were mirrored <strong>by my peers</strong>. I was able to reflect more on the issue of <strong>supervision being a 2 way process</strong>, of which is <strong>reciprocal </strong>from both supervisor and supervisee. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What was interesting to then draw on was the notion of <strong>clinical supervision as a space for the supervisee to draw out their thoughts</strong> and really become more self-aware whilst <u>engaging in offline reflection</u> - a process of clinical reasoning. It was interesting to then be aware of how to apply the <strong>Higgs and Titchen's model</strong> of knowledge alongside a newer model of evidence based practice to clinical supervision in order to become effective at clinically reasoning whilst drawing out personal strengths and areas to develop. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxbTURPAWXjrK2mdBfvw84je7tqBb0P7jLjSI7M6j2hXuC8lUrvaEv8yHLWHCTbc43tn2PXaRJixq06KzzhCkALv_wFt0b1EsMXXV1-1hNwhyphenhyphenC4eXonNu8MYL7XZ6qf6wA3-bbyGz8J0s/s1600/higgs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxbTURPAWXjrK2mdBfvw84je7tqBb0P7jLjSI7M6j2hXuC8lUrvaEv8yHLWHCTbc43tn2PXaRJixq06KzzhCkALv_wFt0b1EsMXXV1-1hNwhyphenhyphenC4eXonNu8MYL7XZ6qf6wA3-bbyGz8J0s/s320/higgs.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><em>Higgs and Titchen Model</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By reflecting offline with a supervisor, you were <strong>able to see more clearly</strong> <strong>how you clincally reasoned</strong> derived at that thought, by drawing on research/literature/theory from <strong>propositional knowledge</strong>, vs. <strong>personal knowledge</strong> from own experience and from client centred personal knowledge vs. drawing on clinical skill <strong>craft knowledge</strong>. It was <strong>interesting to be aware</strong> that <strong>as we grow as student SLTs</strong> that <strong>the way in which we apply these different domains</strong> can<strong> alter</strong> and this can be a growing process in itself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><u>Only through reflection and supervision can we become more aware of our skills and expertise,</u></strong> as well as our areas to develop. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM2dBu4_HEeYkq-7G1a1iTY0HxGfK5PmSA82FONtVJ8FTTl7EUThcyvVZpQjyWsm4_uUpQwdD_CD2P4Wj0_zu-fCt3vWw3ur7pl4XiceqE3cqac9H8V6lGoiSh-4aEKHanA2nfB4imLUW/s1600/ebp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUM2dBu4_HEeYkq-7G1a1iTY0HxGfK5PmSA82FONtVJ8FTTl7EUThcyvVZpQjyWsm4_uUpQwdD_CD2P4Wj0_zu-fCt3vWw3ur7pl4XiceqE3cqac9H8V6lGoiSh-4aEKHanA2nfB4imLUW/s320/ebp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #0b5394;">Evidence Based Practice Model</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am very excited about starting my block placement in a month and hope to go into this <strong>being open and honest about how I prefer supervision to be</strong>, having been able to reflect on the things that I have valued in a supervisor previously, but <strong>also in the hope that I can become more aware of my own clinical reasoning skills</strong> through applying both the Higgs and Titchen model and the EBP model that I have now come to know. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does anyone have <strong>experiences of this as a student supervisee or as a supervisor</strong>? How <strong>do you apply these models to your practice</strong>? How do you <strong>develop your reflection skills</strong>? I would appreciate any <u>comments or tweets</u> on this topic :) </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-77107824312044131622013-03-13T17:15:00.000+00:002013-03-19T20:27:06.984+00:00My first SIG: Intensive Interaction & PODD<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #002060; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Monday I
attended my first SIG. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <strong>London Autism
SIG</strong>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had no clue what to expect and
was going alone, so armed with my Kindle and my diary I prepared to be sat
alone not being able to network with anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How wrong was I! I met a lovely NQP to start with and she told me all
about her past 6 months working and how autism was a new area to her so she
thought she’d join the SIG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then a lady
she knew arrived and I got talking to her, followed by another lady who sat to
my left who also joined in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>It was
lovely</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SIG hadn’t even started and
<strong>I was beginning to feel like a real SLT</strong>, able to discuss clients and other SLTs
I knew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></u></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u></u></span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.leedspft.nhs.uk/_imagebank/Intensive_Interaction_shoot___February_2009_108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.leedspft.nhs.uk/_imagebank/Intensive_Interaction_shoot___February_2009_108.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><em><u>Graham Firth</u></em></span></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></tbody></table>
<span style="color: #002060; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first
presenter of the day was <strong>Graham Firth</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has a lot of experience in Intensive Interaction and is the current
project leader for it in the Leeds Partnership Trust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also has a book out about it and has
developed the <strong>Framework for Recognising Attainment in Intensive
Interaction</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FRA is a tool I’ve been
using recently with my Communication Partner as it is really easy to use and
shows clearly where my client is at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
on Monday, Graham talked about <strong>how to use it most effectively</strong> and boy oh boy is
there ways for me to improve my recording of intensive interaction! I was also surprised
as there were activities to <u>watch a videoclip of II and then map it to the
framework</u>, I was surprised that <strong>so many of us had different opinions about
which level the client was at</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This made
me realise that best practice for II, may in fact be video recording the
interaction and gathering a colleague or two to discuss where you may place them
on the FRA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This way you will get to
hear peoples clinical reasoning out loud and develop your own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a packed hour with lots to <strong>learn about
the framework and great opportunities to practise it</strong>, but by then I was
bursting for a drink and a stretch and before I knew it, it was break
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #002060; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the tea
break <strong>Hayley Parfett</strong>, an Australian SLT now currently working in the UK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came to talk about a method of AAC called
<strong>PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display).</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now I had never heard of this before and upon showing us a big hefty
book chocker full of symbols I began to doubt this method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>Would a child with autism who was reluctant
to engage in communication actually use a book of symbols so big?</strong> Then Hayley
said “How often do you provide a system with just the words that you know they
are able to achieve?” “<strong>How are you pushing your clients to learn and to grow?</strong>” –
Well, she certainly had my attention! She stated that we need to <strong>widen our
expectations</strong> of our clients and not be masked by what we have seen them achieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that is exactly what PODD does, <strong>whilst a
child may not know the symbols or words to start with</strong>, when adults, staff,
family are facilitating their speech/communication with the symbols within the
book, <strong>the adult is facilitating the child to learn that they can use these too</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then went on to ask us, if we had the
option to leave the SIG right now, and be free in London, with no
responsibilities, <strong>what would we like to do with our afternoons? </strong>Then she
<strong>produced two pictures</strong>, one of the big ben and one of tower bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she said “which one do you want to do?” <strong>“you
choose”.</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01400/Tower-Bridge_1400597c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01400/Tower-Bridge_1400597c.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><a href="http://www.london-attractions.info/images/attractions/big-ben2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.london-attractions.info/images/attractions/big-ben2.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it was fair to say nobody in the room had even had these two options in mind, and in fact we <strong>didn’t
want to choose either of those 2 pictures</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hayley then detailed that often this happens, <strong>we give our clients a
choice of 2</strong>, in a situation where there could be endless choices and <strong>then we
view our client as being incapable of making a choice if they don’t make one</strong>
out of the two limited ones presented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That, she stated, was what PODD also tried to achieve, to <strong>give a range of
possibilities to the child</strong> to support them to be able to communicate. I am hoping to learn more about PODD and read up on the evidence base, but I wonder how much these display communication books are currently being used? <strong>I haven't come across PODD before, have you?</strong></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lburkhart.com/PODD_books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://www.lburkhart.com/PODD_books.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Overall, it
was a very interesting thought provoking day, which not only supported my
skills using the FRA for II, but also began to change my views on communication
and how we work with people with autism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will definitely be going to the full day SIG in June that is for sure!</span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-84576194520712308882013-03-09T12:33:00.000+00:002013-03-09T12:39:12.604+00:00Clinical Supervisiors: The response!<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Following on from my
blog the other day on Clinical Supervisors, I had <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">an overwhelming response</span></strong>.
Many of my followers on Twitter sent me messages saying they had felt the same,
and that supervision had been variable between placements. <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It struck a chord with </span></strong>others
more than I realised it would, both with<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
students and supervisors </span></strong>themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Many students or
practitioners reflecting on their days as a student stated that they always
appreciated their supervisor giving feedback on strengths/areas for development.
They stated that <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">having
the opportunity as a student to have room to grow on placement</span></strong>,
and being supported in having the opportunity to experience flying solo in
practice. One person even reflected that a supervisors <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">compliments were much more appreciated
when they were rarities</span></strong>, when the student had truly exceeded
expectations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In discussing whether
or not it was the student or the supervisor that adapted their ways on clinical
placements, many people stated that <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">both
needed to be flexible</span></strong>. They stated that the clinical supervisor
should be aware of clinical area and the amount the student was able to achieve
in that setting due to specialism and department structure. They also stated
that <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">supervisors should
be aware of</span></strong> student’s <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">previous
clinical experiences</span></strong>, the <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">point at which the student was in their training</span></strong>
and the <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">resources available</span></strong>
to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">But though this has
been focused on what students prefer and what supervisors need to consider
about students, I became aware that<strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
I hadn’t considered what supervisors preferred</span></strong> or what the
student should consider about the supervisor. As it was pointed out to me, <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">supervisors themselves are also
learning</span></strong>, both about the profession, but also about how to be a
good supervisor. Having asked some peers, it became clear that many <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">supervisors did not ask their students
for feedback on their supervision style</span></strong>, therefore <u>how can
we expect supervisors to be flexible to our needs if we are not explicit in
telling them what we need from them on the placement.</u> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“It’s
important to remember that supervisors are continually learning and improving
as well as students” - @TstarrMarshall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In my own experience <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I have never been explicitly asked</span></strong>
and been given the open opportunity <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">to
reflect openly to my supervisors about their supervision styles</span></strong>.
I was once told that if I had any issues I could approach her, however this
seemed to be for extreme cases where I was struggling to keep up, not just
general comments on how I felt the student-practitioner supervision process was
going. One suggestion was that <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">universities
could address the issue of students giving feedback to supervisors prior to
clinical placement</span></strong>. At my University we are given booklets
which supervisors fill in with sections being labeled “students strengths and
areas to develop”, would a booklet that the supervisor has, filled in by the
student support this gap? <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">After
all, we are all learning from the clinical placement process</span></strong>, a
reason why many practitioners continue to take students on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">So to any <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">clinical supervisors</span></strong>
of students on clinical placements happen to read this, give it a try, <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">ask your students to give you open
honest feedback</span></strong> about how your supervision style fits with
their learning style. I’d be interested to hear how successful it is and <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">whether or not students have the
insight to answer this</span></strong>, and <strong><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">whether they feel “brave enough”</span></strong> to reflect
on your practice as well as their own. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;">
<em>Many thanks to all those who tweeted and contributed to the discussion!</em> </div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-91586854303816888262013-03-06T13:36:00.002+00:002013-03-06T13:40:23.149+00:00Put yourself in their shoes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For many years I have had an interest in working with people with ASD (<strong>Autism Spectrum Disorder</strong>) and have spent many years working for both a disabled charity and a camp in america with a wide range of individuals all heterogenous to each other. Having attended many CPD events such as the Autism Show and a conference day hosted by Autism Anglia I have had an opportunity to <strong>widen my understanding of Autism</strong> and <strong>gain more of an insight</strong> into the lifes of the people I have worked with. However, <u>can someone ever really have an insight of someone elses life, without having stepped into their shoes?</u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the Autism Anglia day there were many obstacle courses set up.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://blog.nordquist.org/wp-content/uploads/image50.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://blog.nordquist.org/wp-content/uploads/image50.png" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first one included <strong>un-wrapping a starburst sweet with a mitten on</strong>, no ability to grip it, no sensory input to feel the edges of the wrapper and <strong>general annoyance</strong> that the sweet you wanted <strong>was unobtainable to you. </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next obstacle was <strong>manouvering around many objects</strong>, but whilst using binoculars. You may think this sounds relatively easy, but when the binoculars are being used in the wrong way, <strong>everything diminished in size</strong>. It became<strong> both tricky and frustrating</strong> to manouvere your way across a classroom.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.classictours.co.uk/Img/Challenge_logos/Autism%20Anglia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.classictours.co.uk/Img/Challenge_logos/Autism%20Anglia.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, this was an <strong>eye opening experience</strong> to begin to make a step toward understanding of how my clients must feel on a daily basis. Then came the surpise of it all. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was sat in a lecture at university, when the <strong>lights began to flicker</strong>. Not only did that come with an annoyance over light input and sight, it was accompanyed by a<strong> bleeping noise</strong> that persisted the whole lecture. On top of this I became distinctly aware of the persons next to me <strong>heavily breathing</strong> through their mouth (a current round of head colds!) and the <strong>banging of doors</strong> in rooms above and below our classroom. Having recently experienced some sensory difficulties at the Autism Anglia day, I was overly aware that all these<strong> sensory experiences</strong> in the lecture were both <strong>frustrating, removed my concentration and were out of my control.</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This morning I read on Twitter about a new game called <strong>"Auti-Sim"</strong>, a simulation game that <strong>replicates sensory overload</strong> as a way for people to experience neurological difficulties. The 2 minute youtube clip is enough to throw anyone off and many people who have been diagnosed as having Autism or Aspergers have <strong>noted that it is accurate</strong> to their daily experiences. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lifeslittlepuzzle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/sensory-overload.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://www.lifeslittlepuzzle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/sensory-overload.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This makes me wonder, <strong>how many people try to put themselves in the physical shoes of their clients?</strong> I know in stroke training hemianopia glasses are given to allow professionals to experience visionary loss. So besides Autism and Stroke, <strong>are there ways to experience how your client feels day in and day out?</strong> Has anyone had any other experiences with these client groups that has supported their understanding of their client?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, I have widened my understanding of both those I have previously worked with and those I will in the hopeful furture work with. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the coming month myself and my peers hope to attend a special Autism Screening at the local Cinema to review this, and to get some feedback about how <strong>these specialist set ups not only help decrease sensory stimulation</strong> in those with autism, <strong>but also how they allow someone with autism to access society.</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><u>Reference:</u></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Auti-Sim" A review: </span><a href="http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/03/auti-sim-lets-you-experience-the-horror-of-sensory-overload/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/03/auti-sim-lets-you-experience-the-horror-of-sensory-overload/</span></a></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Youtube Clip: "Auti-Sim"</strong> </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwS-qm8hUxc&feature=player_embedded"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwS-qm8hUxc&feature=player_embedded</span></a></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-81365412424106997472013-03-05T09:06:00.000+00:002013-03-09T12:35:27.513+00:00Clinical Supervisors..A Rose by any other name!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Last week I finished my <strong>8 day placement</strong> and was able to on my final day <strong>reflect</strong> on me, my performance on the placement and my practice as a student SLT . However, having had my final appraisal with my practice educator (of which went very successfully) I realised that I could <strong>reflect on practice educators and styles of supervision</strong> over my past placements.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my latest placement I had a supervisor who was really good at <strong>letting me take the lead</strong> in my clients journey, having told her that I wanted an opportunity to be autonomous and independent. I was able to leave comprehensive clinical notes, email her and on occasion track her down and have face to face conversations when I initiated. During this placement I really <strong>grew as a student SLT</strong> and even <strong>in some ways as a SLT</strong>. However, I was <strong>surprised on my final assessment</strong> for her to be so <strong>fully aware of everything I had done</strong> and all my successes, including having gained feedback from staff I had been working with. Whilst I did not feel I needed her around any more than she already was, I was pleasantly surprised to find out <strong>how active she had been behind the scenes</strong> following me through my placement.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Compared to this, my last block placement I had <strong>4 therapists</strong> shadowing me (or me shadowing them in some instances) and of these 4, one was my practice educator. I was with her 1 day a week for 5 weeks and conducted all therapy in front of her, as well as having her review all clinical case notes and reports with me. Whilst she was <strong>a very hands on therapist,</strong> I felt the final assessment was not fully holistic of my performance with all the therapists, as well as with her. <strong>She gave me feedback</strong> that she had noted and whilst her feedback was very useful, I felt I <strong>lacked input from the other 3 therapists</strong>. Despite this, I returned to University the following week to be greeted by my tutor who stated that my <strong>practice educator</strong> had <strong>rang the university</strong> to <strong>tell them how successful I had been</strong> on my placement and that they would not hestitate to have students from Essex again. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">If I compare this again with my very first SLT supervisor, she was very hands on, it was<strong> just the 2 of us in therapy </strong>every second of the day together. She gave me <strong>brilliant points at my final assessment</strong>, but <strong>little indication of areas to develop</strong> despite having observed me hands on for 8 days.</span> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Overall, I <u>have enjoyed experiencing many different supervisors</u>, and <u>many different ways of supervision</u> and have grown through each of these. I have been very lucky to have such wonderful placements, with <strong>such wonderful supervisors though each different in their own ways.</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Therefore, this really got me questioning <strong>which style</strong> of placement supervisor/practice educator <strong>is most effective for students</strong>? It is all a very personal experience and I wonder if hands on works best for some, but not for others? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Do some students prefer more positive feedback, whilst others prefer more structural areas to develop? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Having done some reading for my research proposal in the area of clinical placements, I am aware that there are many ways for a supervisor to conduct their student placements. Though I wonder, <strong>do supervisors change their ways</strong> of conduct dependent on the student? <strong>Or is it the student that is flexible</strong> to the supervisors ways?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial;">Any comments/tweets about this are much appreciated, I would love to have an insight from students and clinical placement supervisors. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-3271979245127082632013-03-04T11:20:00.003+00:002013-03-04T11:34:11.222+00:00The last long run..<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am sure that I am not the only student SLT in this position, the position where <strong>the long stretch from now to qualifying means that the end is in sight</strong>, but that there is still a lot of hard work and time to put in over the next few months.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This unfortunately means that my Blog has taken a back seat, though I do want to <strong>thank all those that continue to visit</strong> <strong>my blog</strong> - I really do appreciate it! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is to come for me and my peers at the University of Essex over the <strong>next 5 months, 4 weeks and 1 day</strong>? (Thanks to my Countdown app I know exactly how long it is until my final University deadline). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I have 7 more weeks of University term, which includes <u>2 essays</u>, <u>2 placements</u>, and a <u>Research Proposal</u> to write, on top of <u>3 days a week of class</u>. Luckily for me, I just finished 1 of my 2 placements and have completed 1 of the 2 essays, so <strong>a little breathing space</strong> means more time for Research Proposal (Anyone else doing a MSc SLT degree? Hard hard work, but feels so so worth it!). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then in <strong>7 weeks time I start my block placement</strong>. And for anyone on the University of Essex degree programme, the <strong>block placement is the light at the end of the tunnel</strong>, its 5 whole weeks of doing what you are here to do, be a SLT! I am very excited to announce that my block placement is in Surrey, in the <u>Community Adult LD team</u> and I for one cannot wait to begin it! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then it really is a whirlwind after block. We luckily have TAPP - <strong>Transition to Autonomous Practitioner Placement</strong>, where we get an opportunity to work with paediatric client having not seen any littlies since May 2012! And then a VIVA to end the summer, and a <u>CPD portfolio</u> to bring it all together. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So whilst it may seem like a long hard stretch, this really is <strong>my last long run as a Student SLT </strong>and I cannot wait for the day I can blog and work as <u>a real SLT</u>! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any other student SLTs in the same position? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How are you coping with the last few months of being a Student SLT?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> How are your placements going? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'd love to hear all about it!</span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;">As for me and the next few months, I have built up a <strong>long list of ideas that I want to blog about</strong>. So look out for me and my blog over the next month or two and I hope to <strong>return back to the blogging scene on full form</strong>. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial;">As for today, <strong>research methodologies await me</strong>. </span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-24386153430839847302013-02-04T19:50:00.001+00:002013-03-09T14:58:16.004+00:00Twitter Help..<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this month's <strong>RCSLT Bulletin</strong> stars Your's Truly! And I'm writing about <strong>advocating Twitter</strong>. I've had many of my own cohort join recently and start to develop their own personal Twitter accounts to being professional SLT accounts and so I thought I'd write a post <strong>to help those starting out on Twitter</strong> as an SLT to use it to the best of its ability...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, as a believer of "if someone's already done something, and done it well, why do it again?" I would like to direct everyone to <strong>@SLPTanya's blog</strong> where she outlines Twitter in a 101 full explanation format! Go visit it at: </span><a href="http://lexicallinguist.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/nomenclature-and-basic-functions-of-twitter/"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twitter 101</span></a> <span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>- LINK!</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But for those in need of a quick how to, I recommend searching for the following hashtags:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/2284174758/v65oai7fxn47qv9nectx.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/2284174758/v65oai7fxn47qv9nectx.png" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>#slpeeps #slt2b #slp2b #slpbloggers</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once there, add many SLTs/SLPs, read <strong>a wealth of recent tweets</strong>, and <strong>favourite</strong> or <strong>retweet</strong> those you like the best. Reply to people to add to discussion and <strong>write tweets to ask for advice</strong>, <u>(making sure you add #slpeeps or #slt2b or #slp2b at the end!)</u> or write tweets to update on your daily ongoings, recent <strong>evidence base</strong> discoveries or general SLT thoughts :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Glad to see <strong>so many #slt2b's and #slp2b's using Twitter</strong> and would suggest encouraging any SLTs/SLPs to get involved in such an active community!</span></div>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-37644392336293721672013-02-02T19:04:00.001+00:002013-03-04T11:27:22.557+00:00RCSLT Bulletin<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today my "Letter to the Editor" was published in the February 2013 edition of the RCSLT Bulletin! For those that aren't subscribers to the bulletin (why the heck not, get yourself a RCSLT membership!) here is a picture for you all to see...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-20447243357705349062013-02-01T13:10:00.004+00:002013-04-10T16:53:48.430+01:00ICE Sharing Day Conference: Ros Blackburn<div style="border: currentColor; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm currently on a 1 day per week for 8 weeks placement where I attend every Wednesday. This week I was lucky enough for that Wednesday to fall on the <strong>ICE Sharing Day conference</strong>. ICE is <strong>Inclusive Communication Essex</strong> and is a library of AAC resources set up around the county in order to promote communication for all. Parents<strong>, professionals and service users</strong> are able to access and trial AAC, get support and advice through the programme. The sharing day was an example of how professionals parents and service users can <strong>come together and share experiences</strong> and knowledge in order to learn and grow. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijJ7iCJPFdXKv7AwKW51pTI4ag7dHFcbL58YJuxH95rosvpe7s-Q0D4PYjisViwSHy4br3XhqE6IXFfA-hrPLOAmhvtIbNLS_i7coiYorn6LJyl1JAiKFQBfXm-VdCfWsxBGAN-4wx9zi/s1600/ICE-Inclusive-Communication-Essex" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgijJ7iCJPFdXKv7AwKW51pTI4ag7dHFcbL58YJuxH95rosvpe7s-Q0D4PYjisViwSHy4br3XhqE6IXFfA-hrPLOAmhvtIbNLS_i7coiYorn6LJyl1JAiKFQBfXm-VdCfWsxBGAN-4wx9zi/s320/ICE-Inclusive-Communication-Essex" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was lucky enough to be invited along by my placement educator and so had not seen the agenda until the day. Once I did see it however <strong>I was like a child at Christmas</strong>.. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Ros Blackburn was presenting</strong>! So I skipped off as quickly as I could to squeeze in to the tiny lecture room she had been given. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now if you <strong>ever question your understanding of autism</strong>, or on the opposite scale, believe you know all there is about autism - I suggest you <strong>go see Ros Blackburn</strong>. She gives an insightful account of life as a person with autism and really highlights the fact that beyond hand flapping and unusual vocalisations, the bare bones of <strong>autism is social communication disorder.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She describes instances of <strong>having to communicate and be social as a form of torture and pain </strong>and that a reward is being left alone. Consider how many people interact with children and adults with autism on a daily basis and you will come to realise that this is not at all how many carers and professionals work with individuals with autism. We've all seen instances of a child with autism being coaxed to sit in close proximity to peers whilst bribing them with <strong>items that we perceive as "rewards"</strong> which may in fact be less rewarding than the notion of being alone to a child with autism. </span></div>
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<a href="http://c257.r57.cf3.rackcdn.com/53ad867e61253c405cd84f117bdaaf8e-2376729-1301634644-4d955e54-620x348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="320" src="http://c257.r57.cf3.rackcdn.com/53ad867e61253c405cd84f117bdaaf8e-2376729-1301634644-4d955e54-620x348.jpg" width="229" /></a><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ros also covered aspects that have been tentative in the media recently. Much research and opinion pieces focus on the terms "cure" with "autism" and what I believe to <strong>become "functional" </strong>was reinforced by Ros. She stated that she was more than capable of <strong>learning how to function</strong> and that the difference was was that she was unable to inference and learn from inferences. Instead she was <strong>more likely to learn when explicitly told in a logical way</strong>, and with a logical reason for why this was a skill necessary to learn. I believe that is why her famous quote <strong><u>"I can only know what I am told, taught and shown"</u></strong> has become such a well known phrase. It really highlights that many individuals with autism appreciate and like rules, therefore <strong>social communication skills need to be viewed as a set of rules</strong> that require being explicit taught. She states that these rules should always have a logic, a reason and an incentive behind them in order to be learnt, just as you would with anyone else. However, she stresses that <strong>generalisation is a big issue</strong> and that anything that you teach in the classroom is not necessarily accessible knowledge when out in public. Therefore its necessary to <strong>teach the skills you want the child or adult to learn in the place that you want them to use them in.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall it was an insightful workshop and <strong>I would recommend that any professional or parent of a child with autism jump at the chance to see Ros Blackburn present</strong>. She has the capability to voice what you may already know and give you the <u>clarity</u> you hadn't realised you had about the world of autism. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amongst the rest of the sharing day I was able to <strong>talk with service users and parents</strong> about their experiences with SLT, AAC and daily living and <strong>gained further insight</strong> into the LD and ASD community, of which was invaluable. I was also able to learn more about how to develop and write my own <strong>sensory stories</strong>, and how <strong>social stories</strong> are written and why (from Dr Siobhan Timmins) and finished the day off with a <strong>Makaton sing and sign along</strong> session of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ai2TFV3Luc">"I can sing a rainbow"</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can certainly say that <strong>this is one placement day I will not forget</strong>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><em>Ros Blackburn (Logically Illogical) - Leave a comment for Ros Blackburns details if you would like to contact her regarding talks.</em></span></div>
Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-8416578402356962772013-01-28T19:41:00.000+00:002013-01-28T19:45:43.936+00:00Guest Blog: Where are the men?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="color: #0b5394;">This is the first guestblog for the Speech and Language Thera-peers Blog site, and as many questions and discussions have been raised on Twitter about men in SLT, I thought I'd ask my fellow colleague Lauren to give an insight into the men in SLT as a result of her literature review on this topic. </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><strong><span style="color: #0b5394;"><u>Where are the men?</u></span></strong></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Back in August I was having a conversation with some of
my fellow SLT students (including Gemma) about boyfriends and men in general
(as you do!) when someone exclaimed <strong>‘Why aren’t there any men on our
course?!’</strong><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><strong> </strong> </span>As usual, I overanalysed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">I had <strong>never seen a male SLT</strong> whilst on any placement, only
one of our lecturers is male and there is only one male on our course. I left
what was an informal lunchtime chat with the following questions swimming
around in my head- <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><strong>WHY are most SLT’s female?<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">What are the experiences of male SLT’s?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">What campaigns are out there to encourage
males into the profession?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been the
focus of my final year dissertation ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">The <strong>evidence base is limited</strong>. Whilst consideration has
been given to males in nursing and teaching to improve recruitment, and there
is plenty of research to suggest why females choose male dominated careers, SLT
seems to have been left behind. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Speaking very generally after setting up an informal
questionnaire, I found most <strong>of my male friends did not have a clue what an SLT
does</strong> or who we work with. Some of them hadn’t even heard of one. Furthermore,
most of them would <strong>not even consider joining a profession that is 97% female</strong>
(Litosseliti & Leadbeater, 2012). When I gave them a list of client groups
and asked them to comment, many said they were surprised at the range of
clients and the scientific nature of our work. Greenwood et al. (2006) suggest
<strong>awareness and the profile of SLT need to be raised</strong> to encourage more males and
I would agree. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Some research suggests <strong>males experience gender
stereotyping</strong> and negative experiences leading to drop out from courses or going
into a different profession after qualifying. However, the <strong>male SLT’s I have
been lucky enough to speak to</strong> seem to have <strong>had mainly positive experiences </strong>and
not experienced these so called stereotypes. Whilst they recognise <strong>they are in
the minority</strong>, they get on well with their colleagues and have learnt a lot as
an SLT. <strong></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><strong>Male SLT’s on twitter</strong> <strong>have also been known to refer to themselves as</strong>
<strong>unicorns</strong>! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">In terms of recruitment, studies and articles are very
quick to say <strong>something needs to change</strong>. They highlight that it will take time.
The fact is, nothing will change if nothing is being done to change it. And no
one seems to really know how to go about it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Following a conference presentation by McAllister &
Neve (2005), Australian Speech Pathology has recently launched a campaign
called <strong>‘Real men do Speech Pathology’</strong> but as yet its effectiveness is unknown.
There was also a support network called ‘Blokes in Speech Pathology’ but this
no longer exists. Perhaps it is time for the RCSLT and ASHA to follow suit and
attempt to <strong>create a gender neutral workforce</strong>? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">My aim, along with my research project is to<strong> gain some perspectives
of male SLT/SLP’s</strong> and help to promote this brilliant profession to males making
university course choices. In my opinion, it is important to create role-models
for our male clients and understand SLT from a male perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">If there are any male SLT/SLP’s out there who would like
to <strong>share their experiences</strong> or have ideas about how to involve more males in the
profession, I would love to hear from you! I tweet from <strong>@LaurenpreSLT</strong> and have
just set up my own blog which will have further information if you are
interested! </span></span><a href="http://laurenlonghurstslt.blogspot.co.uk/?view=classic"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">http://laurenlonghurstslt.blogspot.co.uk/?view=classic</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">References:<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Greenwood
N, Wright J A & Bithell C (2006) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perceptions
of Speech and Language Therapy amongst UK school and college students:
Implications for Recruitment.</i> International Journal of Language and
Communication Disorders, 41 (1) p. 83- 94. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Litosseliti
L & Leadbeater C (2012) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Speech and
language therapy/ pathology: perspectives on a gendered profession.</i>
International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">McAllister
L & Neve B (2005) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Male students and
practitioners in speech pathology: an Australian pilot study.</i> In proceedings
of the 2005 Speech Pathology Australia National Conference, Canberra, Australia
May 2005.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-20517577755510449962013-01-21T20:38:00.001+00:002013-01-21T20:39:49.304+00:00Wordle...<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was introduced to <strong>Wordle</strong> today, so I thought I'd put my blog in and find out just how much I talk about certain things. Shock of shocks, <strong>SLT is the most commonly used word</strong> :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can view it on the right hand side of my blog and it should update as I continue to blog!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6616936524202564108.post-31711154157624979502013-01-21T17:31:00.002+00:002013-01-21T17:31:29.287+00:00Guest Blog #2!<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the <strong>exciting day</strong> has arrived.. I have had <strong>my second guest blog posted</strong> on the world wide web! YAY!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've taken to <strong>questioning everything and anything</strong> (My last placement supervisor will be jumping with joy, she thought I lacked in the questioning department!) and so here is my piece <strong>questioning how SLTs</strong> (or SLPs depending on which country you are in!) <strong>effectively stay evidence based focused.</strong></span><br />
<a href="http://www.londonspeechtherapy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/logo3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.londonspeechtherapy.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/logo3.png" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Read, enjoy, share with friends</strong>:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.londonspeechtherapy.co.uk/guest-blog-evidence-based-practise/"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://www.londonspeechtherapy.co.uk/guest-blog-evidence-based-practise/</span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And a <strong>MASSIVE Thank YOU </strong>to <u>Chris Wade</u> for letting me loose on his new website :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Gemma Bileshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12143291078597978422noreply@blogger.com0