Abstract
Background: A growing number of speech-language therapists (SLTs) face the challenge of working professionally with students or clients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and diversity-sensitive clinical competence has become particularly important in the professionalization of SLTs worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine closely the effects of working or studying abroad on the professional growth of speech-language therapy (SLT) students. Methodology: The diversity-sensitive clinical competences of SLT students are investigated in a qualitative analysis of 14 biographical self-reflections on their experiences abroad. This chapter particularly focuses on the self-reflections of one student from Germany and another from Tanzania. Results: First, we were able to identify the most challenging experiences of work stays abroad that are relevant for the professionalization of SLT students working in the context of cultural and linguistic diversity (CLD). They can be clustered around three main themes: strangeness, heteronomy, and identity conflict. In addition, we analyzed the inter- and intrapersonal growth of the 14 participants in their diversity-sensitive clinical competence on a 6-point scale between denial of communicative diversity and integration of culturally different communicative perspectives and habits. Discussion: As the findings demonstrate, there is a strong potential for professional stays abroad to increase diversity-sensitive clinical competence for service delivery in CLD contexts. We propose recommendations for SLT training programs worldwide.
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Notes
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For a recent introduction to the constructivist paradigm, see Ayukawa (2020).
- 2.
All names have been changed.
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Schütte, U., Polzin, C., Vuliva, A., Lüdtke, U.M. (2023). Clinical Competence of Speech-Language Therapists in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Contexts: A Qualitative Study of Intercultural Work Experiences Abroad. In: Lüdtke, U.M., Kija, E., Karia, M.K. (eds) Handbook of Speech-Language Therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04504-2_4
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