Melissa D. White, M.A., CCC-SLP
University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX

Melissa is a bilingual speech-language pathologist who has worked with culturally and linguistically diverse school age children with various communication disorders in Texas and Illinois. Previously, Melissa served as a clinical faculty supervisor for the University of Texas- Austin Speech and Hearing Center (UTSHC). There, Melissa primarily supervised graduate students during their bilingual Spanish rotations and worked as a clinical mentor on the Implementing Treatment Practices (ITP) Project, which is a training grant through the Office of Special Education, U.S. Department of Education. Melissa currently works through Bilingual Therapies at the Northside ISD in San Antonio, TX and is a Team Leader for the Mountain West region.

I’ve supervised many graduate students over the years and know that the weeks before spring break can be very stressful.  Most of you started graduate school with the goal of finishing the program and being a bilingual SLP.  What you might not have known was the roller coaster ride it was going to be.  Here are some tips to help you stay on track.

1.  “Know who you will be”

If you are interested in becoming a bilingual SLP, you probably already know that it isn’t just about speaking a second language.  ASHA has defined skills that a bilingual speech and language pathologists should have (http://www.asha.org/docs/html/RP1989-00205.html).  Reviewing this document will help you understand what the expectations are for being a bilingual service provider.  You can also access other position statements on ASHA’s website that relate to multicultural issues (http://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/readings/position.htm).

2.  “Know your Program”

While there are more university programs in communication disorders that offer a bilingual program for graduate students, the number is still limited.  Many graduate students who are interested in being a bilingual SLP end up having to “MacGyver” their monolingual program and supplement it. Find out what your academic and clinical faculty areas of specialty are.  While you may not be at a program with a bilingual emphasis, you may have individuals who are researching or have experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations.  It is important to discuss knowledge and skills needed in assessment and intervention of culturally and linguistically diverse populations and develop a plan for acquiring those skills.  If you feel that you don’t have this type of support, find a mentor.  ASHA has a mentoring program for graduate students that is excellent.  You can find information about signing up for a mentor at http://www.asha.org/students/gatheringplace/.

3. “Know your University”

Start researching other programs within your university.  The college of education may have bilingual education programs, as well as bilingual special education programs.  These types of programs may have courses on bilingualism and working with diverse populations.  Many colleges and universities have programs that focus on child development, family studies and multicultural studies.  You may also be able to find courses that focus on Spanish linguistics and phonetics.

4.  “Know your skills”

As a graduate student, doing therapy in English can be daunting.  Many graduate students are trying to figure out how to talk to kids for the first time.  Now imagine doing all the assessment and intervention tasks in your second language for all disorders and age groups.  If you aren’t sure about your bilingual language skills then you need to find out quickly.  Knowing conversational Spanish or academic Spanish can only get you half of the way.  If you want to get better at communicating in your second language, you have to use it.  Take courses in conversational Spanish, join Spanish speaking groups on campus, watch T.V. shows and movies in Spanish, take a Spanish medical terminology course etc.  The point is, you have to find ways to improve your second language skills.

You also need to know what your biases are.  We all have had a variety of experiences that have shaped our perceptions.  Recognizing that we have biases allows us to examine them and to determine whether they will positively or negatively impact our assessment and intervention.   ASHA has helpful self-assessments at http://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/self.htm .

5. “Know you are not alone”

The number of bilingual SLP’s is growing every year. Don’t get discouraged and keep working at it.  Being a bilingual speech and language pathologist is a rewarding profession and in high demand.  If you are passionate about working with culturally and linguistically diverse students stay on the course, it’s worth the ride.

Nate Cornish, M.S., CCC-SLP, Director of Clinical Services, Bilingual Therapies, Inc.

Nate Cornish, M.S., CCC-SLP is a bilingual speech-language pathologist, clinical director of Bilingual Therapies, and moderator of the ¡Adelante! blog. Previously, Nate provided bilingual speech-language services to secondary students and served on a city-wide bilingual assessment team in the Washington, DC Public Schools. Nate is the current president of The Hispanic Caucus, a related professional organization of ASHA.

Greetings ¡Adelante! readers!  I’m exercising some “moderator liberty” (or perhaps using the “blog bully pulpit”) in submitting this article.  However, I’m very excited about this topic because it describes my own experience as well as that of many of the professionals I work with at Bilingual Therapies.

As a bit of background, during my undergraduate years I looked forward to the prospect of attending a bilingual graduate program.  I did my homework, visited campuses, spoke with professors, and then applied to the schools that I thought would be a good fit.  There were a number of wonderful options in front of me after the acceptance letters came in, including a few bilingual programs.  However, at the end of the day I chose to attend the University of Nebraska, a program that does not offer formal curriculum or clinical experience in bilingualism.  Although I think I would have had a different and equally great experience at another school, I have never regretted my choice!

There are many reasons for making decisions about our academic careers, and not everyone who wants to work with bilinguals ends up attending a specialized bilingual program or studying with someone who is doing research in bilingualism.  So how does this group of future professionals obtain the knowledge and skills needed to provide competent services to bilingual clients?  In this article I will talk through:

• The knowledge and skills that ASHA has identified for those who represent themselves as a “Bilingual SLP”
• Legal regulations of bilingual SLPs
• Possible benefits of studying in a specialized bilingual program
• Possible benefits of attending programs that do not specialize in bilingualism
• Some tips for learning what you need to know from the literature
• Some tips for getting the clinical experience you need

What Are the Knowledge and Skills that ASHA Has Identified For Those Who Represent Themselves as a “Bilingual SLP?”

ASHA does not currently have a specific “certification” for those who would represent themselves as bilingual.  There are a number of possible reasons for this, not the least of which is the difference in resources that we have for various languages.  For example, we can verify a clinician’s language proficiency in Spanish rather easily, but how would we do that for a speaker of Ndebele?  We can verify someone’s knowledge of typical language development in French better than we can for Quiché.  It would simply be difficult to apply certification standards equally to all clinicians who may be qualified to provide bilingual services.

Instead, ASHA has provided a “definition” for those who may represent themselves as bilingual service-providers.  For the most part, this definition works on the honor system.  Clinicians have the ethical responsibility to meet the ASHA-specified criteria before telling current clients, future clients, employers, other professionals, etc. that they are a “Bilingual SLP.”  While it seems like the professions may run the risk of having less-than-qualified individuals providing services, clinicians are answerable to ASHA under a number of points within the association’s “Code of Ethics,” such as:

• Principle IA: Individuals shall provide all services competently.
• Principle IIB: Individuals shall engage in only those aspects of the professions that are within the scope of their professional practice and competence, considering their level of education, training, and experience.
• Principle IIIA: Individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, experience, or scholarly or research contributions.

So how does ASHA define a competent bilingual SLP?  You can view the entire document that details this information on the ASHA web site.  However, here are the key points:

• The clinician must speak or sign two or more languages with native or near-native proficiency in the areas of lexicon, semantics, phonology, morphology/syntax and pragmatics.
• The clinician must understand language acquisition processes for both monolingual and bilingual speakers of those languages.
• The clinician must be able to administer formal and informal tests in the languages and distinguish between a difference and a disorder.
• The clinician must be able to provide appropriate intervention strategies in the client’s language.
• The clinician must recognize cultural factors that would impact services.

Is There Any Legal Regulation of Bilingual SLPs?

The answer to this is actually pretty brief, but I think some background is important to mention.  Part of my professional responsibilities includes helping bilingual clinicians across the United States obtain the appropriate licensure to practice in school districts.  Every state is a little different (well, sometimes very different).  I’ve had the unusual experience of becoming familiar with the requirements of a number of them.  However, it’s impossible to be an expert on professional legal requirements, including the regulation of bilingual clinicians, in every jurisdiction in the country.  (In other words, I think what I’m about to say is based on a good idea of what is happening in most places around the country, but I’m willing to bet that there are some exceptions that I don’t know about.)  The best thing you can do is find out what is happening in the state and city where you plan to practice.  A good place to start is on ASHA’s “State-by-State” web page.

So, all that said, to my knowledge there are only two states that have some form of regulation for bilingual SLPs.  These states are Illinois and New York and the regulation for both is specific to clinicians who work with school-age clients, (i.e., it does not apply to SLPs working in hospitals, rehab centers, etc.).  New York’s regulation appears a little more complicated; however, because I am more familiar with the process in Illinois I will use it as an example of what this regulation can look like: Illinois school-based clinicians must submit an application, take a language proficiency test that is administered by the Illinois State Board of Education, and show proof of having taken university-level coursework on testing bilingual children.  Provisional approvals may be granted to clinicians who have taken the language test and are in the process of obtaining the required coursework.

In short, for most SLPs there is not a bilingual-specific credential required.  Where it is required, the SLP will probably have to do things like pass a language proficiency test and demonstrate completion of specific coursework.  Even though it’s not likely that you will need a special license to practice as a bilingual, it’s important to verify that when you are learning about the other credentialing requirements in your jurisdiction.

What Are the Benefits of Studying in a Specialized Bilingual Program?

Of course, the more information and experience you can get during graduate school, the better.  As you will have noticed in ASHA’s definition, speaking a second language is only one piece of what makes someone a competent bilingual clinician.  Having access to coursework, clinical experience and knowledgeable individuals will make acquiring the skills you need a process that is definitely rich, and probably simpler than in a non-bilingual program.

It’s also important to understand that not all bilingual programs offer the same type or amount of support and resources.  There may be very formal programs that offer a specialized curriculum, clinical experience, research opportunities and may even culminate in a “bilingual certificate.’  Other programs may not have a specialized curriculum, but do offer bilingual clinical practicum with experienced bilingual clinicians.  Still others may simply have someone on faculty who does research in the area of bilingualism and may be available to provide guidance.  Each of these will give you access to resources that students in non-bilingual programs may have to work a little harder to obtain.

As I mentioned previously, ASHA does not currently have bilingual certification, and very few legal jurisdictions do, either.  Thus obtaining a graduate school’s “bilingual certificate” is ultimately not always going to give you an advantage in getting the credentials you need to practice.  However, if either ASHA or your state eventually does adopt regulations for bilingual clinicians, the coursework you have in a bilingual program could potentially help you out.  For right now, attending a bilingual program may also give you a leg-up with potential employers who might see your academic history as proof that you have the skills you need to work with their bilingual clients.

Are There Benefits of Attending Programs That Do Not Specialize in Bilingualism?

I just mentioned that students in non-bilingual programs may have to work harder- so what advantage could there be with that going on?  For starters, you may have the opportunity to develop other interests that your bilingual program counterparts don’t get.  Every accredited graduate school needs to present certain material (more accurately, a LOT of material), which can make for a busy couple of years!  If your program specializes in bilingualism, you may be using any elective credits on that specialization.  Going to a non-bilingual program could give you a chance for a broader educational program where you can spend your electives on other courses.

Because the bilingual niche of our profession is relatively new, a lot of what we know comes from coupling our understanding of the dynamics of bilingualism with our understanding of other areas.  Attending a program that is strong in another clinical subset of the profession, (like fluency, adult neurogenics, or AAC), may give you a deeper understanding of that subject area than you might get in a bilingual program.  As long as you are also getting the information you need on how bilingualism works, your experience can actually give you some unique tools for addressing these issues in bilingual populations.

Tips for Learning What You Need to Know from the Literature

You’re either already well aware, or soon will be well aware, of how much information is jam-packed into a graduate program.  There’s barely any time for your required reading, let alone elective reading about bilingualism!  A solution that worked for me in grad school was to work with my professors to do some academic multi-tasking.  For example, if you’re doing a project in your aphasia class, see if you can do it on language recovery patterns in bilingual aphasic patients.  If you have to report on some journal articles about phonological treatment, ask if you can read-up on bilingual phonological treatment.  If you’re writing your thesis on traumatic brain injury, ask if you can study and write on the dynamics of cultural and linguistic plurality in TBI patients.  It’s been my experience that many professors are more than willing to work with you on this and may even appreciate the unique perspective you bring to these assignments.

Where do you find information on bilingualism in the literature?  Here are a few of my favorite tricks:

• The ASHA Journals: You get free access if you’re an ASHA member.  If not, your university media center probably has access.  Simple keyword search for things like “bilingual, Spanish, CLD” have gone a long way for me.  (You can also find a list of ASHA-recommended readings here.)
• The Perspectives Journal of ASHA’s Division 14 (CLD Populations).  You must be a member to access online, but it’s $35 you won’t regret spending.  (You can check out a free sample issue here.)
• Journals from other professions (e.g., bilingual education, psychology, neurolinguistics, etc.):
  • Bilingual Research Journal
  • International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
  • Bilingual topics from multiple journals can be found by doing a keyword search through Google Scholar
• Handouts from Workshops and Conferences.  There are some that are archived and able to be downloaded by the public.  Here are a couple:
  • ASHA Annual Convention (handouts are available back to 2006)
  • Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (handouts available back to 2007)
• The ASHA Leader.  This isn’t peer-reviewed, but there are some useful articles in their archives.
• Newsletters from CLD organizations in the profession.  These are also not peer-reviewed, but often have useful and accessible info:
  • The Hispanic Caucus
  • The California Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Diversity Committee
• Books and other publications.  The Hispanic Caucus keeps a pretty comprehensive list of books on bilingual and Hispanic issues in communication sciences and disorders.

Tips for Getting the Clinical Experience You Need

I mentioned some ways of getting the information you need in a non-bilingual specific curriculum.  The one area that I can’t find any substitute for is clinical experience.  In my own and observed experiences, one of the most valuable things you can do is to partner with a knowledgeable bilingual clinician in working with bilingual clients.  Beyond finding someone who speaks a second language, you want to work with someone who can share their understanding of the dynamics of language in monolingual and bilingual speakers, the strengths and limitations of formal assessment, the purposes and procedures of informal assessment, the science and the art of providing therapy to individuals with bilingual needs, and the legal/ethical ins and outs of working with CLD clients.

Even if you attend graduate school in a part of the country that isn’t stereotypically rich in cultural and linguistic diversity, it’s important to remember that stereotypes can be deceiving and the country doesn’t look like it did even ten years ago.  Areas that generally experienced less diversity are now the places that are seeing the largest per capita growth of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.  In the case of the Hispanic Community in the US, according to the Pew Hispanic Center (2008), the states with the largest percent growth between 2000 and 2006 were:

• Arkansas (69.3%)
• Tennessee (60.9%)
• Georgia (60.1%).

Compare that to growth of the Hispanic Community in states like:

• Texas (26%)
• California (19.8%)
• New York (10%).

Keeping that in mind, graduate schools all over the country will probably be excited to have bilingual students in their program and may be accommodating in helping you find creative solutions to work with bilingual caseloads and access bilingual supervisors.  In my case at the University of Nebraska, the closest available bilingual supervisor lived almost 500 miles away in Colorado.  However, the school arranged for me to perform a 12 – week practicum there, and one of the university clinical supervisors even made the drive from Lincoln, Nebraska to Fort Collins, Colorado a few times to perform site visits with us!

Temporarily moving for a bilingual practicum required some flexibility and mobility on my part as well.  However, it was worth it!  Be open and consider your level of flexibility as you discuss possibilities with the graduate programs that you are considering.  Also, be aware that advances in tele-practice and distance mentoring programs like ASHA’s S.T.E.P. may also open doors for you to learn from experienced bilingual clinicians.

I would also keep in mind that speech pathologists are generally resourceful people!  Just because they don’t speak the client’s language doesn’t mean they don’t find ways of providing meaningful therapy.  This really hit home for me in graduate school when one of my supervisors and I worked with Arabic and Farsi-speaking students (two languages that I don’t speak).  She exemplified how to provide best practice and affect change where there isn’t a lot of research, information, or language support available.  Now that I’m well into my professional life, I’ve sometimes found myself scratching my head with some of the Hispanic individuals I’ve worked with, even though I speak Spanish!  I think the skills I gained working with that supervisor, as well as other monolingual supervisors, has proven useful in these moments.

So in short, there may be more CLD individuals than you think in the area where you attend graduate school.  The language skills you bring with you to the graduate clinical experience will probably be put to good use, and your school may be flexible in finding you the bilingual support you need (as long as you are willing to be flexible, too).  You may also learn more about working with bilinguals from your monolingual supervisors than you think.

Good luck as you weigh the many considerations you have to account for in finding a graduate program that is right for you!  Fortunately, there are a growing number of resources out there to help you have a rich experience and meet your goals of competently working with bilinguals, even if you choose a non-bilingual program.

Irmgard Payne, M.S. CCC-SLP, Bilingual Clinical Supervisor, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas

Irmgard R. Payne is a clinical supervisor at the Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic on the Texas Christian University campus. She supervises the clinical practicum of undergraduate and graduate students and supervises graduate students in the Emphasis for Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology program. Interests include Speech and Language Disorders in Bilingual Populations, Multicultural Issues and Accent Modification.

When Nate Cornish asked me write an entry for the Bilingual Therapies Blog regarding the clinical experience in a bilingual Speech-Language Pathology program, I took a peek at previous entries to the blog. I was pleased to see that Dr. Raquel Anderson had written the blog for January of this year. Dr. Anderson was my clinical supervisor when I did my clinical practicum at Texas Christian University (TCU). Her blog was titled Bilingual Graduate Programs: What Students Should Know and How They Can Prepare. My blog will basically follow along those recommendations and describe what TCU offers in our Emphasis in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology within our Master of Science graduate program. All bilingual programs are different depending on their size and resources; however, some of the basic information on bilingual development, disorders, multicultural and linguistic considerations and clinical experiences are essential for effective training. The goal for my blog is to provide information about what we do in our program and for this to provide a model for a bilingual graduate experience.

1. About our program
The Texas Christian University bilingual track, as it was called initially, was the first program to have a federally funded training grant for bilingual Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) and has been in place for over 30 years. The grant was renewed for many years. This is how I was able to get my training as a bilingual SLP. Manuela Juarez and Joe Helmick were involved in making that first grant possible. Over the years, we’ve had notable faculty do research, teach and/or supervise in the areas of bilingualism, second language acquisition, fluency, adult neurogenic disorders, and phonology, including Hortencia Kayser, Belinda Reyes, Raquel Anderson, María L. Muñoz, Lynita Yarbrough, Jennifer Watson and Raúl Prezas. One of the strengths of our program is that those professors who teach and do research also supervise our students at the clinic. This effort emphasizes the application of classroom teaching into the therapy room. Christopher Watts, our department chair, fully supports our current Emphasis in Bilingual Speech-Language Pathology program.

2. Information about the program
Specialized Coursework
As our graduate program consists of 5 semesters over a two year span, I will divide the coursework and clinical experiences into those two years. Along with the regular curriculum in their first year, the bilingual students take Assessment and Treatment of Communication Disorders in Bilingual Children. Also in their first year, they take part in a one hour, once a week lab in which assessment and treatment issues specific to their caseloads are discussed. In their second year, they take Speech, Language and Cognition in Adult Bilinguals. In addition to the bilingual students, all of the graduate students take one of the bilingual classes. In fact, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) issues are touched upon in all classes, not only in those geared specifically for the bilingual students. Furthermore, the bilingual students have the opportunity to write a thesis with the research faculty, including María L. Muñoz (bilingual/Spanish aphasia), Raúl Prezas (Spanish phonology) and Jennifer Watson (stuttering in Spanish speakers).

Clinical Experience
Our program requires for the bilingual students to complete 125 clinical hours (out of 400 total) with Spanish and bilingual clients. In the first year, the bilingual students have in the past screened and assessed speech and language development, and treated Spanish-speaking and bilingual children at local Head Start Centers. Beginning this Fall 2010 semester, the first year bilinguals will be working in a new collaboration with the Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). They will be assessing pre-school aged children and treating them in a program that includes individual therapy and an early childhood classroom model. In addition to the FWISD clinical experience, the bilinguals treat young bilingual clients at the Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic (MSHC) on the TCU campus. Clients at FWISD and MSHC may have speech/language disorders, artic/phonology disorders, fluency and voice disorders as well. Supervision is carried out with bilingually trained supervisors, including myself and Raúl Prezas. In addition, TCU alumna Lynita Yarbrough, is the liaison between FWISD and our TCU program. Dr. Prezas also takes and supervises students to Grand Prairie ISD to assess and treat Spanish-speaking and bilingual school-aged children.

In the summer and fall semesters, the bilingual students begin their externships with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), school districts, and/or medical facilities. One of the benefits of TCU residing in Fort Worth, Texas, is the large Spanish-speaking and bilingual population. These externships offer great opportunities to interact with this population at these sites. Again, bilingually trained SLPs are selected to supervise the bilingual students at the externships. Some students have gone to externships in other parts of the state and other states. These externships were selected because of the need and/or interest of the student. Funding for these out of state externships are the responsibility of the student. During the second year at the MSHC, the bilinguals work with CLD adult clients with disorders such as Aphasia and Traumatic Brain Injury supervised by María Muñoz. Other bilingual adult clients seen are Aural Rehab (Theresa Gonzalez, Habilitation for the Deaf supervisor) and Voice patients (Raúl Prezas, supervisor).

Pre-requisites for Admission to the Program
An undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology) (or equivalent for leveling students) is required for the bilingual program. A Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on 4.0 scale with GRE scores in the 1000 range is preferred. In addition, we ask that our bilingual students have a near native proficiency in verbal and written Spanish. This is required because as soon as the clinical practice begins, the students are expected to interact with Spanish-speaking families and clients, write letters and reports in Spanish, and easily switch from Spanish to English during assessment, treatment and conferences. Our TCU program is small, so we admit only 12 new graduate students each year and four of those are bilingual. Our bilingual students have come from varied backgrounds including Latino, Asian Caucasian and African-American.

Funding opportunities
Qualified applicants may receive one of several forms of financial assistance. These awards offer tuition remission and require up to eight hours per week of service to the program. Some awards include a small monthly stipend.

3. Apply to the programs
It has been noted that in recent years the interest in bilingual programs has increased tremendously with over 30 applicants on average for our program. During the application process, all requirements are assessed including GPA, GRE scores, Spanish proficiency, essay, and letters of recommendation. Our candidates for the bilingual program are also interviewed over the phone or face-to-face to assess their language proficiency.

It is important to note that even though the clinical experience at TCU is in Spanish because of the large Hispanic population in our area of Fort Worth and North Texas, information and skills acquired in the courses and clinical work are applicable to working with individuals whose primary language is other than English and Spanish. Evaluations and treatment at the clinic have included clients who speak Vietnamese, Mandarin and Cantonese at home, while utilizing resources outlined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and interpreters from the community.

In addition to the above coursework and clinical experience, all students in our program complete the PRAXIS, written and oral comprehensive exams in their last semester. Most of our students have job interviews and have been hired even before their graduation. Our program has changed over the years and we are now pleased with the bilingual experience the students are able to get. We are able to offer a clinical experience across the life span which we weren’t able to offer previously. Our research capabilities in the CLD area have also increased and expanded including some research done in Chile and Puerto Rico.

I’ve presented our model for our bilingual program at TCU. As mentioned before, other programs will vary depending on their size, location, faculty and resources. Students can take this information and use it as an example for what to look for in other programs. As a bilingual student, you have so much potential and so many opportunities and, therefore, you are well sought after. It is important that you choose a program that gives you the preparation necessary to be able to effectively and appropriately serve the bilingual population.

Raquel Anderson, Ph.D. CCC-SLP. Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist, Bloomington, IN

Raquel Anderson is an associate professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at Indiana University, Bloomington Campus. She teaches and conducts research in the areas of child language disorders, with a special on child second language acquisition. In particular, she studies children with language learning deficits who are Spanish-speaking and in an English language immersion context. Her research aims at describing how different language learners are impacted by sociolinguistic environment. Because of the difficulty in identifying language disability in second language learners, her research focuses on identifying potential clinical markers of language learning deficits in second language learners.

Dr. Anderson has been the recipient of various grants, including a research grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the grammatical skills of Spanish-speaking children in monolingual and bilingual environments with a diagnosis of specific language impairment (SLI). She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally in the areas of child language learning disorders, second language acquisition and communication assessment of diverse children. She has published extensively in the area of child language and second language acquisition in children with and without language impairment.

She most recently received a training grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, Department of Education to implement a clinical graduate training program focused on working with Latino children and their families (Speech Therapy Education, Practicum and Services for Latino Children and Families – STEPS). Dr. Anderson also coordinates the Training in Research and Academic Careers in Communication Sciences (TRACCS), a summer research program aimed at increasing the number of individuals from underrepresented groups pursuing academic and research careers in communication disorders.

¡Feliz año Nuevo 2010! Welcome to the first blog of the year. The purpose of this blog is to provide practical information to individuals who are considering a profession as speech-language pathologists (SLP) with an emphasis on working with the growing culturally and linguistically diverse population in the United States. As most of us who work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, fluency in a language other than English, although important, is not sufficient preparation for serving individuals from diverse groups. Background knowledge in a variety of areas that are unfortunately not presented in detail within the typical graduate curriculum in SLP is needed. This includes coursework that covers in depth bilingual language development and disorders, alternative assessment methods, cultural differences and their impact in service provision, working with diverse families, and language development, use and disorders particular to the target language. In addition, clinical experiences embedded within the graduate program where students, under the guidance of a supervisor with the needed linguistic and experiential/academic preparation, work directly with families from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds is also important.

While all ASHA certified graduate programs in speech language pathology will provide you with a solid foundation in the field, they will not necessarily provide you with the specialized academic background and clinical experiences in the area of bilingualism/diversity and clinical practice. ASHA does require that topics pertaining to diversity and clinical practice be embedded within the curriculum, but often, these are not discussed with the necessary depth for students to develop a strong and specialized knowledge base in the area. In addition, although certainly opportunities for working with clients from diverse populations exist in many programs, few have specially trained supervisors as well as specific requirements for completing clinical hours with individuals with communication disorders who are bilingual or English Language Learners (ELL). If your professional goal is to work as a bilingual SLP, you should consider attending a program with an established track for students interested in working with linguistically diverse groups. In this blog, I will give you tips and strategies to follow while researching potential graduate programs as these pertain to working with diverse groups and for preparing students to work as bilingual speech language pathologists.

Step #1: Identify potential graduate programs
First and foremost, you should conduct research to identify graduate programs that can potentially provide you with the academic and clinical training necessary for becoming a bilingual SLP. There are two types of programs that I recommend students to look into: (1) specialized programs, and (2) programs with faculty who conduct research in the area of bilingualism/second language acquisition. A listing of multicultural/bilingual emphasis programs is available through ASHA’s website (website address: http://www.asha.org/practice/multicultural/opportunities/hbi.htm). Although no specific information on each of the programs is provided, it is a good starting point. The listing gives students the name of the program and the university that runs it. Students can then visit the department’s website to get more information on the program and its requirements for admission, as well as contact information. The departments’ websites can also provide information as to student funding. I recommend that these programs be students’ first choices as they consider where to apply to graduate school. This is because established programs have already in place coursework and clinical experiences relevant to working with culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

A second option for students is to research the faculty employed in the department. Sometimes, as undergraduates, you have read articles in the area of linguistic and cultural diversity by researchers in the field. These researchers are not necessarily employed in speech-hearing sciences departments with an established bilingual emphasis program. Nevertheless, they are experts in the area and may have developed coursework with a focus on diversity issues. In addition, if they have a strong research program, students may benefit from working with the faculty as research assistants. Make a list of the researchers that you have read and whose area of expertise meshes with your interests and identify their home institutions. You can obtain their contact information and you can ask them directly about the graduate program in their department and potential opportunities for a student interested in becoming a bilingual SLP.

Step #2: Obtain as much information as possible about each program you have identified.
As I mentioned before, research thoroughly each program that interests you. You should get information concerning the following: (1) specialized coursework, (2) clinical experiences, (3) pre-requisites for admission to the program (e.g., undergraduate degree, language proficiency), and (4) funding opportunities available. As a first step, visit the departments’ website. As a second step, contact the program director (or the faculty member with expertise in the area) to get more information about the program. My advice is that when you contact the faculty member, you have already read all that is available about the program and that your specific questions have not already been answered on the website. Even if you do not have any questions, it is always a good idea to contact the faculty member, as it shows that you are interested in the program and in his/her work.

Step #3: Arrange to visit the schools/programs that interest you
Although this may be difficult, if you have the opportunity, visit those programs that interest you the most. In this way, you can get a first hand “feel” for the program. You may be able to observe some clinical interventions and/or sit in classes that interest you. You can also talk to students in the program and get their perspectives. If you cannot visit, I recommend that if possible, you get a chance to contact students enrolled in the program. Often, these students are more than willing to exchange e-mails with you. You can ask the faculty member in charge of the program for their e-mails. Of course, faculty can only give you this information with student approval, but it is always good to ask.

Step #4: Apply to the programs
Once you have identified the programs that are a good fit for you, APPLY! I strongly recommend that you give the admissions committee as much information about yourself and your interest in bilingual SLP. In the essay that is required in your application write about your experiences and interest in bilingualism. This includes your language proficiency, your interactions with the target population, and the reasons for applying specifically to their program. In addition, try to secure a letter of recommendation with someone, preferably a faculty member, who can attest to your interest and commitment to working as a bilingual SLP.

As you continue to work towards your professional goals, I encourage you to take advantage of any opportunity to work with the language group that interests you and to further your own language skills. A good way to learn more about the target population is to work directly with community organizations and agencies. Try to find these organizations in your area. They are always happy to have individuals volunteer their time. These experiences will aid you in developing a better understanding of the community, its history and its needs. You can also take courses in other departments (e.g., Anthropology, Linguistics, Latino Studies, Sociology, Education) that will enhance your knowledge about the target population. In addition, keep up with the language. You should practice speaking with native speakers on a regular basis. Other ways for developing skills in the target language include listening to music, watching movies/TV, language, and reading newspapers/magazines/books in the language.