Navigating professional roles in early literacy intervention: exploring the experiences of speech language therapy students, teachers and clinical tutors

Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Publishing
Abstract
Speech-language therapists (SLTs) in South Africa are increasingly considering alternative models of service delivery to children at risk for language and literacy development delays. A transprofessional model of collaboration allows SLTs and teachers to share responsibility for primary prevention of literacy difficulties. Previous research has identified several challenges with regard to effective collaboration between qualified professionals, indicating that specific opportunities need to be created for professionals to ‘cross over disciplinary lines’ to gain more insight into a profession other than their own. Student training presents a valuable opportunity for role-exchange between pre-professional SLTs and teachers. The article describes the experiences of teachers, undergraduate SLT students and tutors with regard to transdisciplinary collaboration in the foundation-phase classroom, according to the ‘embedded-explicit’ model. The authors argue that a more in-depth understanding of the different role-players’ perceptions of transdisciplinary collaboration will contribute to enhanced collaboration between SLTs and teachers.
Description
CITATION: Oosthuizen, H., Klop, D. & Visser, M. 2015. Navigating professional roles in early literacy intervention: exploring the experiences of speech language therapy students, teachers and clinical tutors. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 5(3):1-10, doi:10.4102/sajce.v5i3.339.
The original publication is available at http://www.sajce.co.za
Keywords
Early childhood education -- South Africa, Speech therapy -- Research -- South Africa, Speech therapy -- Study and teaching (Higher)
Citation
Oosthuizen, H., Klop, D. & Visser, M. 2015. Navigating professional roles in early literacy intervention: exploring the experiences of speech language therapy students, teachers and clinical tutors. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 5(3):1-10, doi:10.4102/sajce.v5i3.339