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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter Mouton November 17, 2018

Transforming faces: Supporting second language learners studying speech-language therapy in global contexts

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Abstract

The Transforming Faces project is a partnership of speech-language therapy (SLT) educators and practitioners that is co-creating a computer-based series of lecture modules for use in Low Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The initial series of lectures is in English, for use by English speaking instructors and students whose first language is not English. Making the technically challenging and content-specific language of the lectures more accessible and comprehensible to students was the focus of this study. A review of literature from three areas of language learning led to recommendations for consideration in the development of the computer-based lectures modules, and the subsequent piloting of the modules in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Following the three-week pilot project, analysis of feedback from the instructor and the students resulted in a number of recommendations for the continued development and implementation of the dysphagia lectures, as well as potential future SLT courses in other global contexts.

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Appendix A: Student Questionnaire

Questionnaire #1 (end of first day)

Background

  1. How would you describe your comfort level with reading and speaking in English?

  2. How much English have you studied in the past?

  3. How frequently do you speak in English (in your professional life)?

  4. How often do you read in English?

  5. In your previous speech language therapy courses, what was the language of instruction?

Lecture modules

  1. Can you describe how comfortable you were with the English in the computer lectures? Did you find it is easy, just right or too difficult to read?

  2. Were some modules harder than others to understand?

  3. Did you use the repeat function to go back over content while you were reading? If so, how did this help you?

  4. If you did, can you remember in which modules or sections you used it most often?

  5. How helpful (or not) was the recorded voice over while you were reading? If you found it very helpful, can you explain why?

  6. How helpful (or not) were the visuals (pictures) in the lecture modules? If you found them helpful can you explain why?

  7. Can you think of anything else that would have made it easier for you to understand the content in the lecture modules?

  8. While you were reviewing the course content in the lectures today. did your instructor do anything to help you understand the content? (e. g. translate words, repeat vocabulary, and provide explanations in English etc.)

  9. At this stage of the course, how would you describe your comfort level with the English content?

  10. As you go forward in the course how helpful do you think you will find the following (circle or underline):

    1. Repeat function - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    2. Voice overs - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    3. Visuals (pictures and diagrams) - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    4. Glossary

Questionnaire #2 (end of pilot project)

  1. Now that you are finished the course, how comfortable are you with the English content?

  2. Did you review the content outside the class, on your own time?

  3. If so, when you reviewed the content, how helpful did you find any of the following:

    1. Repeat function - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    2. Voice overs - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    3. Visuals (pictures and diagrams) - very helpful, somewhat helpful, not helpful

    4. glossary

  4. Can you describe any activities you did in class that helped you understand or become more comfortable with the content?

  5. Can you think of anything else that would have made it easier to help you become comfortable with the content in the lecture modules?

Published Online: 2018-11-17
Published in Print: 2020-09-25

© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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