What first attracted you to the area of speech and language therapy and why is it important?
I’ve always been interested in human interpersonal communication, how it works and how it can be affected in different ways. Speech and language therapy was the ideal clinical and and intellectual home for me: combining the benefits of science, clinical application and creativity.
Why is it important? I know it’s a cliché but we take our communication skills for granted. If one’s ability to speak or use language is impaired the barriers to connecting with others can be overwhelming. It’s this connection that is so important. For me the value of speech and language therapy is the privilege of being able to support and maintain connections between people.
Can you tell us about your most recent research project?
I’m currently working with the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA), analysing a corpus of recorded telephone calls to its helpline: MND Connect. This work is enabling us to understand how callers to the service, and call-operators, manage often quite delicate and distressing issues relating to health, social and emotional care needs. The findings from this work will be used to support the development of call-operators – using real life call recordings and transcripts to facilitate their understanding of how these calls actually work. As a results of this work we are also partnering with Parkinson’s UK and the MS Trust to seek further funding for a large-scale multi-service evaluation of third sector health-helpline calls.
What aspect of your work most excites you and why?
My excitement comes from observing, examining and learning about what people do in their everyday and institutional conversations. Taking an anthropological approach to make sense of how we organise and manage our lives through talk-in-interaction. This might be in conversations between friends and family at home, in health-care interactions, or with people experiencing challenges to their speech, language and cognition. Much of this work takes place with valued colleagues and students at UCL, and worldwide. It really is a joy meeting and collaborating with others, sharing ideas, and creating new knowledge.
What would you say to someone who is considering whether to study Language and Cognition at UCL?
UCL is an amazing place to study and learn and the standards of learning and quality of research in language and cognition are extremely high. In my own department we offer a stimulating and engaging BSc in Psychology and Language Sciences, a highly regarded clinical training MSc in Speech and Language Therapy, and a thriving PGR programme which also attracts a high calibre of clinicians seeking to investigate issue arising from their own professional practice.
What’s the best advice you would give your younger self?
Pursue what really interests and enthuses you and don’t be afraid to follow your own path. Be creative and be as kind and helpful to others as you can. Do your best and accept that you’ll make mistakes along the way (and that making mistakes is totally fine!).
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Steven Bloch is a Professor of Communication and Social Interaction in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences. He is a speech and language therapist, conversation analyst and Head of the Department of Language and Cognition.