Impact and resources

One of the objectives of the Better Conversations Lab is to share our evidence-based approach to conversation training with a range of stakeholders. These include speech and language therapists, people with communication difficulties and their families and friends, health and social care professionals, student speech and language therapists and their educators.

Here are links to shared resources produced by members the Better Conversations Lab:

Resources

Better Conversations with Aphasia

Better Conversations with Aphasia is a free e-learning resource to improve access to conversation therapy for speech and language therapists/pathologists, and for people with aphasia and their families.

Better Conversations with Dysarthria

Better Conversations with Dysarthria is designed to support the development and use of conversation therapy for speech and language therapists/pathologists, specifically with adults living with acquired motor speech disorders associated with Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease and MS.

Coming soon...

Beeke S & Bloch S (Editors) Better Conversations with Communication Disabilities: A Practical Guide. J&R Press. Projected publication date Spring 2023.

This book is a practical guide for clinicians who wish to implement the Better Conversations approach to communication partner training in their services for a range of client groups. It will make our face-to-face training resources available for the first time in a ‘how-to’ book format, and it will complement our online resources.

Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a term that refers to a group of dementias that affect a person’s speech and language. People with PPA may experience difficulties with thinking of words, assembling words and sentences and understanding what others say. This can make it difficult to keep a conversation going. People with PPA and their families and friends often explain this can be frustrating and difficult.

Better Conversations with Primary Progressive Aphasia (BCPPA) was developed by Dr Anna Volkmer during her NIHR funded PhD. BCPPA was co-developed with people with PPA and their families, who were members of the steering group for the project. The BCPPA programme provides training to speech and language therapists to deliver a four-session communication partner training intervention to help people with PPA and their communication partners have better conversations.

A randomised-controlled pilot feasibility study has been undertaken across 11 NHS sites in England and Wales comparing BCPPA to no treatment. Work is currently underway to plan a larger effectiveness study. We anticipate launching BCPPA to the public in due course.