Module Aims
- To introduce students to the structure and function of the vocal tract and of the peripheral hearing mechanisms & the auditory pathways, and to disorders of these structures.
- To enable students to understand the principles underlying the Speech Chain.
- To enable students to understand the acoustic-phonetic characteristics of speech sounds.
- To develop an understanding of the processes involved in the development of perception and production of speech by human listeners with normal and with impaired hearing.
- To describe current approaches to the assessment of hearing and balance in children and adults, and to the management of hearing loss in children (hearing aids & cochlear implants).
- To describe the current approaches to assessment of communication skills and intervention in children with hearing impairment.
- To describe the aetiology and classification of developmental impairments of speech production and methods for differential diagnosis.
- To enable students to assess the speech of children with hearing impairment, Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia (DVD) and phonological disorder and plan appropriate intervention.
- To provide opportunities for students to practise phonetic transcription of the speech of children with hearing impairment and children with developmental impairments of speech production.
- To develop a critical appreciation of the evidence base relating to speech and hearing research, technology and its application to SLT practice.
Module Contents
Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech Chain and disorders.
Speech Science including:
- the nature of sound (waveforms, amplitude, frequency and duration)
- spectra of speech sounds and spectrograms of speech
- instrumentation and software for acoustic measurement
- instrumentation and software for the measurement of speech production
The impact of different kinds of hearing impairment and speech impairment on communication (this topic is integrated with other sessions).
The challenge of speech perception
The perception of acoustic information
The perception of visual and linguistic information
Development of speech perception and production in normal hearing and hearing impaired children
Physiological and perceptual correlates of peripheral hearing impairment
Audiological rehabilitation and routine hearing tests
Testing children's hearing
Hearing aids & cochlear implants for children
Sign language and the Deaf community
The development of speech production and phonology and the role of lip reading
Modes of communication and approaches to develop deaf children's communication
Classification and Theories of Developmental Impairments of Speech Production
Phonological Awareness and its links with speech and literacy development
Assessment of developmental impairments of speech production
Intervention for developmental speech impairments arising from DVD, phonological disorder and hearing impairment.
Assessment
Anatomy and physiology test 20%
Speech science laboratory report 20%
Written assignment 60%