Aphasia Advocacy

Teaching a graduate course in aphasia as a professor in speech-language pathology, , I am always looking for creative ways to help my students understand the impact that aphasia has not only on the individual with this communication disorder, but also on family, friends and the community. I always assign group projects in this course ranging from extensive literature reviews to learning specific treatment techniques. This year my students have embraced a much more creative side of learning about aphasia. My students have been working on aphasia advocacy through creating and producing 30 second “commercial” like public service announcements about aphasia, five minute “YouTube” presentations and one of my graduate students with a theater minor has written a complete three-act play focusing on the characteristics and psycho-social problems associated with aphasia. Review of the script with other graduate students is currently in progress, auditions for actors will begin in the fall with a premier opening of the play for our university (Clarion University of PA) and surrounding community projected for late fall 2014.