5 Quick Tips for Selecting Clinical Materials to Respect Clients ’ Cultural Backgrounds

As it becomes increasingly easy to download “no prep” or “print and go” materials from a variety of online resources, many new—and experienced—clinicians might not realize the materials they plan to use don’t align with their clients’ cultural preferences and background knowledge. Even with a conscious awareness of the importance of cultural competence, I’ve made mistakes in material selections, as both a clinician and clinical supervisor. As a new clinician, I once gasped in embarrassment as the “Santa” articulation card fell out of my deck and on to the table during a group session with students who didn’t celebrate Christmas. As a clinical supervisor, I’ll never forget the time I sprinted from the observation room to the treatment room when a student clinician introduced a “haunted house” activity to a client who didn’t celebrate Halloween. I knew this family didn’t celebrate this holiday, but I failed to mention it to the student clinician and misinterpreted the activity description on the lesson plan I reviewed before the session. The student was understandably disappointed she couldn’t use the elaborate house and paper ghosts she spent hours preparing. That’s when I knew I needed to find a way to help new clinicians develop skills in cultural competence as they select and modify clinical materials. Even as an experienced clinician, I find it helpful to use a checklist to make sure I avoid using materials that might not align with...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology cultural competence Cultural Diversity Source Type: blogs