Speech-language therapy educator reflections on the planning and implementation of education and training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background:  Universities across the world experienced lockdown and closure of all learning institutions around March 2020 because of the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This lockdown and closure presented challenges to the traditional pedagogical approaches in the health sciences, which typically include both campus-based and clinical site-focused activities involving face-to-face interactions and work integrated learning. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shift to emergency remote teaching (ERT) and learning.

The experiences of speech-language therapists providing telerehabilitation services to children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background:  There has been an increased emergence of the use of telerehabilitation by speech-language therapists (SLTs) in South Africa since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Objectives:  To explore the criteria that SLTs use when recommending telerehabilitation for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the technical skills required, strategies used by SLTs, the restrictions encountered when conducting telerehabilitation and the views of SLTs on telerehabilitation in comparison to face-to-face therapy for children with ASD.

Method:  A descriptive, phenomenological, qualitative study design was utilised.

Towards a South African model of language-based learning disability.

Background: This conceptual article is inspired by the first phase of a doctoral research project that aimed to develop and validate a bilingual language assessment test for IsiZulu-English-speaking children in grades 1, 2 and 3 with language-based learning disabilities (L-b LDs) in South Africa.

Objectives: Phase 1, systematic literature review, pretesting and formulating of a theoretical framework, with the aim to determine early indicators of L-b LDs; this is important for developing a clinical language test as it determines its constructs.

Method: Thematic analysis was used to develop the models.

The cat on a hot tin roof? Critical considerations in multilingual language assessments.

Background:  In speech-language pathology (SLP), there is a paucity of resources to provide just and equitable services to South Africa's culturally and linguistically diverse population. Although South Africa is a multilingual country, English remains the dominant language. However, there is limited research on resources for English additional language (EAL) speakers.

Facilitating pragmatic skills through role-play in learners with language learning disability.

Background: Role-based learning involves the process whereby learners acquire skills, knowledge and understanding through the assumption of roles within real-life settings. Role-play holds potential as an effective learning strategy for children; however, there is limited research on the use of role-play as a therapy method within the field of speech-language pathology. Children with language learning disability (LLD) typically present with difficulties in social communication, which can negatively affect their social and academic achievement.