Module Directory

This module builds upon students' understanding of typical communication from year one of the degree programme and identification of developmental and acquired speech language and communication difficulties in year 2 of the programme.

Models of intervention, ethics, outcomes and management approaches will be introduced, along with extension of professional reasoning skills to include intervention planning for individual's difficulties across the range of the speech and language therapy caseload. There will be an emphasis on transferable skills, problem solving, evidence-based intervention and multi professional working. A biopsychosocial approach will be taken, enabling students to understand intervention for, and impact of, communication difficulties from a range of perspectives.

The aim of this module is:

• To further develop the professional reasoning skills required to plan and monitor person centred, evidence based speech language and communication interventions with, for and on behalf of service users as part of a multi professional team.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the legal, ethical and value based frameworks within which speech and language therapists work.


2. Understand and evaluate the role of the service user, their family, other professionals and the SLT in the management of speech, language & communication difficulties across the lifespan.


3. Critically evaluate models of intervention and synthesise them with techniques available to the speech and language therapist in the management of service users’ Speech Language and Communication Needs and literacy needs leading to enhanced and, where appropriate, augmented communication across the lifespan.


4. Demonstrate critical professional reasoning skills to understand and evaluate underlying difficulties & plan person centred, evidence based interventions with, for or on behalf of service users with Speech Language and Communication Needs.


5. Critically evaluate the reasons for outcome measurement and be able to select and apply appropriate outcome monitoring to match intervention styles and anticipated outcomes.


6. Understand the current scope of practice of speech and language therapists and propose enhancement to current practice.

Detailed session content:

• Professional reasoning


• Person centred practice


• Evidence based practice


• Ethical & Legal frameworks


• National & professional guidance


• Multi professional working & care


• International Classification of Functioning (ICF) & impact


• Quality of life


• Levels of service provision


• Models of intervention


• Direct & indirect intervention techniques


• Outcome measurement


• Contexts of practice


• Cultural and linguistic diversity in relation to intervention planning.


• Language difficulty/ language learning impairment and links to literacy


• Speech difficulty / disorder


• Developmental verbal dyspraxia


• Fluency


• Autism


• Complex needs with and without associated Learning Difficulty


• Hearing impairment


• Cleft lip & Palate


• Augmented communication / assistive technology


• Stroke


• Progressive Neurological conditions


• Traumatic Brain Injury


• Voice


• Dementia


• Mental Health


• LGBT

This speech and language therapy module will build upon understanding of typical development and ageing from year one of the programme and identification modules from year two of the programme. Teaching methods will include face-to-face lectures and seminars, and you will also engage in enquiry-based learning tasks and independent study. You will share some of your learning with students on the MSc Speech and Language Therapy programme. 

Lecture/classroom-based:

Lectures will introduce key principles & core concepts and frameworks relating to intervention and management.

Independent study:

This module includes timetabled self-study sessions.

Technology-Enhanced Learning:

You will be expected to engage and contribute to structured activities on Moodle.

Tutorial/seminar-based:

You will be expected to engage and contribute to interactive seminars. Case studies will form the basis of the exploratory learning in this module. Tutorial support sessions will be available for this module.

Skills-based:

Emphasis will be placed on developing the professional reasoning skills required to plan and monitor speech language and communication interventions.