The Bilingual English-Spanish (BIES) certificate program prepares speech-language pathologists who are proficient in Spanish to evaluate and treat communication disorders in Spanish-dominant speakers. It is offered through the masters degree program in speech-language pathology or as continuing education for practicing clinicians.
Instructors & Supervisors
Brenda Gorman, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
Alejandro Aranda, M.S., Marquette University
Bridget Valla, M.S., Marquette University
Emily Waerzeggers, M.S., Marquette University
Competencies
Each student in the BIES program must demonstrate competence in five areas. These five areas are in line with the five competencies for bilingual clinicians as outlined by ASHA (1985) and Leung, Cheung, & Stevenson (1994). Below is a description of the five competencies and the resources and opportunities that we provide for achieving each.1. Language proficiency: native or near native fluency in Spanish and English
Knowledge and skills:
- Knowledge of Hispanic/Latino cultures
- Knowledge of Spanish phonology
- Knowledge of Spanish language form
- Oral proficiency in Spanish
Resources at Marquette:
- Courses
- SPAN 3100: Advanced Spanish Composition and Conversation
- SPAN 3005: Spanish Grammar Review and Writing for Heritage Speakers
- SPAN 3310: Peoples and Cultures of Spanish America
- SPAN 3320: Contemporary Issues in the Hispanic World
- SPAN 4120/5120: Phonetics and Applied Linguistics
- Oral Proficiency Examination conducted by American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages
- Students must achieve at least an "intermediate high" ranking on the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) assessment. Learn more.
- Oral proficiency must be demonstrated prior to enrollment in clinical practicum in Spanish
2. Normative processes: the ability to describe the process of normal speech and language acquisition for both bilingual and monolingual Spanish-speaking individuals and how those processes are manifested in oral and written language
Knowledge and skills:
- Identify facts and myths about bilingualism
- Describe different types of bilingual learners
- In depth-understanding of and ability to explain the processes of second language acquisition and developmental interactions between languages
- Explain the influence of bilingualism on language, literacy, and cognitive development
- Describe the influence of educational programs on language development
- Understand contrastive linguistics between Spanish and English as relevant to speech-language pathology
- Discuss normal bilingual development with parents/families and make appropriate recommendations
Resources at Marquette:
- Courses
- SPPA 4610/5610: Multicultural Issues for the Speech-Language Pathologist
- SPPA 6620: Speech and Language Assessment in Bilingual Populations
- SPPA 6630: Speech and Language Intervention in Bilingual Populations
- Experience working with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children and adults during activities such as:
- Service learning experiences for the Hispanic/Latino community
- Volunteer experiences for the Hispanic/Latino community
- Involvement in research projects with Hispanic/Latino participants
3. Assessment: the ability to administer and interpret formal and informal assessment procedures to distinguish between communication difference and communication disorders
Knowledge and skills:
- Familiarity with the language and dialects of diverse groups
- Identify appropriate formal and informal measures to conduct least-biased assessment
- Interpret assessment information appropriately to distinguish typical from atypical language development in bilingual children
- Use interpreters successfully
- Clearly communicate with and describe the nature of the disorder with the client’s parents and family members
Resources at Marquette:
- Courses
- SPPA 4610/5610: Multicultural Issues for the Speech-Language Pathologist
- SPPA 6620: Speech and Language Assessment in Bilingual Populations
- Clinical practica
- Campus clinic practicum with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children and adults
- Off-campus clinical practicum with Hispanic/Latino individuals
- Speech-language screenings
- Software
- Computerized Profiling for analysis of Spanish phonetically transcribed samples
- SALT for analysis of Spanish orthographically transcribed samples
- Research
- Involvement in research projects with Hispanic/Latino participants
4. Intervention: the ability to apply intervention strategies for treatment of communicative disorders in the minority language
Knowledge and skills:
- Identify areas of need to develop appropriate language intervention targets
- Identify instructional approaches, materials, and activities appropriate to the culture and language of the client
- Identify and include family’s goals and approaches to treatment
Resources at Marquette:
- Courses
- SPPA 4610/5610: Multicultural Issues for the Speech-Language Pathologist
- SPPA 6630: Speech and Language Intervention in Bilingual Populations
- Clinical practica
- Campus clinic practicum with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children and adults
- Off-campus clinical practicum with Hispanic/Latino individuals
- Software
- Marquette University Spanish English CATalog (MaUSECat) for selection and presentation of digital stimuli (photo, video, and sound) in treatment
- Marquette University Spanish English CATalog (MaUSECat) for selection and presentation of digital stimuli (photo, video, and sound) in treatment
- Research
- Involvement in research projects with Hispanic/Latino participants
5. Cultural Sensitivity: the ability to recognize cultural factors that affect the delivery of speech-language pathology and audiology services to the Hispanic/Latino community
Knowledge:
- Courses
- Knowledge of Hispanic/Latino Cultures
- How culture affects language
- Cultural rules for appropriate behavior and interaction
- Socio-historical context of cultural groups and their demographics
- Special needs of a cultural group and their families
- Core values of cultural and micro-cultural groups
- Variations in family structure, family member roles, acculturation processes, patterns of interaction with the dominant culture
- Intergenerational diversity in terms of acculturation
- Ethnically defined resources for members of various families/communities
- Informal resource systems and how to access them
- Intervention options and their cultural relevance
Skills:
- Self-Assessment
- Ability to develop rapport with Hispanic/Latino clients and families
- Flexibility to match the families expectations/needs
- Ability to see each client as an individual
- Ability to appropriately gather information about the client and family dynamics
- Use of appropriate greetings and informal talk prior to task-at-hand
- Explanation of roles and purpose of contact
- Use of interpreters to facilitate communication as necessary
- Use of culturally relevant ways to treat families with dignity
- Empowerment of client/family to explore resources/services and access them
Resources at Marquette:
- Self-Assessment
- Attitude towards cultural and linguistic differences
- Attitude toward immigration, acculturation, socialization
- Periodic self-evaluation of where we need improvement
- Courses
- SPAN 3320: Contemporary Issues in the Hispanic World
- SPPA 4610/5610: Multicultural Issues for the Speech-Language Pathologist
- SPPA 6620: Speech and Language Assessment in Bilingual Populations
- SPPA 6630: Speech and Language Intervention in Bilingual Populations
- Clinical practica
- Campus clinic practicum with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children and adults
- Off-campus clinical practicum with Hispanic/Latino individuals
- Speech-language screenings
- Experience working with Spanish-speaking and bilingual children and adults during activities such as:
- Service learning experiences for the Hispanic/Latino community
- Volunteer experiences for the Hispanic/Latino community
- Involvement in research projects with Hispanic/Latino participants
References
American Speech-Language-hearing Association (1985). Clinical management of communicatively handicapped minority language populations. Asha, 17(6), 29-32.
Leung, P., Cheung, K.F., & Stevenson, K.M. (1994). A strengths approach to ethnically sensitive practice for child protective service workers. Child Welfare, 73(6), 707-21.
