Description:
This course will focus on the assessment and treatment of acquired adult language disorders, including aphasia, right-hemisphere brain damage, closed head injury, and dementia, with an emphasis on aphasic syndromes. Students will be required to integrate their theoretical knowledge in the planning of therapeutic intervention, and to critically appraise clinical tools and techniques of assessment and therapy. These topics build on an elementary understanding of the neurological underpinnings and behavioural characteristics of adult neurogenic language disorders.
Prerequisites: 3:146 Neurogenic Disorders of Speech and Language (or SLP II)
3:117 Psychology of Language
(or permission of the instructor)

Objectives:
Students will learn to relate principles of intervention (diagnosis, therapy, and outcome assessment) to their theoretical foundations (neurological, linguistic, and psychological), and to apply a hypothesis-testing approach to all stages of intervention.

Required Textbook:
R. Brookshire. (2003). Introduction to Neurogenic Communication Disorders. St. Louis, MO: Mosby. (The text is available in the Health Sciences bookstore.)

Evaluation

Grading:

Class Schedule & Assigned Readings

Wed. Jan. 22: Overview of course & review
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 1 & 4 (review)

Wed. Jan. 29: Model-based approaches to aphasia intervention
Readings: none

Wed. Feb. 5: Principles of assessment
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 3

Wed. Feb. 12: Language assessment tools
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 5

Wed. Feb. 19: Quiz on assessment (20%)

Wed. Feb. 26: Principles of treatment
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 6

Wed. Mar. 5: Specific treatment techiques
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 7

Wed. Mar. 12: Quiz on treatment (20%)

Wed. Mar. 19: Spring break

Wed. Mar. 26: Right-hemisphere disorders
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 8 (pp. 355-381)

Wed. Apr.2: Traumatic brain injury
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 9 (pp. 430-457)

Wed. Apr. 9: Dementia
Readings: Brookshire – ch. 10 (pp. 485-509)

Wed. Apr. 16: Quiz on cognitive-communication disorders (20%)

Wed. Apr. 23: Treatment efficacy (Kirrie Ballard)
Readings: Robey (1998), JSHR, 41, pp. 172–187

Wed. Apr. 30: Measuring functional outcomes
Readings: Worrall & Frattali (2000) – ch. 1

Wed. May 7: Treatment studies
Readings: cases from The Aphasia Therapy File (1999)

Tues. May 13: Case analysis due (30%)

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities (from student handbook)

All students in the College have specific rights and responsibilities. You have the right to adjudication of any complaints you have about classroom activities or instructor actions. Information on these procedures is available in the Schedule of Courses and on-line in the College's Student Academic Handbook (http://www.clas.uiowa.edu/students /academic_handbook/). You also have the right to expect a classroom environment that enables you to learn, including modifications if you have a disability.

Special Accommodations
I would like to hear from anyone who has a disability which may require some modification of seating, testing, or other class requirements so that appropriate arrangements may be made. Please see me after class or during office hours.

Attendance Policy
Your responsibilities to this class—and to your education as a whole—include attendance and participation. If you are absent for a class, you are responsible for obtaining notes. Although no portion of your grade is allocated directly to attendance, your participation grade may be affected by excessive absenteeism.

Workload Guidelines
For each semester hour credit in the course, students should expect to spend two hours per week preparing for class sessions (e.g., in a three-credit-hour course, standard out-of-class preparation is six hours per week).

Plagiarism Policy
You are also expected to be honest and honorable in your fulfillment of assignments and in test-taking situations (the College's policy on plagiarism and cheating is on-line in the College's Student Academic Handbook).