Author Archives: Avril Nicoll
How do speech and language therapists go about doing their work, and why do they do it that way?
Although my PhD is in the field of implementation, I have a somewhat uneasy relationship with the word. According to WordReference.com, its etymology can be traced back to Late Latin, meaning ‘a filling up’ in the sense of completion, satisfaction or … Continue reading
Manualised interventions – can they help us change practice?
“The profession of speech therapy in Great Britain has never taken kindly to the construction of stereotyped programmes of treatment. It perceives therapy to be a creative process in which procedures are used with considerable selectivity.” This introduction to Jennifer Warner, … Continue reading
Smoothing the way for practice change
Journal Clubs are becoming popular as a way for teams to look together at research evidence and decide if practice needs to change as a result. But do we give enough thought to what happens next? Introducing and getting familiar with … Continue reading
Questions of efficacy, effectiveness and implementation
When doing research in an applied field such as speech and language therapy, different sorts of questions are needed depending on what you are trying to understand. As with all attempts at categorisation, the following question types have fuzzy and overlapping boundaries. However, in … Continue reading
What does it take to make a practice change, #WeSpeechies?
Making a change in your practice – what does it take? This is the theme for Twitter’s @WeSpeechies from 20th-26th April 2014, when I will be taking a turn to curate. An hour-long #WeSpeechies tweetchat on Tuesday 22nd at 8pm (BST) includes 5 questions … Continue reading
Life is academic after speechmag
In 2011 it was time to bring Speech & Language Therapy in Practice to a close, and I was faced with the problem of what to do next. At a point where some rational decision making was probably called for, I … Continue reading
Preserving the Speech & Language Therapy in Practice archive
Speech & Language Therapy in Practice magazine came to a close at the end of 2011, but its legacy is a wealth of archive material reflecting the growth of the profession. Being aware of the practical value of the articles – … Continue reading
Ralli round to raise awareness of specific language impairment
"Ralli likes computer games, playing with her friends in the park, and smoky bacon flavoured crisps – BUT Ralli also sometimes finds talking difficult, and she doesn't always understand the words people say. Ralli wants to tell you what this … Continue reading
Life and times of a speaking wifie
Catherine Hollingworth may have been a visionary and steely pioneer of the speech and language therapy profession, but in the small Scottish town where she was born she was known straightforwardly as ‘the speaking wifie’. As part of a drive … Continue reading
Pam Enderby recognised for lifetime aphasia contribution
I was delighted to hear today that Professor Pam Enderby has been given The Robin Tavistock Award 2012 in recognition of her significant lifetime contribution to the field of aphasia. In announcing the award, the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia recognise … Continue reading