Author Archives: Avril Nicoll

Family Action praise preventative Home Talk intervention for children at risk of language delay

Family Action have been in touch to let me know about some promising targeted work they are doing with late talking 2 year olds. The charity provides over 100 community based services to disadvantaged and socially isolated families across England. … Continue reading

Posted in Books, journals and articles, Community settings, Service delivery, Speech and language development, Speech and Language Therapy, Voluntary organisations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Prime and Predigest revisited: techniques to improve writing for publication

Having offered a number of workshops over the years on writing for publication (one written up as ‘Prime and Predigest’), it was a real treat for me to be on the receiving end of a 2 day course on academic … Continue reading

Posted in Books, journals and articles, CPD, Resources, Speech and Language Therapy, Writing for publication | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The communication and interaction skills of speech and language therapists applied more widely to healthcare

As speech and language therapists we are highly attuned to interaction. We recognise the link between communication competence and how people feel about themselves. Many of our interventions encourage ‘significant others’ to make changes to their communication. This gives our … Continue reading

Posted in Aphasia, Conferences, CPD, Service delivery, Speech and Language Therapy, Stammering | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Communication Champion’s final report shows communication is everyone’s business

Despite her two year term as Communication Champion officially ending in December, Jean Gross was up with the lark this morning for a 5 minute slot on the Daybreak sofa to talk about ‘testing’ of 2 years olds. Having read … Continue reading

Posted in AAC, Service delivery, Speech and language development, Speech and Language Therapy, Voluntary organisations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Animation Therapy videos to improve narrative in older children with language impairment

Readers of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice will be interested to see these short videos accompanying an article about Animation Therapy in the Winter 11 issue.  Animation Therapy is a hybrid of skill based and naturalistic activities aimed at … Continue reading

Posted in Books, journals and articles, Resources, Service delivery, Speech and language development, Speech and Language Therapy, Web/Tech | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘New dimensions’ online report from the Child Language Seminar 2011

The final issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice has been signed off for printing, so will be mailed out to subscribers the week beginning 5 December. Meantime, you can access a new, free, online-only article written to accompany … Continue reading

Posted in Conferences, CPD, Speech and language development, Speech and Language Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Giving Voice we are proud to be speech and language therapists

I have watched with admiration as the Giving Voice campaign has spread the message across the UK that speech and language therapy transforms lives. Having been active in both Speak Weeks (circa 1987 and 1990) and the rather oddly named … Continue reading

Posted in AAC, Aphasia, Autism, Conferences, Dysphagia, Resources, Service delivery, Speech and Language Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Aphasia charity needs online votes to Speakeasy

It is sad that, in spite of top level commitment to user involvement and community engagement, funding cuts mean charities including Speakeasy are having to seek income through routes such as the NatWest CommunityForce, where entrants are in competition for public online votes … Continue reading

Posted in Aphasia, Community settings, Ethics, Service delivery, Voluntary organisations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Penultimate issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice now out

The Autumn 11 issue of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice has been mailed today, so subscribers can expect it through their door very soon! Cover star Dan sustained a severe head injury in 2007, and Lindsay King describes how … Continue reading

Posted in AAC, Aphasia, Autism, Books, journals and articles, Community settings, CPD, Dysphagia, Ethics, Learning disability, Resources, Service delivery, Speech and Language Therapy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Voice banking to preserve the freedom of speech

More on voice banking, a subject I posted on a year ago when Laurence Brewer was interviewed for Radio 4’s Word of Mouth. This time there was a Scottish flavour to another Radio 4 programme ‘Giving the Critic Back His Voice’, … Continue reading

Posted in AAC, Ethics, Head & Neck, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson's disease, Phonetics / phonology, Resources, Service delivery, Speech and Language Therapy, Voice, Voluntary organisations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment