Speech and Hearing Sciences
Summer Placement Handbook
Year 2-Post-Graduate Diploma Students
This is the student’s final clinical placement
2014/2015
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Year 2 PG
Summer Placement
Handbook
Student
Placement:
General
Guidelines
Student
Information for
Practice Educators


I copy for the
hosting Practice
Educators (PEs)
NB Student to
complete
1 copy retained by
student for
portfolio

Contents
(1) Making contact
(2) Introduction
(3) Portfolio Activity suggestions
(4) Clinical placement record form
(including ID check and Feedback
Form)
(5) Abilities to target
Appendices
Form summarising clinical experience*
Summary of programme content
Protocol for the case presentation exam
Student to take
their copy of these
on placement in
case PE would like
to consult.

Year 2
Summer Block
Placement
Handbook
*Student to complete and retain for their
clinical portfolio
Summary of requirements on back page
1
Student
Information for
Practice Educators
Formative
Feedback Sheet
Completed by the
PE


+

QMU
Student Placements: Summer Block
Contents
Section 1.
Making Contact
p3
Practice Educators (PEs) and Students contacting QMU
PEs and Students contacting each other
Emergency contact
Section 2.
Summer Placements: Introduction
p4
What is required of the PEs
How long for
The student’s previous clinical experience
The student’s previous course experience
Section 3.
Portfolio activities to be carried out by students on placement
Section 4.
SLT Clinical Report Form (timesheet)
Section 5.
p6
Checking student identity and monitoring
Clinician’s Placement Feedback Form
p 10
p.11
p 12
Target abilities for this final placement
p 14
Appendices
1.
2a.
2b.
3.
Sample - Summary of placement clinical experience
Summary of the programme modules in the Year 1 Graduate Diploma Programme
Summary of the programme modules in the Year 2 Graduate Diploma Programme
Protocol for the PGDip Year 2 Case Presentation (Intervention theme)
p 15
p 16
p 18
p 20
NB Students must complete a ‘Student Information for Practice Educators’ form for their placement
hosts and also take their copies of:
1) Student Placements: General Guidelines
2) Year 2 Summer Placement handbook
with them on placement in case their PEs would like further information about any of the
following:
The purpose of placements
Police Checks
Identification
Health and Safety (General)
Health and Safety (Clinical Setting)
Punctuality
Professional issues:
Confidentiality
Client Files
Responsibility for client management
What the student can do in the absence of the PE
Clinical organisation and administration
2
1. MAKING CONTACT
All placements undertaken by Speech and Language Therapy Students at Queen Margaret University
(QMU) are organised by the Placement Team which includes academic and administrative staff:
Academic Team Members
Administrators:
Gill Glover
Email: gglover@qmu.ac.uk
Dr Jocelynne Watson, Clinical Director
Email jwatson@qmu.ac.uk
SLT Summer Placements(shared email inbox):
SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk
Fiona Campbell
Email: fcampbell@qmu.ac.uk
Lynne Bremner (maternity leave)
lbremner@qmu.ac.uk
School Office, School of Health Sciences
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Queen Margaret University Drive
Musselburgh
Scotland
EH21 6UU
Telephone: +44 (0)131 474 0000: Voice activated system – you will be asked to name the person you want
or you can ask for the operator
Fax: +44 (0)131 474 0001: please clearly write the name of the person it is addressed to on the first page.
Placement Hosts/Practice Educators (PEs) and Students Contacting QMU



PEs and students are encouraged to contact the placement team for information and if problems
arise. We will try to respond to emails or voice messages within one working day. Please email
SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk. Over the summer period the team may sometimes be on
annual leave. In this case at least one member of the QMU SHS staff team is available for contact
via the School Office – 0131 474 0000 and ask for Health Sciences.
Gill is the best first contact for points of information or to confirm the details of arrangements
already made. Please contact Gill on SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk or on the telephone
number given.
Students can contact any member of the Summer Placement Team by first contacting
SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk
PEs and Students Contacting Each Other

Placements are ALWAYS organised through the placement team.

Students only contact their PEs after permission has been given.

Students should NEVER make a direct contact with a potential summer placement host before
discussing their ideas with a member of the placement team.

PEs and students give written permission for specific contact information to be passed on to each
other for placement organisation purposes. PEs and students may wish to exchange further
information once the placement has started to deal with an emergency situation.
Emergency contact

Once placements have started, PEs and students are advised to discuss the best way of notifying each
other in the event of a last minute emergency – for example either the host or the student
unexpectedly not being able to attend a placement day. While the placement team will always
endeavour to pass on last minute messages they are not best placed to do this and are not in a
position to guarantee being able to notify either party.
3
2. SUMMER PLACEMENTS: INTRODUCTION
Most of the placements that QMU SLT students undertake are on a one-day-per-week basis. To
complement this all students have a summer block placement as their second clinical placement. This is
therefore the big opportunity for our students to experience clinical practice on a day-to-day basis. Also,
because performance on this placement is not formally graded (see though example of formative feedback
form, page 12) students are able to go beyond our immediate Scottish support area for this experience.
Many students see this as a chance to go back to their home area or to see a place they may be
considering for a first job. Others are keen to have placements overseas, where these are available with
appropriate support. Students find this broadening of their professional perspective, both individually and
collectively enormously valuable. In the last few years, for example, we have been able to send students
to the following range of places:
Ayrshire
Aberdeen
Australia
Belfast
Canada
Cork
County Durham
Dublin
Dumfries
Gibraltar
Glasgow
Highland Region
Isle of Man
Inverness
Isle of Man
Jersey
London
New Zealand
Orkney
Paris
Singapore
Sligo
South Africa
Sussex
Uganda
Wales
Western Isles
York
As well as within our day
placement catchment areas:
Borders, Edinburgh and East and
Midlothian, Fife, Forth Valley,
Tayside, West Lothian & a range
of charitable organisations
What is required of the PEs
Because our students are going to such a variety of destinations we deliberately avoid setting a specific
range of placement goals and tasks to complete. The Speech and Language Therapy profession now
encompasses such a wide range of skills and service models that we feel it is important that we don’t
impose requirements which could inhibit the potential experiences that a particular hosting service can
offer. The only requests that we make are therefore:
(1) That the students experience activities which properly fall within the remit of a Speech and Language
Therapist. In addition to observing and participating in the traditional clinical activities of assessment,
remediation and administration this can also include attending staff meetings, case meetings, study
days, training sessions (as audience or part of the training team), parent workshops, multi-disciplinary
working, audit, data collection and processing. In the clinical setting we typically would expect there
to be an initial observation component with increasing responsibility given for contributing to
individual case and/or group management, where agreed as appropriate with the PE.
(2) That students complete one portfolio activity to contribute towards their clinical portfolio. A list of
suitable activity ideas are given in Section 3, pages 6 – 9. These are all designed to reflect ‘real world’
SLT situations and we hope will also be of help and interest to the PE. It is though perfectly acceptable
for the hosting PE to recommend an alternative task, of equivalent value (and requiring similar effort)
which may be more appropriate for their specific client group/setting. PEs are expected to read the
completed portfolio activity and to follow this with a formative discussion with the student. PEs are
not asked to assign a mark to this piece of work.
(3) That the PE involved in hosting the placement signs the record of attendance (including the completion
of the portfolio activity) and complete a formative feedback sheet.
4
To help with this a list of abilities which students should be working towards in a final placement is
provided on page 14. PEs with any concern about the performance of their student should contact
School Office who will refer to the summer duty staff member. Any concerns about the student
which persist to the end of the placement should be noted in this report form
(4) Students are required to present a case back at QMU as their final examination before qualification.
The protocol of this Case Presentation Examination (CPE) is attached. We would be grateful if you
could support your student in the selection of a suitable case (or in the case of group work, cases) and
in gaining access to appropriate background information. Students also have specific time allocated
back at QMU prior to the examination to access further supporting literature. It is appropriate to give
the student feedback on the success of the session from the client’s perspective and on their own
performance in the session chosen in the same way as for any other session. It is not appropriate to
offer any further support beyond this level.
How long for
The summer block request is typically for 17 days, although how this is achieved can vary considerably.
We have some students who complete the block in consecutive days and others who have fewer days per
week over a longer period. During our semester, one day per week placements, we recommend that the
student typically has 1 hour per day free of contact time to allow for reflective practice, reading and
preparation and possibly completion of a portfolio activity. In the summer block this translates to about 3
out of the 17 days. It is at the discretion of the hosting clinicians whether this is included and if so, how
this is best organised – either in having full or half days away from clinic each week or setting aside time
during the day. Provided that the student is able to engage in quality discussion and feedback on the work
completed during this time this time can be included within the summer block sessions.
The student’s previous clinical experience
Students will have completed three 10 day semester placements and one 17 day summer block placement
before this summer placement but individual students will have had very different experiences. Students
will provide their hosts with a resume of their own previous experience before their placement begins.
Where possible we do try to respond to student’s special requests to find placements offering particular
types of experience – perhaps either paediatric or adult or mixed or a particular type of client group or
type of service delivery (e.g. stammering programme, parent programmes, outreach).
The student’s previous programme experience
All Post-Graduate Diploma students will have completed both the first and second year of their two year
programme before starting this placement – an overview of the programme contents can be seen in
appendix 2 (see pages 16 & 18).
5
3. Portfolio Activities to be carried out by students on clinical placement
Students need to complete 1 portfolio activity during the Year 2 summer block placement.
A list of 19 suitable activities is provided below (see Elective Portfolio Activity Suggestions). Students can,
in consultation with their PE, choose which activity they complete according to the nature of their
placement and their own interests. Students also complete 1 of these activities in each semester
placement and so in order to give breadth to their clinical experience should aim to carry out a range of
these activities during the course of the programme.
There is one portfolio activity, the Compulsory Portfolio Activity – an initial client contact (see below)
which must be completed by the student at some time before they finish the programme. If this is
possible during the summer placement then it serves as the completed portfolio activity for the
placement. We hope that all our Post Graduate Diploma students will have completed this before this final
placement but you may be asked in advance if this is a possibility for a particular student.
Compulsory Portfolio Activity – an initial client contact

Students should have some recorded experience of preparing for and, if possible, carrying out an initial
interview (or meeting or session) with a newly referred client during the course of their practical
experience.
 It is appreciated that some summer blocks may not be able to offer this possibility (e.g. special school
with a fixed case-load) or the PE may not feel that it is appropriate for their student with the particular
client group being treated.
 If the experience is possible however then the date of completion of the practical aspect of this
experience should be recorded on the front page of the CRF and initialled by the PE as a sign of
completion.
 The student should then include a report summarizing the experience in their clinical portfolio (bullet
points can be used where appropriate and the recommended word limit is 1500). The report should
outline the objectives of the session, and include a plan of action (session plan plus the need to gather
additional information e.g. from other professionals), the outcome in terms of knowledge gained and
an evaluation of the extent to which the aims of the session were met.
 PEs are asked to review the work done and give the student verbal feedback on its appropriateness and
quality.
Please note that that PEs are asked to initial and date if this has been carried out during their placement
in the space provided in the Placement Record Form (PRF).
Students should keep the written work associated with the tasks in their Clinical Portfolio (see Student
Placements: General Guidelines, Section 4), clearly marking the level of the programme when it was
completed. The Activities are not individually marked but evidence of their completion is required to
present to the student’s final exam board.
Elective Portfolio Activity Suggestions
The tasks below are designed to directly reflect the type of work that one might expect to come across in
the clinical setting and should be completed within 500-1500 words. Alternative tasks, of equivalent
value, perhaps more appropriate in a particular clinical setting, can be done, if recommended by the PE.
Where an alternative activity has been carried out it should be clearly marked in the portfolio.
STUDENT PLEASE NOTE: YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DISCUSS THE TASKS YOU HAVE CHOSEN AND YOUR COMPLETED WORK WITH
YOUR CLINICIAN.
1. Note the additional information (excluding that from further assessment) which it would be useful to
obtain about a client with which you are involved, linking your ideas to the information which you
6
already have. Write a plan of action to obtain the information (for example, interview / phone call
with parent / carer / school / colleague / College Adviser / other professional, letter to the Bulletin).
Carry out your plan (in part or whole) and write a summary of the information you have gained.
2. Write a draft report on a case you have seen following their initial assessment. Bear in mind that the
report will be sent to the referring agency and other relevant parties, including carers/parent. They
will require an overview of your findings to date, a clear statement about future management
intentions and, where appropriate, the aims of any further intervention.
3. Write a draft report on a client who has completed a course of treatment. Include a summary of
response to therapy so far and a clear statement about future management. Where appropriate
include an advice sheet which can act as a reminder for the carers about the suggestions and activities
which you have already discussed to promote continuing progress.
4. Carry out a literature search which will support the management of a case selected by your clinician.
Provide a brief bibliography of not more than 6 references (including authors, title of the article,
journal/book, volume and page numbers) and summarise the points which could contribute to the
future management of the case.
5. Write a request for materials necessary for a therapy session you have planned, including sufficient
detail to allow them to be prepared by a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant. Bear in mind that
you must try to eliminate any possible ambiguities in your request and consider how much initiative
you are requiring of the SLTA (eg a general request for 12 pictures of household objects versus a
detailed list of specific objects which have particular relevance to the case). Evaluate how successful
the material proved when you used it in practice and suggest any modifications which could have
improved the efficacy of the session.
6. Make an audio/video tape of yourself carrying out a formal assessment with a client. Note and
evaluate the information you have gained from the assessment itself and comment on the usefulness
of the additional information you have derived from the taped record (including your own conduct of
the session).
7. Many people/carers/parents now have access to the internet. Carry out an internet search on a topic
that has arisen in clinic and summarise the information which was obtained in this way. Write a brief
critique of the usefulness of this resource for both client and clinician highlighting any useful or
misleading information it generated. Consider what response you could give if presented with the
results of such a search by a client, taking into account the need to support professional credibility.
8. Discuss a service offered at the clinic (for example, specific client group or age group) which your
clinician feels would benefit from extra resources. Prepare a ‘wish list’ for the clinic, recommending 4
items of equipment/books which would be a useful addition to meet this need. Include all the
information necessary to comply with Trust (or other employing agency) procedure for applying for
resources, (eg name, catalogue/ordering/ISBN number, price, whether requires VAT) and give a brief
rationale to support your choices.
9. Devise an ‘observation sheet’ for use in evaluating any change in behaviour which is being targeted
during a group you are helping to run. Carry out the observation, after noting your decisions about the
following issues:

the feasibility of conducting the observation during a session or from a video recording


the length of the observation time (ie a whole session or a sample time/s within a session)
are you observing change over the course of the session or between two sessions

inter-rater reliability
Comment on the usefulness of your findings and note any changes you would like to make to the
protocol following the experience.
7
10. Devise a method of obtaining information about the level of language1 to which a client is exposed
during a regular part of their life (for example, a session at a day centre or during a college school
class). Carry out your plan and from your knowledge of your client’s strengths and weaknesses
comment on any difficulties which your client might experience in this setting.
11. Evaluate the level of language1 in two reading/subject text books which form part of the curriculum
which your client is accessing in an education setting. Comment on any problems that they might
present given your knowledge of the client’s strengths and weaknesses. Using bullet points, devise an
information/advice sheet for education staff involved with the client.
12. Prepare a short report outlining the information which you have gained from conducting both a formal
assessment and from carrying out and analysing a language sample from the same client. Comment
on the usefulness of each procedure in contributing to a profile of the client’s strengths and
weaknesses.
13. SLTs are often asked to contribute to training days for other professionals (eg Health Visitors, school
staff) or carers groups. Discuss a possible invitation, focusing on one topic, that your clinician might
receive (eg service provision, appropriate referrals, case histories, specific client groups) and plan four
overhead slides which could be incorporated into a short talk.
14. If invited to a study session/day prepare a 2/3 page report reviewing the day which would usefully
disseminate the information you have gathered to colleagues who were not able to attend.
15. What resources (including services and other professionals) are available to your clinician when faced
with a bi– or multi-lingual client? To what extent are the resources confined to certain languages?
Give a bullet point list of information you would need to know if, after starting a new job, you are
faced with a client who has a first language with which you are not familiar.
16. For a client who requires (or uses) an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) approach:
Prepare a survey prioritising which aspects of the client’s environment require inclusion in an AAC
system (or could be added to an existing system).
17. For a client who requires (or uses) an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) approach:
(a) Design an evaluation sheet listing pertinent factors when evaluating a new piece of AAC
technology
Or
(b) Prioritise, giving your rationale, which aspects of the client’s environment require inclusion in their
AAC system (or could be added to their existing system).
18. Carry out an observation session of a client in a situation which is difficult for the client, briefly noting
down any social skills weaknesses or other difficulties. Gather any other information which may be
used as background for writing a Social Story (this may be information from clinician or other members
of multidisciplinary team and/or information contained in the client's case notes).
19. Devise a questionnaire to be sent to carers/family of a patient in order to obtain personal vocabulary
you are going to introduce in a low tech communication book/chart.
20. Devise a template for a communication passport for a child who is using AAC strategies to
communicate for the child to take with him to a new school.
1
In discussing ‘language’ you may wish to consider one or more of the following aspects: vocabulary level,
grammatical complexity, degree of inferencing required.
8
21. Outline the top five resources you would recommend to a department wanting to purchase AAC
equipment for Stroke patients. Explain your rational behind each selection and identify exact name of
resource, price and where available.
22. Identify specific vocabulary for a client going into hospital. Once vocabulary identified, make up a
communication board which can be easily used in a hospital situation with nurses.
23. Identify the team around the client including the natural supports within their environment. Outline
and discuss role/responsibility of each. Identify the strengths of a multidisciplinary team working with
the client.
24. Make up information sheets and other training sheets necessary to carry out a 45 minute training
course with family members on introducing a specific voice output communication aid. This might
include information on programming, managing the device and vocabulary selection.
25. Identify and describe five different voice amplifiers giving advantages and disadvantages for each.
Outline the different types of client groups who might benefit from using voice amplification.
26. Design a partner assisted scanning alphabet/phrase chart for a patient with a degenerative condition
to be used at home with family and carers.
27. Identify four community activities in which a young adult with learning disability might take part.
Devise a chatboard for each with a maximum of ten vocabulary phases. Make up the boards for
Boardmaker.
28. Research and identify communication aid resources/centres in Scotland that work with adult clients.
Identify the services they provide. Make up a leaflet to be handed out to colleagues on the
information you obtained.
9
Please immediately complete the Identity Check
on page 2 of this document
SLT Clinical Report Form (CRF)
The student is responsible for completing this page
Student's Name:
Under/Postgraduate
Level
Placement (1-6)
PLACEMENT SESSIONS
Target
34
Total Achieved:
of which: Paed:
Adult :
including: Adult Acquired Neurology
Board(s)
Number of clinicians involved:
Practice Educator 1:
Location:
Practice Educator 2:
Location:
Practice Educator 3:
Location:
Peer placement
Y/N
Was this 'an Initial Interview?' 
Y/N
PLACEMENT ACTIVITY: 1 portfolio activity – provide number from handbook or give brief description:
PE initial to confirm has seen:
Date completed:
RECORD OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE / EXPERIENCE
Placement
Attendance
Week
Dates
Y / N / P'folio
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Practice
Educator No.
Adult/Paed
A/P
Case Type
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
Clinician please sign and date to confirm that this is a fair record
Signature:

Please delete as applicable
Date:

Use the abbreviations given in the table overleaf - if you need to use other terms add these to the table.
Please return to SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk or post to Gill Glover, School Office – School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret
University, Musselburgh EH21 6UU.
10
Checking student identity and attendance monitoring
Identity Check
To enable an identity check we have asked all students to show the relevant practice educator their QMU
Matriculation card. This card shows the photograph and name of the student. All practice educators are
asked to sign the declaration below, to indicate that the photograph matches the student who has arrived
on placement.
Please contact us immediately if there is a discrepancy.
Attendance
We require that all students inform both their practice educator and the University should they be unable to
attend their placement on any given day. Where the student has an agreed absence from placement, we
ask that the practice educator informs the University of this arrangement within a 48 hour period.
In the event that a student has an unauthorised/unexpected absence from placement, we ask that the
practice educator informs the University of this absence immediately.
Contact
Gill Glover on 0131 474 0000 / SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk in the first instance. If she is not
available, please redial and ask to speak to the School Office. If more convenient, please email OT-SHSNURAdmin@qmu.ac.uk stating the student’s name, the date and the nature of the absence.
Practice educator declaration: I have seen
's QMU matriculation card and can
confirm that the photograph on the card matches the student on placement. I also understand the action
I should take in the event of any student absence from placement.
Signature:
Date:
Case Type
What follows are abbreviations of the types of case you might work with. It is impossible to provide a
comprehensive list. Please complete the case type column as best you can. If you have seen a mixture of
case types during the session please state the majority.
If none of the abbreviations suit the cases you have seen please write in a description.
Underlying communication impairment
in client group
Acquired Neurological Disorders
Dysphasia, Dysarthria, Dyspraxia, Dysphagia
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Cerebral Palsy
Craniofacial Conditions including
Cleft lip/Palate and Velopharyngeal disorders
Deafness
Developmental Speech and/or Language Delay
Dysfluency
Ear, nose and throat
Learning Disability: Mild/moderate/severe
Dyslexia
Abbreviation
AN
Underlying communication impairment
in client group
Mental Health including dementia.
Oncology
Parent program (Including Hanen)
Progressive Neurological Disorder
Including multiple sclerosis, motor neurone
disease, Parkinson’s disease.
Specific Language Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Eating, Drinking and Swallowing [paed]
Specific Speech Impairment
Visual Impairment
Voice
ASD
CP
CC
DF
DSLD
DYS
ENT
LD
DLEX
Abbreviation
MH
ONC
PP
PND
SLI
TBI
EDS
SSI
VI
V
Please return to SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk or post to Gill Glover, School Office – School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret
University, Musselburgh EH21 6UU.
11
SPEECH AND HEARING SCIENCES
SUMMER BLOCK PLACEMENT FEEDBACK FORM
PLACEMENT 5
Student:
Clinician(s):
Clinic(s) attended:
Organisation Address (e.g. Trust, Charity):
Telephone/Email of the main Practice Educator:
Start date:
Finish date:
Number of days delivered:
Case Load:
Practice Educator’s Report on Progress including any recommended learning goals to take forward to the first
post. Please refer to ‘target abilities for a final placement’. (Note: box will expand as you type, if writing please
add additional page if necessary).
Name, Qualifications and Professional Membership of the main Practice Educator:
Signature of Practice Educator:
Date:
Signature of the Student
Date:
Please return to SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk or post to Gill Glover, School Office – School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret
University, Musselburgh EH21 6UU.
12
The progression from the first placement to the final placement charts student development from
dependency on the placement educator (PE) to provide ideas and guidance to becoming increasingly
proactive in planning, justifying, carrying out and evaluating clinical case and case-load management.
This includes:
 client assessment – selection, delivery, data analysis, interpretation

using information from all relevant sources to form an evidence based holistic profile of the
client’s communicative strengths and weaknesses
 formulating justified aims for intervention, planning, carrying out and evaluating the effectiveness
of direct or indirect intervention activities
 sourcing useful literature to support thinking about the case
Students also develop their communication skills (oral and written) – from initially formulating
pertinent questions to being able to discuss with the PE and other members of the professional team
issues surrounding the caseload (including individual clients), setting and service delivery,
professional responsibilities and constraints, case prioritisation and administration requirements.
Communication with service users develops from general social interaction to providing clear
explanations of management plans and effective and motivating feedback on performance.
In any clinical placement the student can:
 Observe what the PE is doing
 Follow the PE lead and assist in a joint activity
 Prepare, lead and evaluate a joint activity
 Prepare, carry out and evaluate the effectiveness of a session/client contact themselves – either
supervised, observed or independently, following discussion with the PE. In level 4 this will include
incorporating findings from any session into future management plans.
Student’s progress is always at the discretion of the PE who has the duty of care for any clients seen.
As students progress from their first to final placement it is expected that the amount of time spent in
observation before progressing to case planning responsibility will become shorter, although it is
recognised that even advanced students will find observation important as it is likely that they will be
working with a client group that is new to them.
Professional Requirements for all placements
Meeting these standards is a basic requirement for all students on all clinical placements. Should a
difficulty in any of these areas persist beyond an initial discussion, please contact the placement
team. If any of these attributes are problematic in the final review the student will automatically fail
the placement
1
Demonstrates interest in all aspects of clinical work
2
Is responsible about time keeping
3
Takes responsibility for contacting clinic when necessary
4
Demonstrates appreciation of clinic-specific requirements, including dress code, hygiene (eg hand washing)
and health and safety procedures as outlined by the PE
5
Demonstrates appreciation of and practices confidentiality as outlined in NHS Code of Practice
6
Adopts a non-judgmental attitude to clients and carers
7
Interacts appropriately with clients and carers and other staff outwith sessions (eg in the waiting room)
8
Interacts appropriately with professionals
9
Discusses previous experience and learning goals with the placement educator
10
Comes to clinic sessions well prepared and organised
11
Prepares a session plan for each activity requested by the placement host for the following placement day
(unless specifically requested not to)
13
Target abilities for a final placement
PEs may like to refer to this list when completing the Formative Feedback Sheet. The list reflects the
requirements of our students in the first year of placement experience, We do though appreciate that each
summer placement offers a unique set of opportunities for students and that not every placement will provide the
circumstances for the student to demonstrate all the following abilities. This will also depend on the student’s
previous placement experience, particularly whether or not they have had any previous experience with the
specific client groups/types of service delivery. Students will reflect on their progress in these areas and
will provide the PE with a list of evidence they feel demonstrates this.
PROFESSIONAL ABILITIES WHICH CAN SHOW PROGRESSION
Discusses clinical issues and participates in client management in equal/near equal
partnership with clinician.
Is able to discuss client management issues with other professionals.
EVALUATION OF CLIENTS’ ABILITIES AND NEEDS
Summarises the evaluation of data and discusses client prognosis in terms appropriate for
different audiences (eg client, carer, other professional).
On the basis of available information, formulates hypotheses about the client to be tested as
part of the continuing management process ie what does the student think the problem is and
how will that assumption be tested?
ABILITY TO INTEGRATE THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE WITH CLINICAL PRACTICE
Integrates findings from efficacy studies (where available) in formulating management plans
for the current client group.
Demonstrates ability to devise outcome measures (short term or long term) to evaluate the
efficacy of therapy for individual clients.
ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AIMS OF THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION
Demonstrates awareness of the need to take service protocols and patterns of service
delivery into account when devising session plans e.g. individual v group v consultancy
model; direct v indirect intervention.
ABILITY TO DEVISE AND DOCUMENT SESSION PLANS. (THIS CAN INCLUDE EVALUATION/DIRECT
INTERVENTION / SOCIAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTATION)
Successfully incorporates investigative/hypothesis testing elements into therapy plans.
ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION
Demonstrates ability to manage a range of clients, including members of client groups not
previously encountered.
Independently accesses appropriate resources in order to manage a new client group.
Demonstrates ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary settings.
Demonstrates increasing independence of the placement educator in settings where this is
felt by the PE to be appropriate.
ABILITY TO MAKE EVALUATIONS OF CLIENT RESPONSE TO THERAPY
Demonstrates ability to make judgements about the priority of a case on the basis of an
informed understanding of the client's profile of communicative strengths and weaknesses.
Able to devise an appropriate method for evaluation of effectiveness
ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS
Demonstrates awareness of issues in caseload management such as prioritisation.
Demonstrates ability to take full responsibility for writing letters and reports.
14
Appendix 1:
Information that the student notes in this form complements the record of sessions completed in the CLINICAL Placement Record for the Summer Block. It is a
brief qualitative record of placement experiences which will help the student with course assignments which require reflection on their professional
development and in identifying future learning goals. It is rather like the CPD log which clinicians complete for annual registration with the RCSLT.
Students can down-load this form from the Web and adapt for each placement.
Example
Summary of Placement Experience
Cases seen (NB this doesn’t need to be exhaustive)
Pseudonym
Age/Gender
Diagnosis
Assessment
Assessments
Formal and Informal
Observed
Management
Carried Out
Scored
Professional Issues
Contact with other professionals:
Training sessions:
Meetings attended
Issues discussed:
15
Time from initial referral
Interpreted
Appendix 2.
Post Graduate Diploma in Speech & Language Therapy Year 1 content
STRAND / MODULE
CREDITS
SEMESTER
Linguistics 1: Foundations for Speech
and Language Therapy and Audiology
15
1
Biological and behavioural science for
SLT I: typical processes
30
1&2
Research Methods for Speech and
Language Therapy and Audiology
15
1
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Clinical Communication
Practical phonetics production skills
Transcription of the sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet
Foundations of speech production and perception
Syntax & morphology of normal English
General syntactic & morphological theory
Phonology of normal English
General phonological and phonetic theory
General anatomy and physiology
Specific Anatomy and Physiology for speech, voice, eating, drinking and swallowing
Neuro-anatomy and neurophysiology
Psychology
Psychological processes: motivation, perception, attention, memory.
Theoretical models of cognition, neuropsychology and human information processing.
Cognitive neuropsychology and language.
Individual differences in intelligence, personality and temperament.
Learning theories, play
Sociology
Society and culture, socialisation and roles, cultural diversity.
Physical, psychological and social changes over the lifespan
Experiential learning
Integration of and application of knowledge about typical physical, psychological and social
processes.
Approaches to communication, observation, data-collection, data analysis, and reflection
within Nursery, Primary School and Adult Social Care settings
The philosophies behind the scientific method and the scientist practitioner model and their
application in speech and language therapy and audiology
Investigation of methods used in standardisation of clinical assessments.
Analysis of research articles which contribute to the evidence base for clinical practice.
Ethical considerations in clinical research.
Audit, service evaluation and clinical governance.
Practical data entry and qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis.
16
Professional Practice for Speech and
Language Therapy 1
15
1 &2
Linguistics 2: Clinical Linguistics
15
2
Biological and behavioural sciences for
SLT 2: clinical
15
1&2
Speech and Language Pathology and
Therapy 1
30
2
Within-semester Clinical Placement 1
15
2
Professional and regulatory bodies
Classifications and models of health and wellbeing (including the International Classification
of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Framework), bio-psycho-social and medical models
and their application to SLT practice.
The contexts of SLT service delivery
Local and national NHS, Social Service and Education policies, practices and provision
Client groups and classification
Collection and evaluation of clinical data
Professional documentation: case reports, clinical notes, report writing
Statutory requirements and responsibilities, confidentiality and informed consent.
Clinical practice (block clinic placement)
Advanced practical phonetics production skills
Transcription of pathological speech using the resources of the IPA and the extended IPA
Phonological, syntactical and morphological analysis of disordered language
Foundations of Semantics and Pragmatics for normal and disordered language
Foundations of Conversation Analysis and its clinical application
Foundations of Prosody and Intonation for normal and disordered language
Interprofessional working:
Neurology
Audiology, ENT and maxillofacial surgery
Specific speech sound disorders
Dysfluency
Adult acquired communication disorders due to Stroke and Progressive Neurological
Diseases..
17
Appendix 2.
Postgraduate Diploma in Speech & Language Therapy Year 2
CREDITS
SEMESTER
Linguistics 3: Linguistic Processing and
Variation
15
1
Speech and Language Pathology and
Therapy 2
30
1+2
Professional Practice for SLT 2 (NB this
module contains Summer Block
Placement 2)
30
1+2
Within-semester Clinic Placement 2
Linguistics 4: Advanced Phonetic,
Linguistic and Audiological Research
15
15
1
2
STRAND / MODULE
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
Psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic models of language storage and processing
Accents of English
Theories of sociolinguistic variation
Linguistic theories of bilingualism
Characteristics and function of non-verbal communication
Linguistic nature of sign language
Application of psycholinguistic and neurolinguistic models to clinical cases e.g. aphasia and
stuttering
Language delay, Specific Language Impairment, Pragmatic Language Impairment, Autism
Spectrum Disorder, Dyslexia, Learning disability, Cerebral palsy, Hearing impairment, Visual
Impairment, Alternative Augmentative Communication
Ethical frameworks and decision making
Application and implications of professional standards of conduct, performance and ethics
(HPC and RCSLT)
Cross cultural and cross linguistic practice; working with bilingual clients
Implications of communication disorder for social inclusion, literacy and access to the
curriculum
Promotion of effective strategies for meeting and preventing communication and swallowing
needs through collaborative practice
Active involvement of service-users and carers
Preparation for employment and continuing professional development
Working in multidisciplinary teams: team dynamics; conflict resolution; roles and
boundaries; leadership development.
Application of technology to SLT practice (e.g. IT, tele-medicine, assessment and biofeedback
technology)
Developing and using the evidence base: critical evaluation of professional practice
Reflective practice: theories and models of reflection
Advanced linguistics research methods
Standard qualitative and quantitative software packages for analysis and therapy
Articulatory measurement: EPG, Ultrasound, EMA, Laryngography
Acoustic analysis: source filter theory, waveform, spectrum, spectrogram, f0 tracking,
formant analysis
18
Speech and Language Pathology and
Therapy 3
30
1&2
Within-semester Clinic Placement 3
15
2
Voice analysis: Various parameters (jitter, shimmer, HNR, spectral tilt)
Electrophysiology
Language and Literacy analysis
Cleft lip and palate and other velopharyngeal and craniofacial disorders
Cancer of the larynx and vocal tract
Voice disorder
Dementia, Traumatic Head Injury
Right Hemisphere Damage
Mental Health
All Adult Acquired Disorders of Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (EDS).
19
Appendix 3:
PROTOCOL FOR THE PGDIP YEAR 2 CASE PRESENTATION: Focus on INTERVENTION
The CASE PRESENTATION EXAM (CPE) forms part of the practical assessment in Year 2 (PGDip) SM032
Professional Practice for Speech and Language Professional Practice for Speech and Language Therapy 2
(30 credits). It must be passed independently of the other parts of the practical assessment at that level
i.e. the placement grades.
The CPE is worth 100% of the total credits for the Module: Professional Practice for SLT 2 (SM032 –
30 credits)
Normally the CPE for year 2 (PGDip) the exams normally take place in QM Week 49. In 2014-15 they will
take place in both week 48 (w/c Monday 3 August) and week 49 (w/c 10 August), with a hand-in date of
Monday 27 July. Some placements might finish between Monday 20th and Friday 24 July. In this case the
hand-in date for the written component will be Monday 3 August. NB: PGDip students are reminded that
week 47 is designated for preparation for this exam.
Students will present their cases, individually, in SHS, QMU, to two examiners, one of whom is always a
qualified SLT and one of whom may be a visiting examiner. Visiting examiners are typically senior Speech
and Language Therapists drawn from the QMU SLT placement catchment area. Students will not be
examined by visiting examiners who have hosted them on clinical placements. To facilitate the assessment
moderation process the student and examiners may, on occasion, also be joined by one of the
Programme’s external examiners. The moderation process also requires that the exams themselves are
videotaped to enable the external examiner to review procedure.
The CPE will focus on the student working therapeutically with a client/s and/or their supporter/s2. The
purpose of this exam is to enable the student to demonstrate their ability to discuss and justify:
 the rationale for intervention and the type of intervention chosen

the intervention aims (for the long term, short term and/or the session as appropriate)
 the strategies and techniques employed in delivery
 the evaluation of efficacy and how this informs future case management
 how theory and the research base can inform practice
 how reference to typical functioning can inform case management
The student should therefore be able to make specific reference to the client/s’s profile of communicative
strengths and weaknesses and functional needs during the discussion and to drawn on available research
evidence to support their argument.
Any type of intervention which is appropriate for SLTs to deliver can be appropriate for this purpose,
provided that it allows the student to demonstrate the abilities being assessed, as detailed in this protocol.
This might include tasks based on a published intervention programme, tasks devised/adapted by the
student in response to individual client requirements, diagnostic therapy and/or indirect intervention
which involves the student working directly with the client’s supporter/s. (See illustrative examples of
appropriate case scenarios overleaf and advice on SINGLE CASES AND GROUP WORK below.)
The PGDip student will normally base their presentation on a client/s who they have seen during their
summer block placement at Year 2.
The time allocated for each student’s case presentation exam is ~ 45 minutes.
2
The term ‘supporter’ will be used throughout this protocol to refer to people such as parents, guardians, spouse, partner or
professionals who might properly be involved in working with the client/s.
20
Students will be given written feedback on their performance, normally following the completion of all the
CPEs for their cohort (see feedback sheet following this protocol).
The student should decide on a possible case/s and session for the presentation in consultation with their
SLT Practice Educator (PE).
Single cases and group work
The student can submit material which focuses on therapeutic engagement with individual clients, with
groups (2 or more clients) or with clients and their supporter/s or only with their supporter/s. Where
group activities are being described, the student can choose to focus on one client for whom they had
especial responsibility – in this case it would be appropriate to include a short statement summarising the
parameters of the group (e.g. group selection criteria, group aims) together with a very brief (bullet point)
synopsis of the other clients attending the group. If the student wishes to discuss the group as a whole
then a more detailed account of each group member would be appropriate on the understanding that the
level of detail would be proportionately less than that expected for a single case.
Students on peer placements
It is acceptable for students who are working jointly with groups to present a case/s which has/have been
seen by both students, but examiners do require evidence of independent thought and clinical decision
making. The student being examined should focus on a session where they are leading a therapeutic
activity or have taken primary responsibility for selecting and planning the activity. In such situations the
viva questions will be specifically aimed at the student’s own involvement with the client and each student
will normally be examined by a different pair of examiners.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF CASE SCENARIOS WHICH WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO PRESENT FOR THIS
EXAMINATION
1. Carrying out part of a published intervention programme. (NB: it is appreciated that for many therapy
tasks only part of the task may be completed in the session being highlighted.)
2. Carrying out an intervention adapted or designed by the student in response to individual client needs.
3. Diagnostic therapy. Therapeutic intervention where one of the aims specifically addresses the need to
further explore some aspect or degree of the client/s communicative competence or the client’s
response to a newly introduced therapeutic technique. ‘Real-time’ or ‘post session’ measurement of
the client’s/s performance during therapy is explicitly incorporated into the therapeutic strategy and
used to inform and evaluate future intervention.
4. Indirect therapy. Therapeutic intervention where the actual delivery of intervention is carried out by
supporter/s following training and/or advice given by the therapist. The student is involved in
demonstrating and explaining the aims of the approach being adopted and the recommended
strategies and techniques to be used. The student establishes that the supporter is confident with the
demands of their role and discusses how the effectiveness of this intervention will be established.
5. Group work. See the advice given in the Case Presentation Protocol on Single cases and group work
and Students on peer placements.
6. Training a supporter/s to use AAC equipment with the client/s. This may involve the student in
demonstrating the use of AAC equipment, providing feedback on performance, making suggestions for
use and answering questions arising. The student may wish to provide the examiners with a copy of
any advice sheets they have devised for the session. (See protocol Part 2 for further advice about this.)
NB: If anyone has any concerns about the suitability of a particular CASE please contact the Clinical
Director, Dr Jocelynne Watson
21
DETAILS OF THE CASE PRESENTATION
The exam is designed to ensure that the candidate can communicate effectively in written and spoken
modalities and in response to questioning. The assessment comprises 3 parts - shown below, together
with the timetable and proportion of marks available for each part. (Further details of the requirements
and assessment objectives for each of these parts are given on the following pages.)
1
Component
Written information on the client
2
Oral presentation
Timing
Hand-in normally at least 5 working days
before exam
15 minutes
Marks
30
30
5 MINUTE INTERVAL
3
Viva
20 minutes
40
EXAMINER CONSULTATION
Students will be notified of the exact hand-in deadline by e-mail.
Examiners will require students to demonstrate:
1. knowledge and understanding of the purpose and process of intervention
2. accurate analysis and presentation of data available about the client/s
3. effective interpretation and integration of information to make an holistic evaluation of the client
4. ability to report their intervention and evaluation of its effectiveness both verbally and in writing
Students should expect to discuss any aspect of the client’s overall communicative functioning and the
implications of this evaluation for current and future management.
NB Students are reminded that confidentiality must be maintained IN ALL SUPPORTING INFORMATION
(written or electronic form) by removing all information that could itself or cumulatively lead to the
identification of the client or other professionals or people mentioned in the written documentation and
oral presentation. Pseudonyms or pseudo-initials should be used and clearly noted as such. Breach of these
conditions will result in the material being returned to the student for appropriate modification before
sitting the examination. In these circumstances the student can only receive a maximum of 40% for the
examination although feedback will be given as to the actual mark which the examination performance
would have attracted had the confidentiality conditions not been breached.
Part 1 Written Information on the Client/s
NB the total not to exceed 6 sides of A4 paper
(except for the reference list which can be appended).
The student should hand-in 2 hard copies of this written information to the School Office using the normal
procedure. Students will be advised about the exact details of deadlines nearer the time of the exam. The
students should also e-mail a copy by the same deadline to the Drop-in box which the School Office will set
up.
This written information should contain:
1. Brief administrative details.
2. A brief summary of the information available about the client/s from case notes and other appropriate
sources prior to the student’s involvement with the case. This will include a social and medical history.
22
3. A summary of the student’s own clinic notes over the whole period of working with the client/s. These
notes should include:
 a holistic profile of the client’s communicative strengths and weakness based on a summary of
findings from tests, analyses, other investigations and interviews the student has carried out during
the whole of their involvement with this case.
 A statement outlining the motivation for the intervention carried out during the session.
 A written plan of the complete session you are highlighting in which therapeutic intervention was
involved. (NB this is not to exceed 2 pages of the 6 pages allowed). It will include therapy aims,
therapeutic techniques/methods of intervention employed (eg could be consultative), potential for
real-time flexibility, measures of effectiveness.
4. A summary evaluating the outcome of the session, evaluation and implications for the future
management of the case.
5. A summary of and critique of the value of (a) the research evidence base and (b) comparison with
typical functioning, in managing this case.
NB: Students are reminded that while they can choose to present some of this information in the form of
an appendix, the whole of the written material to be considered by the examiners must not exceed 6 sides
of A4 paper + reference list.
Assessment Objectives – Written information on the client/s
The student provides a clear and succinct account of the case/cases to feature in the presentation
using an easily accessible layout.
This is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate that they can:
 report the results of any pertinent assessment in an accurate and useful manner.
 draw inferences from all available information to establish a comprehensive picture of the client’s
communicative abilities and needs.
 use these inferences to inform management: therapy aims, strategies (to include explanation,
demonstration, graded feedback and evaluation of effectiveness).
 provide a clear resumé of the plan for the session, making explicit links between therapy goals and
evaluation.
 evaluate the client’s performance in relation to typical expectations and critically review the
relevance of such a comparison for the individual case. (NB the ‘client’s performance’ as a whole
i.e. beyond the session can be considered here)
 access appropriate literature to support their management of the case and critically evaluate its
value
Part 2
Oral presentation (this must be PowerPoint)
15 minutes
The exam itself starts with the student providing each examiner with a hard copy of their presentation.
They then introduce the case to the examiners and evaluate the session by providing:
1. a clear, orderly and concise summary of the most relevant aspects of the case, highlighting key
assessment findings and features of the management of the client to date, referring to a relevant
literature.
2. a brief explanation (description and rationale) of the session you are featuring.
3. an evaluation of the session, in terms of the extent to which the aims for the session were fulfilled and
the students own performance in the session.
23
4. a reasoned indication of what future management action they would recommend. This is expected to
include reflection on issues of case prioritisation and possible involvement of other professionals.
5. a reflection on the identification of future personal continuing professional development goals arising
from involvement with this case.
6. a referenced plan of how these goals are to be met.
Assessment Objectives – Oral presentation
The student uses an oral presentation to explain the purpose and outcome of the therapy session
featured.
This is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate that they can:
 appreciate how assessment evidence can be summarised in a diagnostic statement.
 highlight the salient features of the case/s.
 critically judge the extent to which a holistic evaluation has been achieved with this client.
 appreciate the relevance of theory to case management.
 make inferences about the likely future needs of the client including within the context of
service delivery.
 derive appropriate personal continual professional development goals and devise appropriate
strategies to fulfil these goals.
NB Where the session has included material which is not commercially available, the student is encouraged
to bring the material to show the examiners. It should be placed on the table in front of the examiners just
before the oral presentation begins.
This material will not count towards the 6 sides of A4 which de-limit the material submitted in Part 1 of
this examination.
An interval of 5 minutes, where the student withdraws, will take place between Part 2 and Part 3 of this exam. This is
to allow examiners to confer before the Viva takes place. Will students please ensure that they are in the waiting
room at the end of this 5 minutes so that an examiner can invite them to the discussion.
Part 3
Viva – Discussion with the examiners
20 minutes
NB Students are able to bring unannotated copies of the written component of this exam and their oral
presentation to the Viva and refer to it during questioning. They are not able to refer to any other
documentation.
Assessment Objectives – Viva
The student should expect to respond to questions put by the examiners about any aspects of the
presented case relevant to Speech and Language Therapy involvement. Students can expect to be
asked to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the clients’ overall communicative
functioning, including functioning within the social context, an appreciation of issues to be
considered when deciding on future management goals and their own continuing professional
development.
24
This is an opportunity for the student to demonstrate that to support their discussion points they
can:
 draw on all relevant aspects of theory, including linguistics, phonetics, psychology, sociology
and bio-medical sciences and that they are in command of appropriate terminology.
 make critical reference to relevant literature, including efficacy research literature, to support
their arguments.
 critically evaluate intervention techniques used in the light of relevant scientific principles and
theoretical frameworks.
Following the viva, the student will leave the room.
The examiners will give the copy of the completed feedback form to the Programme Administrator. The
student will normally get a copy of this form once all the examinations for the cohort have been
completed. Students must bear in mind that this result must be considered by the next examination board
before it is ratified.
End of protocol
A sample feedback sheet is shown on the following page.
25
QMU SPEECH & HEARING SCIENCES
CASE PRESENTATION FEEDBACK FORM
Exam: (please tick  )
BSc3 Assessment
BSc4 Therapy
PG Therapy
Name of Student
Date of Examination
Written Information (30 marks)
Oral Presentation (30 marks)
Discussion with examiners (40 marks)
Written Information
Oral Presentation
Discussion with examiners
Agreed total mark
/30 marks
/30 marks
/40 marks
/100 marks*
Examiners' signatures
Date
*NB: these marks are part of formative feedback. The student will be credited with pass/fail as appropriate
QMU
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Summer Block Placement
Placement Summary
Requirements

17 days of placement (which may include 2 days for reflection / preparation /
completion of portfolio activity – pages 6 - 9)

Initial orientation to the placement

Student to complete 1 portfolio activity and receive verbal feedback from the PE (see
pages 6 - 9). * Please facilitate the compulsory portfolio activity – an initial interview
(page 6 ) if this has not already completed by student.

Final-day review of student’s performance (see page 12)
 Formative feedback sheet completed including suggestions for future learning goals
 Meeting to discuss comments

Copy Formative Feedback Sheet (in case of loss) and post original to:
Gill Glover
School Office – School of Health Sciences
Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Queen Margaret University Drive
Musselburgh
Scotland
EH21 6UU
Alternatively an electronic copy can be emailed to SLTSummerPlacements@qmu.ac.uk
Thank-you