SPA 6410: Adult Language Disorders, Fall 2007
University of Florida
Instructor: Lisa A. Edmonds, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Office: 351 Dauer Hall
Phone Contact: 352.392.2113 ext. 250
Email Contact: edmonds@ufl.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday period 4; Thursday period 5
and by appointment
Class Meeting Time: Thursday periods 2-4 (8:30am – 11:30 am)
Class Location: TUR 2353
REQUIRED MATERIALS
 Murray, L. & Clark, H.M. (2006). Neurogenic Language Disorders. Thompson Delmar:
Clifton Park, NY.
 Lecture notes posted on WebCT
 Articles/chapters on reserve at the library
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
 Chapey, R. (Ed.) Language intervention strategies in aphasia and related neurogenic
communication disorders (Fourth Ed.). Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2001.
 Hartley, L.L. (1995). Cognitive-communication abilities following traumatic brain injury.
San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing.
 Myers, P. (1998). Right hemisphere damage: Disorders of cognition and communication.
San Diego, CA: Singular Publishing.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to provide requisite information related to understanding,
assessing and treating acquired adult cognitive and language disorders associated with left and
right hemisphere lesions, traumatic brain injury, and dementia. We will explore adult language
disorders from neurological, theoretical and clinical perspectives.
Students will learn through assigned reading, lectures and class projects. Clinical case
presentations, including case history, neurological exam results, behavioral symptoms, and
lesion information will be used to explore clinically relevant issues and to develop basic
differential diagnosis skills. Students will be required to use theoretical models and findings from
treatment research to develop treatment protocols for specific clinical cases provided to them by
the instructor.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to:
 Demonstrate knowledge of the anatomical and physiological bases of language.
 Demonstrate knowledge of the vascular supply and consequences of cerebral vascular
events.
 Describe acquired language disorders due to left and right hemisphere lesions,
including:
 Etiology
 Lesion site
 Neurological symptoms
 Speech/language/cognitive symptoms
 Demonstrate basic knowledge of the principles of neuroplasticity.
 Demonstrate knowledge of language and cognition assessment procedures and
differential diagnosis.
 Demonstrate knowledge of language and cognition tests, including:
 Administration procedures
 Scoring and interpreting results
 Intended populations
 Validity, reliability, cultural appropriateness, etc.
 Demonstrate knowledge of theoretical models (e.g., psycholinguistic, cognitive
neuropsychological) of language, including bilingual models of language.
 Demonstrate competence in interpreting treatment literature.
 Demonstrate competence in developing appropriate, theoretically sound treatment
paradigms based on diagnostic information.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
 Students are expected to:
O attend class regularly and participate in class discussions and activities
O complete all assigned readings before class
O print out and bringing class lecture notes to class
O be responsible for material in lecture notes, reading assignments, and class
discussions
EVALUATION AND GRADING
Summary
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Assessment inservice presentation
Review of treatment article
Therapy poster
Final exam
125 points
100 points
75 points
25 points
75 points
100 points
500 points
Your final course grade will be based on the final average for exams and projects. Grades will
be assigned as follows:
A = 90% - 100%
B+ = 87%-89%
B = 80% - 86%
C+ = 77%-79%
C = 70% - 76%
D+ = 67%-69%
D = 60% - 66%
E = < 60%
Missing exams
You are expected to attend and participate in class. If you must miss an exam due to illness or
emergency, you must contact the instructor beforehand in order to obtain an excused absence
for that exam. Unexcused absences for an examination will be graded as a “0.” No make-ups
will be given for exams or quizzes without prior permission by the instructor. No extra time for
exams will be given for students arriving late to class.
EXPLANATIONS OF PROJECTS
Assessment inservice presentation: The purpose of this presentation is to increase your
knowledge of a specific linguistic or cognitive disorder and the assessment of that disorder. You
will also gain experience putting together a presentation and materials suitable for an inservice,
something that health professionals are often asked to give to other health professional. More
detailed instructions will be provided this semester, but essentially you will:
 Describe the characteristics, demographics, incidence, risk factors etc. of the disorder.
 Detail appropriate assessment materials for that disorder including differential diagnosis
information, as needed.
 Discuss potential assessment problems, whether they concern the materials themselves
(e.g., lack of standardized material) or the population (difficulty engaging someone with
RHD).
The manner of presentation will include:
 Organized, concise, PowerPoint presentation (15 min.) with minimal written information
(each person in the group will speak)
 Comprehensive handouts for the class to include information presented in the
presentation (not the slides themselves) as well as a list of reference material (e.g.,
websites, books, articles, etc.) to assist them in possible assessment of someone with
this disorder.
Grading for this project will include a group grade (25 points) as well as an individual grade. The
group will be graded on the organization, cohesiveness, flow, logic of the presentation as well
as the cohesiveness, organization, logic, presentation and overall content of the handout.
The individual grade will be determined by individual work done on the presentation and
handout. Who-did-what information must be provided at the time of the presentation.
Review of treatment article: The purpose of this review is to allow you to evaluate critically a
treatment study for any adult cognitive-linguistic disorder. You must provide a copy of the article
by 11/1 to the instructor for approval. Case studies are not prohibited, but they are discouraged
if there is a more experimentally controlled study (e.g., single subject, group design) available
that examines the same treatment approach. You may not use published abstracts (2-3 pages).
The review must contain:
 A brief review of the participants, theoretical rationale, treatment protocol, results and
conclusions.
 Answers to questions in Fig. 8-2 regarding the article.
 Attention to writing, supporting your argument, organization, clarity of thought.
 Enough pages to complete the project adequately (i.e., no page length requirement).
Places to find articles include but are not limited to:
http://www.u.arizona.edu/~pelagie/ancds/index.html
http://cnet.shs.arizona.edu/research/6pub.html
Database search (see Table 8-1 for list of possible databases).
Therapy poster: The purpose of the therapy poster is to allow you an opportunity to dig into the
treatment literature and critically analyze specific articles. Additionally, you will gain experience
developing and presenting a poster, a common method of presenting academic or research
information. The poster should have minimal text and should rely more on figures, graphs, etc.
to illustrate your point and support your conclusions. You will also turn in a 2-page addendum to
the poster to add any information you feel is pertinent to developing your ideas. That addendum
cannot be used during your presentation, but its content will be considered for your grade.
You will present the poster to the instructor and to other students and will be graded on the
content, organization, and presentation, including answering questions.
There are two options as to how you can approach this project:
1) Critically analyze a specific treatment approach (e.g., semantic feature analysis),
including 1) the pros and cons of it as a treatment approach, 2) the appropriateness of
the populations it’s been used with, 3) suggestions for innovations of, modifications to
the treatment. This can include (with supporting evidence): a) other target populations,
b) modifications to the protocol, c) ideas for combining with other approach, d)
suggestions for better outcome measures, etc. Part 3 should be the bulk of the poster.
2) Choose a population different from the one described by a treatment approach (e.g.,
RHD instead of Wernicke’s aphasia) and detail why and how you would use that
treatment approach in another population and what outcome measures you would use.
Your rationale and examples must be specific. You may adapt the treatment, as
necessary.
ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY
Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Students suspected of violating the
University’s policies on academic honesty will be dealt with in accordance with procedures
outlined by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. If you have not done so already, please
familiarize yourself with the University's policy on academic dishonesty.
Cheating. The improper taking or tendering of any information or material, which shall be used
to determine academic credit. Taking of information includes, but is not limited to, copying
graded homework assignments from another student; working together with another
individual(s) on a take-home test or homework when not specifically permitted by the teacher;
looking or attempting to look at another student's paper during an examination; looking or
attempting to look at text or notes during an examination when not permitted. Tendering of
information includes, but is not limited to, giving your work to another student to be used or
copied; giving someone answers to exam questions either when the exam is being given or
after taking an exam; giving or selling a term paper or other written materials to another student;
sharing information on a graded assignment.
Plagiarism. The attempt to represent the work of another as the product of one's own thought,
whether the other's work is published or unpublished, or simply the work of a fellow student.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, quoting oral or written materials without citation on an
exam, term paper, homework, or other written materials or oral presentations for an academic
requirement; submitting a paper which was purchased from a term paper service as your own
work; submitting anyone else's paper as your own work.
Bribery. The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting any materials, items or services of value to
gain academic advantage for yourself or another.
Misrepresentation. Any act or omission with intent to deceive a teacher for academic
advantage. Misrepresentation includes using computer programs generated by another and
handing it in as your own work unless expressly allowed by the teacher; lying to a teacher to
increase your grade; lying or misrepresenting facts when confronted with an allegation of
academic honesty.
Conspiracy. The planning or acting with one or more persons to commit any form of academic
dishonesty.
Fabrication. The use of invented or fabricated information, or the falsification of research or
other findings with the intent to deceive for academic or professional advantage.
SPECIAL NEEDS AND COUNSELING SERVICES
The University of Florida, under the guidelines of ADA and 504 federal legislation, is required to
make reasonable accommodations to the known physical and mental limitations of otherwise
qualified individuals with disabilities.
To help provide the best possible service to students, staff, faculty and visitors, the University of
Florida has an Americans with Disabilities Act Office with a coordinator responsible for access
for persons with disabilities. The ADA coordinator assists anyone with questions about access.
See http://www.ada.ufl.edu/office/ada.htm for more information
Other resources:
 Campus Alcohol and Drug Resource Center (302 Student Health Center, 3921161, ext. 4281).

University Counseling Center (301 Peabody Hall, 392-1575)

Student Mental Health Services (245 Student Health Center, 392-1171).
SEMESTER SCHEDULE
Date
Topic






Introduction to class and each other
Normal aging video
Introduction: Models and Concepts
Blood supply and stroke
Aphasias
RHD
9/13

Tumor . . . dementia
9/20


9/27


Exam #1
Discuss assessment project, sign up
in groups
General model of assessment
Assessment of linguistic disorders
10/4

8/23
8/30
9/6



Description of and assessment of
neurodegenerative language
disorders
Assessment of cognitive disorders
Exam #2
Assessment of activity and
participation and quality of life
 Evidence-based practice
 Assessment Inservice
10/18
presentations
11/1
 Remediation of function: Behavioral
 Deadline for approval of tx article
11/8
 Remediation of activity and
participation

ASHA – No class
11/15
 Review of tx article due
 THANKSGIVING – No class
11/22
11/29
 Therapy posters
Final exam – Take home – Date TBA
*On library reserve.
10/11
Readings* and
other sources
of information
Video on
normal aging
Ch. 1, 3
Lecture 1, 2
Ch 2, 3
Lecture 3, 4
*Hillis, 2007
Lecture 5
n/a
Ch. 4, 5
Lecture 6, 7
Bilingual
aphasia
reading
Hillis, 2007
Yvonne’s
lecture
material
*Myers chapter
Ch. 6
Lecture 8
Ch. 7, 8
Lecture 9, 10
Chapter 9
Ch. 9
Lecture 11
Ch. 11
Lecture 12
n/a
Assignments and
class activities
Processing linguistic
model
Aphasia video
Tumor video
Discuss exam
Assessment project
discussion
Psychometrics of
common tests
Guest lecture:
Yvonne Rogalski