Analysis, Conclusions, & Implications
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
"It is...a serious drawback to me in writing, and still more in explaining myself, that I do not so easily think in words as otherwise...I therefore waste a vast deal of time in seeking for appropriate words and phrases, and am conscious, when required to speak on a sudden, of being very obscure through mere verbal maladroitness, and not through want of clear perception. That is one of the small annoyances of my life."
Francis Galton, as quoted in Thomas G. West, In the Mind's Eye (Levine, 2002)
There has been at least one time in every person's life, when they knew what they wanted to say, but couldn't find the precise words to say it. It can be considered a frustrating experience. Many students with language disorders have the language skills to carry-on a conversation with a peer or an adult, yet they have difficulty expressing their thoughts and ideas to understand, be understood, and learn in the academic setting. They're frustration extends beyond a single moment, to an obstacle that they must overcome daily.
My name is Joanne Boucher and I am a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), servicing children grades preschool through fifth in a public elementary school in the southeastern part of Massachusetts. Before I started my career as a SLP, I completed my undergraduate studies at Bridgewater State College where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with a concentration in Motor Development Therapy and a minor in Psychology. Upon completing this program, I worked in a small rehabilitation center with many talented SLPs. I envisioned that once I became a SLP, I would play with preschool-aged children, helping them progress in sound and language development, and work with school-aged children on articulation, grammar, and sentence construction. It was going to be easy and fun (the SLPs I worked with made it seem that way)!!!! Then I started my career.
While working with school-aged children, especially in the upper grades, I discovered that many of them excelled at completing the drill-based tasks that taught the form and structure of language and they could also apply some of these skills during retelling tasks given instruction and support. Proudly, I would tell their teachers about all the new skills they had learned. The typical responses I received were "Billy is failing his weekly reading comprehension tests" or "Hiliary's writing is horrendous". None of the skills I had taught or observed impacted the students' academic performance.
After repeatedly returning back to my work space feeling defeated, I decided to enroll in the CAGS Reading program at Bridgewater State College. My goal was to understand how to successfully use my knowledge of language to help children acquire the skills to become successful readers, writers, and communicators. The CAGS experience has helped expand my knowledge of language and literacy as well as the challenges presented to children with language disorders and their teachers.
In the future I would like to further my education in the area of language-based reading disabilities. However, right now I plan on continuing my work in the public school setting while spending time with my five-year old twins who are starting kindergarten and my husband, Tim.
To truly understand my purpose and goals for teaching children with speech, language, and literacy disabilities, I have created a vision of literacy.
