Response to the first critical question

Thus far, the data analysis, namely the narrative analysis, revealed examination of the key factors emanating from the data, which allowed further abstraction in the subsequent chapter (Chapter Seven). This brings me to the response to the first critical question of the study:

What is the nature of communicative competence that is taught and learnt during the initial professional education of speech-language therapists (SLTs)? (the world of academe)

With respect to question one, the study has revealed that there exist many formal and informal communication strategies that are taught and learnt during the initial professional education during theory modules (see section 6.4.1) but more especially during clinical on-site practicum. Although communication strategies are not taught as part of the formal curriculum, we have learnt that learning opportunities are embedded within clinical engagement. The focus of the undergraduate curriculum is mainly disorder-focussed, which means that the adaptation of communication strategies needed is discussed in relation to a specific disorder and as the opportunity presents itself. The unanimous sentiments expressed by participants were that their initial professional education was considered to be a safe space of certainty. They were comforted during their initial professional education as their academic performance

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and grades depended on their abilities to perform during clinical sessions. They were comforted that they had their lecturers and clinical supervisors available to seek guidance and answers. For many of the participants, guidance and answers were not available in the world of work as there was often only a single SLT in an institution. There appeared to be a disjuncture between the world of academe and the world of work, where the world of work was seen as unpredictable, uncertain and difficult to negotiate.

Participants expressed, however, that in retrospect, they wished that they were given more autonomy as students to solve problems for themselves and make ‘mistakes’ knowing that they had the safety net of the clinical supervisors’ guidance. However, the assessment criteria cautioned them as they did not want to veer onto new and uncertain terrain out of fear that their grades would be negatively affected. The participants acquired specific types of learning during their initial professional education, such as social and personal communication with their clients (from different cultural, age and linguistic backgrounds), academic communication (in terms of how to translate what was written in the textbooks to communication in everyday clinical engagement), and therapeutic communication (in terms of how to look out for the clinical signs with regard to the clients’ level of understanding, pain levels, attention levels and comfort levels).

During the current research, there were calls from participants for CPD initiatives to focus on communication strategies.

6.10 Chapter synthesis

The current chapter outlined the categorisation of the key factors that were identified. Cross-case comparisons was the method used. This method highlighted the range of communication issues and strategies that SLTs have to negotiate in their respective contexts. Initial findings from this level of analysis showed that there seemed to be a disjuncture between the emotive aspect of therapy and the operational and policy- driven aspects. The varied categories, however, cannot be seen in isolation as they were often integrated in the analysis and in the reporting of results. This cross-case analysis was worthwhile in revealing the anticipated multiplicity of researching communication strategies of SLTs. There is wider and better insight into the phenomenon, and in Chapter Seven, these findings are considered in depth.

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The participants were able to use their present experiences to discuss their experiences of their undergraduate education and provide their alma mater with operational and pedagogical suggestions for future students. The second section of the current chapter turned to the discussion of the response to critical research question one. In Chapter Seven, I move to further levels of abstraction in the discussion of

the

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CHAPTER SEVEN: Recurring themes and outliers 7.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the thematic analysis of the narrative data, which builds on from the cross-case comparisons that were discussed in Chapter Six. The themes were derived through a process of identifying, analysing and reporting patterns within the narrative data (Thomas & Harden, 2008). This level of data analysis followed on from the cross-case comparisons of the data sets. I used an inductive approach as I did not focus on the a priori categories from the literature review. The themes were based on my interpretation of the data as I initially produced the transcripts that were sent for member checking. I then transcribed the narratives and invited the participants to conduct a (factual) member check of them. I coded the narratives and extracted factors that influenced the negotiation of communication strategies of SLTs during clinical engagement. Further abstraction of the data allowed me to identify the themes. As a layer of the validation process, I presented the findings to my peers in the Higher Education PhD cohort programme at UKZN and invited their comments. There were concerns around how the narratives linked back to the raw data. Verbatim quotes from the participants as well as a process of member checking were used to facilitate this. A search for the ‘atypical’ cases (outliers) in this study involved searching for and discussing elements of the data that did not support or appeared to contradict the patterns or explanations that emerged from the data analysis to establish further credibility of the analysis. The narratives of Zandi and Mbali were identified as the atypical cases and were used to cross-check and validate the data analysis process (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Later in the chapter (see 7.4), I will explain why these narratives were considered the atypical cases.