By: Meghan Buchanan, MA, CCC-SLP

Within public schools, the number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students continues to rise, with more than 400 languages reported in U.S. schools (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). As of 2021, students speaking a language other than English comprised slightly more than 20% of students enrolled in Texas schools (Center for Educational Statistics, 2024). Spanish is the most commonly spoken language, followed by smaller numbers in Vietnamese and Arabic (Texas Education Agency, 2024). While typically referred to as “bilingual” as a homogenous group, the reality is these students present within various stages of language acquisition and/or loss, with potentially shifting language dominance and with a variety of cultural experiences that create an unending amount of potential for cultural heterogeneity (Cesar & Kohler, 2007).

As members of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), one of our commitments is to lifelong learning, and within this falls the notion of cultural responsiveness. Cultural responsiveness encompasses several viewpoints; ASHA uses the broad term “responsiveness” to encompass competence and humility as well. Newer literature also has introduced the term “cultural competemility,” which is an even broader term to discuss the interrelationships of cultural awareness, knowledge, skill, desire, and encounters to allow “a meaningful connection with each patient as a unique individual, with diverse perspectives, culture, and lifestyles” (Stubbe, 2020). It is improbable to expect the practicing clinician to have an all-encompassing knowledge of all global languages and cultures; it is reasonable to be conscious of knowledge-base limitations, know where resources are to fill in knowledge gaps, and be cognizant that these may lead to unconscious biases.

There are many sources available to assist practitioners in building cultural competence and awareness. Mentoring and collaboration among SLPs and other professionals can be helpful by providing an environment for self-reflection, brainstorming, and sharing of ideas and experiences (Cornish & White, 2016). ASHA provides multiple resources on working with interpreters/translators, who also can serve as cultural/linguistic brokers. Cultural/linguistic brokers can provide valuable insights into community norms and social routines that better inform the use of evaluation and therapy strategies. Static sources of information can provide background information; cultural/linguistic brokers can provide real-life application of this information. ASHA also provides check-ins to continue self-reflection for personal viewpoints as well as practice check-ins to continue developing potential areas of bias (ASHA, n.d.).

Working with culturally diverse populations continues to become more of a typical experience across the professions and across settings. The first step toward becoming better care providers is to acknowledge and actively work toward improving cultural responsiveness. It is improbable that each provider can absorb all the knowledge necessary to serve each individual; what is possible is to view this as an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning and self-reflection, both within and by modeling these values to other professionals across settings.

References

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Collaborating with Interpreters, Transliterators, and Translators. (Practice Portal). Retrieved 08/20/2024, from www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Professional-Issues/Collaborating-With-Interpreters/

Bialik, K., Scheller, A., & Walker, K. (2018, October 25). 6 Facts about English Language Learners in U.S. Public Schools. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/10/25/6-facts-about-english-language-learners-in-u-s-public-schools/#:~:text=While%20these%20are%20among%20the,large%20pockets%20in%20certain%20states.

Cesar, L.G., & Kohler, P.D. (2007). The State of School-Based Bilingual Assessment: Actual Practice Versus Recommended Guidelines. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 38(3), 190-200. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461(2007/020)

Cornish, N., & White, M. (2016). Cultural Proficiency: Supporting the Development of Cultural Competence in Mentoring Relationships. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Group SIG 14, 1(3), 104-115. https://doi.org/10.1044/persp1.SIG14.104

National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). English Learners in Public Schools. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 08/20/2024, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgf.

Stubbe D. E. (2020). Practicing Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility in the Care of Diverse Patients. Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), 18(1), 49–51. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.focus.20190041

Texas Education Agency. (2024). Emergent Bilingual/English Learner Student Reports by Home Language and Grade. https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/adhocrpt/adleplg.html