Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Oct 13;70(1):e1-e14.
doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v70i1.991.

Influence of social inclusion and institutional culture on students' interactions in clinical settings

Katijah Khoza-Shangase  1 , Margo Kalenga
Affiliations

Influence of social inclusion and institutional culture on students' interactions in clinical settings

Katijah Khoza-Shangase et al. S Afr J Commun Disord. .

Abstract

Background: Decolonisation of the Speech-Language and Hearing (SLH) professions in South Africa to be Afrocentric is a current focus. These professions continue to hold white Eurocentric English and/or Afrikaans knowledges and practices, which are reflective of the minority. As diversity of students in higher education increases, the obvious incongruency between the language of learning and teaching (English) and institutional culture of the programmes and students who use English as an Additional Language (EAL) becomes heightened.

Objectives: The study's aim was to explore the learning and social experiences of EAL undergraduate students in a South African SLH training programme, with a specific focus on students' experiences in patient, clinical supervisor and peer interactions in clinical situations.

Method: A total of 24 participants recruited through purposive sampling were included in this cross-sectional mixed-method online survey design study. Data from the survey were analysed through descriptive and thematic analysis approaches.

Results: Findings reveal a less than positive impression of EAL students in the current SLH training programme as far as their clinical experiences were concerned. The institutional culture of the SLH programme was reported to be disadvantageous to EAL students. These findings raise important implications for SLH training programmes, the regulator and the country's SLH professions as a whole.

Conclusion: This study sheds light on the significant incongruency between the existing institutional culture and the increasing diversity of students, particularly those who use EAL, in South African SLH training programmes.Contribution: Findings not only illuminate the challenges but also offer a path forward towards a more inclusive and representative SLH profession in South Africa, aligned with the principles of decolonization and Afrocentrism.

Keywords: Afrocentric; English as an Additional Language; South Africa; clinical supervisors; clinical training; students; undergraduate.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared that they have no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Demographic profile of participants.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Clinical experiences of English as an Additional Language students in a Speech-Language and Hearing programme (n = 24).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Abrahams, F. (2021). Transformation in Speech-Language and Hearing professions in South Africa: Undergraduate students’ perceptions and experiences explored. Unpublished Master’s dissertation, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
    1. Al-Jaro, M.S., Asmawi, A., & Khaleel Mohammed Abdul-Ghafour, A.Q. (2020). Supervisory support received by EFL student teachers during Practicum: The missing link. International Journal of Language and Literary Studies, 2(4), 22–41. 10.36892/ijlls.v2i4.437 - DOI
    1. Almurideef, R. (2016). The challenges that international students face when integrating into higher education in the United States. Theses and Dissertations (p. 2336). Retrieved from https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/2336
    1. Archbell, K.A., & Coplan, R.J. (2021). Too anxious to talk: Social anxiety, academic communication, and students’ experiences in higher education. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 30(4), 273–286. 10.1177/10634266211060079 - DOI
    1. Attrill, S., Lincoln, M., & McAllister, S. (2015). International students in speech-language pathology clinical education placements: Perceptions of experience and competency development. International Journal of Speech-language Pathology, 17(3), 314–324. 10.3109/17549507.2015.1016109 - DOI - PubMed