Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties
A personal reflection
Another facet of social justice
In a recent meeting with Rosie Martin from
Speech Pathology Tasmania http://spt.com.au/http://spt.com.au/ my attention was drawn to the
strong impact of speech, language and communication difficulties (SLC) upon those
who find themselves mired in the youth justice system. This is set out in Back
on Track: Speech Pathology in Youth (Justice) Custodial Education (SPyce)
Project Report 2013 http://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/library/SPyce_Report_FINAL_lores.pdf
Despite my own background (see below) the
impact and dimension of SLC on many people and their encounters with the legal
system was largely an issue I gave little attention to. Given the high level of
SLC skills demanded for a legal education and a profession in law (or related
fields) it is not surprising that the difficulties associated with poor SCL
skills are largely invisible or heavily discounted by lawyers and law reformers.
At best efforts to use plain language, avoidance of jargon in conversation and
the occasional referral to literacy help programs is seen as sufficient.
Law students with SLC difficulties (or ones
like me with ad hoc coping mechanisms) are highly likely to stumble at several
potential hurdles and rarely find themselves with law degrees. If graduating
they feel like imposters and rarely confide in anyone about the struggles
or share their stories.
Whilst I started with severe SLC problems I
was able to avoid being towed under. I found a few coping mechanisms, a way
around the major problems (via reading literacy) and worked hard and constantly
on ways to cope in a job that demands high performance of SCL skills.
It was interesting to talk with Rosie about my
history and have her provide a speech pathology and SLC analysis of what I had
encountered, what I still struggle with and why some of the things I had done
had worked (and others failed) and why access to the Queenstown Central Primary
School library in Grade 3 had made such an important difference for me.
In my online memoirs I have mentioned the
difficulties I encountered (and to a degree still encounter) with my speech
when young http://leavesfromyypast.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/part-2-riding-winds-of-reflection.html
My speech impediment
“My speech difficulties started earlier and lasted longer than I
originally remembered. When we were living in country Victoria,
neighbours remarked how chatty a little boy I was but they were unsure of my
nationality as they couldn’t make out the words I was saying. Mum and others
close to me could understand, with some effort, but strangers were left with the
distinct impression I was from another country. The problem was a combination
of speed, a struggle to form understandable syllables and difficulties with
‘th’ etc sounds. The end product was not the stuttering found in The King’s
Speech but the same crippling level of anxiety, frustration and social
isolation – without the castles, servants and money to soften the adversity.
It seems I had started kindergarten while living in St Kilda and my
speech problems continued both, at East Launceston Primary School and to a
lesser extent in the early months of our move to Queenstown. Mum recalled
constant hours spent helping me to try and pronounce words under the guidance
of the speech therapists. I recalled none of this. However 3 to 4 years
of struggling to communicate must have been frustrating to family, teachers and
myself. As I write this I have vague recall of spending my play and lunch times
at school in East Launceston on my own, isolated and often fearing having to
ask questions in class. The move to Queenstown seemed to trigger a major
communications breakthrough.”
In talking to Rosie I related a particular instance that epitomised the
isolation, frustration and spirit breaking impact of SCL difficulties. My
teacher in Grade 2 at East Launceston had a name like Swain, Train, Twain etc
(you can see the difficulties a tongued tied kid would have with this name)
before you could be excused from class you had to raise your hand and ask “Mrs Txxxx…… can )”In one encounter I had to stand and continually try
and pronounce it right (simple really – the teacher states her name, you repeat
- how easy) not only did that end in tears but also wet pants. The family’s move to Queenstown could not have been better timed.
