Ask me anything about Speech and Language Therapy!
Hi everyone!
I'm Ellen and I am just about to enter my 4th year of Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Reading. If you've got any questions about life at University, Speech and Language Therapy, the degree or academic university questions then please feel free to ask away!!
I will come back and check the thread on Tuesday and Saturday.
Ellen
Student Ambassador
I'm Ellen and I am just about to enter my 4th year of Speech and Language Therapy at the University of Reading. If you've got any questions about life at University, Speech and Language Therapy, the degree or academic university questions then please feel free to ask away!!
I will come back and check the thread on Tuesday and Saturday.
Ellen
Student Ambassador
Hi Ellen! I am thinking to apply for MSc speech and language (pre-reg) for 2021. However, I have been struggling to find relevant experiences (especially with adults) due to the pandemic. Do you have any suggestions on where should we find relevant experiences for the speech and language programme? Thanks!
Hi Ellen,
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
Original post by nanana8
Hi Ellen! I am thinking to apply for MSc speech and language (pre-reg) for 2021. However, I have been struggling to find relevant experiences (especially with adults) due to the pandemic. Do you have any suggestions on where should we find relevant experiences for the speech and language programme? Thanks!
Hi,
Great to hear you are thinking of applying! It is completely understandable that finding experience may be trickier at the moment, and I know the admissions team are definitely taking this into account. In terms of gaining adult experience, I would look at the Stroke Association, they may have some remote/virtual volunteering opportunities or phoning scheme of some sort. Perhaps try Age UK too.
It is most important that you are able to show your knowledge of speech and language therapy, reading relevant books or watching relevant documentaries, make some notes of observations you make of individuals with communication difficulties.
Hope this is helpful,
Ellen
Student Ambassador
Some great books to have a read of which may help to provide a deeper insight into Speech and Language Therapy are..
- Listen to your child, by David Crystal; this book explains a lot about children's language development and how parents can best support them, which is equally useful for a clinician.
- The Dividing Bell and The Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique Bauby; these give an insight into a man who has locked-in syndrome and communicates using eye-gaze.
- Elizabeth is Missing is also a great book which provides a deeper insight into living with dementia, it is also a BBC film too which may be on player.
- Everything is broken; the real-life story of a girl who recovered from a traumatic brain injury in her early 20's
- Living with Dementia with Ross Kemp on ITV is also a great documentary
- A Word on BBC, is a lovely program about a little boy with Autism, it is a wonderful program, but doesn't portray speech therapists in a positive light, unfortunately, but one to watch to gain insight into the client groups we work with!
- Listen to your child, by David Crystal; this book explains a lot about children's language development and how parents can best support them, which is equally useful for a clinician.
- The Dividing Bell and The Butterfly, by Jean-Dominique Bauby; these give an insight into a man who has locked-in syndrome and communicates using eye-gaze.
- Elizabeth is Missing is also a great book which provides a deeper insight into living with dementia, it is also a BBC film too which may be on player.
- Everything is broken; the real-life story of a girl who recovered from a traumatic brain injury in her early 20's
- Living with Dementia with Ross Kemp on ITV is also a great documentary
- A Word on BBC, is a lovely program about a little boy with Autism, it is a wonderful program, but doesn't portray speech therapists in a positive light, unfortunately, but one to watch to gain insight into the client groups we work with!
Original post by MarieLouise88
Hi Ellen,
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
Hi,
Wow, that sounds like great experience!! It is useful to have some adult experience but, not essential! As long as you can show you have an understanding of the adult client groups, conditions we may work with and the importance of speech and language therapists in the adult client groups.
The workload will vary across the universities, I would say that it isn't like any other course, it is full-on, but it's so worth it because you are having to learn everything to then use on placement throughout the course. The contact hours do vary between the years, first-year has the most contact hours, but is by no means 9-5 (at Reading anyway!), I would say that in the third year I had around 12 hours at most a week of contact, this is not including placements. But there is also a lot of independent studies required too.
I would recommend talking to the department at BCU about your arrangements, as they will be able to give you a better idea as to whether the full time or part-time course would be appropriate, and what support is available for you from the university to ensure you're able to fulfil the potential of the course.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Ellen
Student Ambassador
Original post by MarieLouise88
Hi Ellen,
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
Original post by MarieLouise88
Hi Ellen,
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
I’m also interested in finding out about experience needed. I currently work as a nursery nurse in the NHS alongside Speech and Language working with preschool children with global developmental delay or social communication difficulties but have no experience working with older people, is this something I should be looking to do?
Also interested to know what the workload is like and how many hours are you in uni per week? I have two children of primary school age, I am hoping to apply for BCU and am undecided between their full or part time degree option in order to work around my children as much as possible.
Thank you 😊
Hi, I know this post was a while ago, but I wondered whether you needed up applying to Reading and BCU in the end?
I have applied to both and am just awaiting my interviews. I am an outreach worker in children’s centres at the moment and in a similar position with two children at primary school.
Original post by LauraJDee
Hi, I know this post was a while ago, but I wondered whether you needed up applying to Reading and BCU in the end?
I have applied to both and am just awaiting my interviews. I am an outreach worker in children’s centres at the moment and in a similar position with two children at primary school.
I have applied to both and am just awaiting my interviews. I am an outreach worker in children’s centres at the moment and in a similar position with two children at primary school.
I'm in the same position and have primary school aged children and need more information on the time schedules of the full time degree
Original post by Hanna....
I'm in the same position and have primary school aged children and need more information on the time schedules of the full time degree
I have bitten the bullet and am just about to start the full time integrated masters at Reading. I think this year will be a bit different as there will be a mixture of virtual and in person learning. I’m waiting for my timetable to come through, which I hope to have access to from Friday, and can share with you.I also found just speaking with the university’s on the open days really helpful as they could answer most questions.
Original post by LauraJDee
I have bitten the bullet and am just about to start the full time integrated masters at Reading. I think this year will be a bit different as there will be a mixture of virtual and in person learning. I’m waiting for my timetable to come through, which I hope to have access to from Friday, and can share with you.I also found just speaking with the university’s on the open days really helpful as they could answer most questions.
Well done that's great to hear. I'll be doing undergraduate so I'm not sure Ur timetable would be similar to mine if I get on the course. I've tried calling bcu university and the lady on admissions was very rude and refused to day anything more than do Ur own research. She also said she would not give me any indication of the timetables as each year is different . I just want a rough guide as if I'm expected to be in uni 5 days a week then I'll have to study part time which I don't really want to do as it takes 6 years
Mine is undergraduate but Reading only offer a 4 year integrated masters. BCU was just a bit too far away.
At the open day they were super helpful for BCU. They also said you can start on the full time or part time and change each year if you need more or less time. I can’t remember what they said in terms of hours, for Birmingham.
The placements are 5 days a week though I remember that.
At the open day they were super helpful for BCU. They also said you can start on the full time or part time and change each year if you need more or less time. I can’t remember what they said in terms of hours, for Birmingham.
The placements are 5 days a week though I remember that.
Original post by Hanna....
Well done that's great to hear. I'll be doing undergraduate so I'm not sure Ur timetable would be similar to mine if I get on the course. I've tried calling bcu university and the lady on admissions was very rude and refused to day anything more than do Ur own research. She also said she would not give me any indication of the timetables as each year is different . I just want a rough guide as if I'm expected to be in uni 5 days a week then I'll have to study part time which I don't really want to do as it takes 6 years
This may help for BCU
https://bcuassets.blob.core.windows.net/docs/US0701%20BSc%20(Hons)%20Speech%20and%20Language%20Therapy%20Course%20Specification.pdf
Original post by LauraJDee
Mine is undergraduate but Reading only offer a 4 year integrated masters. BCU was just a bit too far away.
At the open day they were super helpful for BCU. They also said you can start on the full time or part time and change each year if you need more or less time. I can’t remember what they said in terms of hours, for Birmingham.
The placements are 5 days a week though I remember that.
At the open day they were super helpful for BCU. They also said you can start on the full time or part time and change each year if you need more or less time. I can’t remember what they said in terms of hours, for Birmingham.
The placements are 5 days a week though I remember that.
How many days a week are u expected to be in uni campus if u remember them saying anything
Hi guys!
For those of you thinking of applying/have applied to Reading, please feel free to ask me any questions you have!
I’m just about to go into my 2nd year of studying the 4 year integrated masters (undergrad) SLT course at Reading so more than happy to answer any questions you have if I can! If I can’t, I will do my best to point you in the right direction of someone that might.
Wishing you all good luck!
Skye
2nd Year Speech and Language Therapy Student & Student Ambassador
For those of you thinking of applying/have applied to Reading, please feel free to ask me any questions you have!
I’m just about to go into my 2nd year of studying the 4 year integrated masters (undergrad) SLT course at Reading so more than happy to answer any questions you have if I can! If I can’t, I will do my best to point you in the right direction of someone that might.
Wishing you all good luck!
Skye
2nd Year Speech and Language Therapy Student & Student Ambassador
Hi, I'm considering applying to do Speech and Language Therapy. I wanted to ask some questions about it in general:
1. What do you like and dislike about it?
2. Is there anything you wish you knew beforehand about SLT before doing it?
3. Do you find the course very full-on and stressful?
3. What advice would you give for those thinking about pursuing this career?
Thanks in advance
1. What do you like and dislike about it?
2. Is there anything you wish you knew beforehand about SLT before doing it?
3. Do you find the course very full-on and stressful?
3. What advice would you give for those thinking about pursuing this career?
Thanks in advance
Original post by jenny07
Hi, I'm considering applying to do Speech and Language Therapy. I wanted to ask some questions about it in general:
1. What do you like and dislike about it?
2. Is there anything you wish you knew beforehand about SLT before doing it?
3. Do you find the course very full-on and stressful?
3. What advice would you give for those thinking about pursuing this career?
Thanks in advance
1. What do you like and dislike about it?
2. Is there anything you wish you knew beforehand about SLT before doing it?
3. Do you find the course very full-on and stressful?
3. What advice would you give for those thinking about pursuing this career?
Thanks in advance
I'm not the OP but I'm just about to finish my degree.
1. What do I like/dislike? I love the sheer range of options SLT has within it - I started the course convinced I wanted to work with children but I've come out of it absolutely set on adult learning disabilities or adult autism. Dislikes? I don't enjoy dysphagia (swallowing) work at all and cranial nerves get on my nerves trying to learn them.
2. Wish I knew? Just how much other options there were than child/adult - I've spent time with crisis teams, I've spent time with offenders... spent numerous hours discussing Pokemon and random video games. Wish I'd seen the pandemic coming so I could have planned to avoid those years cos being honest, it's been crap doing it through covid.
3. It's notoriously full-on. I'll be honest, I didn't find it as tough as people stated - but I did a PGCE first and THAT was beyond brutal. I am absolutely and totally knackered now though.
4. Advice? Particularly for adult work - think about how absolutely embedded communication is in everything - I've found that you can unpick some very complex and chaotic lives and at the root of it all it's usually some difficulty either understanding or conveying communication and ways the person has found to cover that up, or ways other people have found to exploit the person for that which has caused everything to get into a mess.
And EVERYONE freaks out about having to pass phonetics. The middle of first year phonetics meltdown should be added into course timetables.
Original post by kuponut
I'm not the OP but I'm just about to finish my degree.
I had no idea about the different range of patients that SLTs deal with. It sounds so interesting!
Although I'm considering doing this course, I'm also debating on whether or not to do a master's or bachelor's in SLT as my first degree is in something else. I'm quite worried about the biology aspect of it as it's been awhile since I've done science (I have a humanities degree) so I'm trying to find out as much as I can about it beforehand.
Thank you so much for the helpful reply!
Heya
I have to support this autistic boy at work. I want to know what techniques to use to get him to take part in my group led weekly exercise sessions and also improve his cooking and speaking/listening skills. Any tips and hints appreciated. I also wish to get him to work on teamwork skills but that can come later on.
I have to support this autistic boy at work. I want to know what techniques to use to get him to take part in my group led weekly exercise sessions and also improve his cooking and speaking/listening skills. Any tips and hints appreciated. I also wish to get him to work on teamwork skills but that can come later on.
Hi! Please can you tell me what the holidays are like? Do you get Easter, all of the summer, Christmas etc? I have a disabled child who will be in primary school so really need to know! Thanks
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