Abstract
This book is written by a speech and language therapist to support teachers, speech and language therapists and parents in facilitating the development of communication skills.
The information is divided into two parts. The first focuses on the ‘theoretical and practical background’ for therapeutic interventions, and the second gives ideas for activities and games.
The first section opens with a discussion of the ‘development of a therapeutic imagination’ and a review of the issues involved in promoting successful collaborative working. It provides a reminder of the challenges presented to us all in seeking to ensure that therapy is a stimulating and enjoyable experience for the learner. It also encourages a broad view of the therapeutic process within a framework of three aspects: foundation elements, core abilities and specific skills. As a therapist I welcomed the opportunity this framework allowed to reflect on interventions and how building and enhancing specific skills can impact on personal and emotional development.
The chapters in the first section provide thoughtful explorations of aspects that can have a strong influence on therapy outcomes. The one on ‘structuring the emotional environment’ offered a particularly useful description of features to consider in building a positive therapeutic relationship, e.g. levels of motivation and readiness for support, roles that both providers and recipients can adopt and the use of different styles of positive feedback.
The activities and games introduced in the second part give ideas for developing a wide range of skills in many different settings. These are also accompanied by information about how these can be linked to the framework identified in the first chapter. While the majority of the ideas would be very appropriate for working with groups, many of them could easily be adapted for use in individual sessions or incorporated into advice or programmes. A lot of the suggestions would also be suitable for whole class activities. ‘General tips’ at the beginning of each activity set, together with the ideas to help with adapting or extending the games, allow a high degree of flexibility at the planning stage.
In summary, this would be a welcome addition to resource shelves in clinics and schools as it not only provides a wealth of interesting ideas and activities but also allows the reader to recognize and value the importance of their role (or that of the leader or facilitator) in building a successful therapeutic relationship.