Communication 으로서의 영어교육

Introduction: The ACTNoW study includes an RCT of a speech and language therapy intervention (SLT) for people with communication difficulties following stroke, compared with attention control (AC). A parallel qualitative study sought: (i) To investigate participants’ experiences of AC and SLT and (ii) To evaluate the effectiveness of the processes and outcomes of each from their perspective. Method: We interviewed 22 people with aphasia or dysarthria (11 per RCT arm). Interviews were facilitated by pictorial representations and supported conversation techniques. All data were videorecorded to capture non-verbal communication. Where data could not be transcribed verbatim, notes to describe intended content were used and where interpretation of communicative intent was unclear, a second data monitor was used. A phenomenological approach guided the thematic content analysis. Results: Participants’ markers of effective intervention (whether SLT or AC) were defined by: the impact on confidence; situated relevance to recovery in familial/social context; how much the intervention facilitated personal awareness of progress; and ending experiences. The management of effect, perceptions of structured/unstructured approaches and extent of communicative difficulty were key mediating variables. Conclusion: The qualitative study’s findings provide a rich supplement to those from the trial, exploring the meaning of therapy effectiveness for participants. They also demonstrate the significance of elements of individualised contact regardless of professional delivery. Support that was regarded as relevant to personal situation and delivered in a way that enabled the personal recognition of progress was of paramount importance to both participants’ SLT and AC experiences of the trial. ACTNoW RCT will be presented separately at UKSF.