The curriculum of practice: A conceptual framework for speech-language therapy and audiology practice with a Black African first language clientele

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of a conceptual framework (i.e., the curriculum of practice)to guide the transformation of professional practice toward equitable service provision, rooted in a research finding that South African Speech-Language Therapy & Audiology has a favourable service bias toward White English/ Afrikaans first language speakers (Pillay, 1997b). Three perspectives of practice are discussed, i.e.,the official, espoused and actual perspectives. Also, the various elements of practice are reviewed, and include clinical practice activities, resources and their utilization, professional education curricular and professional policies. It is asserted that re-constructing the profession's knowledge base in a presently (1996-) transforming South Africa, mostly requires the use of a critical (versus, for e.g., a scientific) paradigm.