Cultural Narratives: Bridging the gap. Educating Speech-language Pathologists to Work in Multicultural Populations

Abstract

Preparation of the clinician to work in multicultural contexts involves the identification of a range of skills, knowledge and values. The field of narrative medicine as well as an increased understanding of the dynamics of interpreting are areas which can add considerably to clinical effectiveness. The paper outlines some cornerstones of narrative medicine and their potential application to the field of speech-language pathology and audiology. An analysis of the dynamics of a mediated interview yields a series of suggestions for the clinician. Some proposals are offered for future training and clinical practice in South Africa.