Communication Therapy Division participates in Socrates Intensive Programme

Eight students who are following the undergraduate degree programme in Communication Therapy at the University of Malta participated in a Socrates Intensive Programme (IP) organised by the European Speech-Language Therapy Network, between August 21 and 31.

The IP, entitled "Speech Language Therapy: Towards an International Dimension in Assessment and Therapy", was hosted by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Valladolid, Spain, and funded by the European Union.

In all 117 students and 36 lecturers from 14 European universities participated in the programme.

The lecturers imparted their expert knowledge and compared working practices within participating countries.

Keynote speeches, lectures, seminars, research-based papers and workshops were based on diverse themes including child language, aphasia, voice and fluency.

Dr Helen Grech, co-ordinator of the Communication Therapy Divi-sion, University of Malta, delivered a keynote speech related to the management of bilingual children with communication disorders, that was well received by all participants.

Daniela Gatt delivered a research based paper entitled "Case study: patterns of language use employed by a Maltese mother with her language delayed infant," which was also well received.

Students were provided with a unique opportunity for interaction in a setting that was conducive to the sharing of knowledge and concepts and this resulted in an intense learning experience for all those who attended.

This year's programme was the tenth since its foundation. Last year's was hosted by the School of Clinical Speech and Language Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin. The 2004 programme will be hosted by the Communication Therapy Division of the Institute of Health Care, University of Malta.

The students were Pamela Bezzina, Dorothy Borg, Fay Farrugia, Noel Kenely, Rachel Mallia Borg, Veronica Manduca, Veronica Montanaro and Nadine Tabone.