| CODE | CSD4002 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Case File 2 | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 04 - Years 4, 5 in Modular UG or PG Cert Course | ||||||||
| EQF/MQF LEVEL | Not Applicable | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Human Communication Sciences and Disorders | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Students are expected to integrate theoretical understanding, clinical knowledge, and practical skills through the preparation of a comprehensive clinical report detailing the communication and/or swallowing profile of a client whom they have been following during their clinical placement. The report should demonstrate the student’s ability to link assessment findings to evidence-based intervention planning, critically reflect on the therapeutic process, and evaluate client progress and outcomes. Through this process, students consolidate their clinical reasoning, professional documentation skills, and reflective practice as developing speech-language pathologists. Study-Unit Aims: - To broaden students’ exposure to a range of clinical experiences and client profiles, enabling them to apply and consolidate theoretical knowledge in real-world contexts; - To provide structured opportunities for students to work directly with clients presenting with communication and/or swallowing disorders under the supervision of qualified speech-language pathologists trained in clinical mentorship; - To develop students’ ability to design, implement, and evaluate a well-structured, individualised intervention plan responsive to the client’s needs, strengths, and contextual factors; - To foster the formulation of clear therapeutic aims and objectives supported by sound rationales and informed by current research evidence and best-practice guidelines; - To promote professional dialogue and collaborative problem-solving through discussion of assessment results, intervention approaches, and clinical reasoning with qualified speech-language pathologists, peers, and academic staff; - To enhance students’ capacity for critical reflection and self-evaluation in relation to therapy effectiveness, incorporating evidence-informed recommendations for modification and continued management; - To support the development of professional competencies in clinical documentation, reporting, and ethical decision-making, preparing students for independent practice within multidisciplinary contexts. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Analyse and interpret the demographic, developmental, and clinical profiles of individuals presenting with communication and/or swallowing difficulties within their broader personal, social, and cultural contexts; - Identify and justify the selection of appropriate assessment and intervention tools and approaches relevant to the client’s presenting profile, needs, and therapeutic goals; - Integrate and critically appraise evidence from multiple sources (including clinical observations, assessment data, and research literature) to support conclusions about differential diagnosis and intervention planning; - Evaluate and explain the client’s strengths, needs, and prognostic factors in relation to communication and/or swallowing, demonstrating an understanding of the underlying theoretical and evidence-based frameworks. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Administer, score, and interpret assessment findings using a range of standardized and non-standardized tools and materials appropriate to the client’s communication and/or swallowing profile; - Synthesize and communicate assessment outcomes effectively through professional discussions with qualified speech-language pathologists, peers, and academic staff, demonstrating sound clinical reasoning and justification of decisions; - Critically evaluate the client’s communication and/or swallowing skills to identify areas requiring intervention and to establish functional, evidence-based therapy goals; - Formulate and substantiate a tentative differential diagnosis through systematic interpretation of assessment findings, case history, and clinical observations; - Design, implement, and monitor individualized therapy sessions that aim to minimise the client’s communication and/or swallowing difficulties while building on identified strengths and promoting functional outcomes; - Appraise and incorporate relevant prognostic, contextual, and psychosocial factors into clinical decision-making, demonstrating adaptability and professional judgement. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: View reading list |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Placement and Tutorial | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Rachael Agius Daniela R. Gatt Helen Grech Ritienne Grima (Co-ord.) Nadine Tabone |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2026/7. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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