My interest in the taking the course is inspired by the works of two Instructors whose experiences and literary works have shaped my knowledge and understanding of concepts in the course. The two are Dr. Maria Grigos and Dr. Christina Reuterskiold. I am particularly interested in Dr. Christina Rutershkiold’s works because of my experience while volunteering at a home health company as a Speech Language Pathologist resonated with much of the teachings that she delivers as well as the papers that she has written on the topic. In my capacity as a pathologist, I worked with children with a range of developmental disorders such as Autism that in turn influence speech development negatively. Dr. Reuterskiold’s teachings revolve around the relationship between oral and written languages as well as the development of language skills through narration that serves to stick in the memory of children. To this end, the teachings provide me with knowledge on the approach that I can take in teaching children with disabilities.
In regards to Dr. Grigos’ teachings, I am particularly interested in her research that touches on speech motor developmental research. I find that her teachings on how to train the speech motor skills of students are very important in the development of language skills among children with disabilities especially ones that have an impact on their cognitive development. In my capacity as an assistant pathologist, I came across various cases of children with disabilities that made it impossible for them to physically move their lips to speak while others lacked the mental capacity to improve their language motor skills. I believe that her teachings speak to the purpose of my specialization and thus proves relevant to my area of interest. I believe that by studying Dr. Grigos’ and Dr. Reuterskiold’s teachings, I will be in a position to competently execute my mandate as a pathologist in future for the purpose of helping children with cognitive disabilities develop language skills.
