We will host our 6th Communication Partner Training Workshop on October 31, 2015. Interested participants may register here http://tinyurl.com/kuad3mo
Consistent with our mission to improve the knowledge base of intervention techniques for persons with aphasia, our Workshop is now part of a research study. We are investigating the effectiveness of the workshop on conversations between persons with aphasia and their caregivers. About the study
We found that persons with aphasia have a tendency to use more “light” (or general) verbs if their grammatical abilities are relatively preserved. Persons whose grammatical abilities are more impaired tend to use fewer light verbs. Conversely, persons with aphasia who have more empty speech (as measured by idea density) and poorer verb retrieval, use more light verbs. Examples of light verbs are go, do, and make (we examined a total of 9 light verbs). This study was the Masters Thesis of Julia Thorne. Read more here: Frontiers Event Abstract
In a study comparing 2nd language speakers of English (high proficiency bilingual speakers) and native speakers of English, we found that 2nd language speakers perform comparably to first language speakers on tests of verb retrieval. This is a novel finding, not reported before. We also confirmed what has been reported before by many authors, that bilingual speakers are worse than monolinguals in retrieving nouns. Read more here: Frontiers Event Abstract
On June 27, 2015, Kristin Slawson and Yasmeen Faroqi-Shah hosted our fifth Communication Partner Training. Thanks to all the students who helped, especially Allison Yutesler and Tierney Evans. Also present were graduate students, Adam Redmond, Rachel Cavanaugh, Christa Wojcik, and undergraduate students, Danielle Altieri, Lauren Wynant and Jayna Roscoe.
On Saturday, March 7th from 2:30 to 4:00pm, there will be a screening of the short film, Aphasia: Hope is a Four Letter Word, starring Carl McIntyre. The film recounts Carl’s struggles in the first year and a half post-stroke. After the film, there will be a live presentation by Carl where he will explain the process of coming to terms with his condition and making positive and inspired decsions about his new life!
Tickets for UMD students, staff, and faculty and outside campus students are $3.50 and $6.00 for the general public. Tickets can also be bought for larger groups of 10 or more people at the cost of $3.50 each! The tickets can be purchased at umdtickets.com!
We are recruiting for numerous studies. Please visit our Volunteer page for details.
We presented findings of our research this month at the Academy of Aphasia in Miami, Florida.
Bilingualism, Inhibitory control and word retrieval: Is there a relationship?
Time course of morphological processing in agrammatic aphasia
Preserved processing of musical syntax in a person with agramamtic aphasia
