zoosi
Nov 15, 2012
Graduate / holistic clinician - Speech Pathology SOP- Focused enough? [2]
I have been the unofficial translator in my household since I was in elementary school. I grew up poring over microwave instruction manuals, bank statements and computer error popups, trying to relay the messages back to my parents who did not speak English. I relished the role I had as a mediator; I had the ability to break down these formidable language barriers with my linguistic sledgehammer! Yet it wasn't until college that I sat down with people from Brazil, Honduras, and Haiti, amongst other places, to fight through foreign sounds and even stranger grammatical landscapes to achieve English fluency. For four years, I was a volunteer and eventually the director for Project Progress, a program that offers free English classes for the immigrant community. My academic background in linguistics trained me to identify the causes of common mistakes and gave me the fundamental understanding of how to resolve them. Also, in the process of working with international individuals, my curiosity for diverse cultures expanded. A natural extension of these experiences has led me to Madrid, Spain where I am currently an English-language assistant at a secondary school. I incorporate games and interactive activities in my lesson plans to bolster the students' confidence and to create a safe environment for them to articulate their thoughts in the classroom. Working in a school system outside of the U.S. has also reinforced the importance of a commitment to helping people across cultural boundaries.
However, while the pedagogical route has been satisfying thus far, my fondness for the scientific, problem-solving aspect of linguistics has yet to be fulfilled; with teaching English, I have felt limited in reaching out in a holistic manner. I created a list of values that I desired in an ideal job, one that was challenging, gave back to society, and allowed me to learn through interacting with people from different walks of life. After relaying these points to a close friend, he spoke highly of his own aspirations in the world of speech pathology which fulfilled these values. Intrigued, I interviewed and shadowed local speech language pathologists and various students in the field. Knowing now how speech pathology addresses educational, social, and even psychological needs, I have confirmed my future aspirations.
Given that the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at the University of South Florida prioritizes strong clinician-to-patient relationships while advancing the science of the practice, I believe that my interests and experiences align well with the goals of the school. USF's unique mission to both treat and advocate on behalf of patients is significant for me as I strive to be a holistic clinician. Ultimately, I am concerned with taking a therapeutic approach to the issue of illiteracy both with bilingual children and children with learning disabilities by addressing their distinctive needs respectively.
My passion for uniting language with speaker will become even more evident in the master's program setting where I can hone my skills in a more professional manner. I am confident that my interpersonal skills, experience with a wide range of demographic populations, and strong academic background will bring a unique perspective in reconciling speech pathology and literacy at the USF.
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I am also planning to apply to some more competitive schools in Boston.
I have been the unofficial translator in my household since I was in elementary school. I grew up poring over microwave instruction manuals, bank statements and computer error popups, trying to relay the messages back to my parents who did not speak English. I relished the role I had as a mediator; I had the ability to break down these formidable language barriers with my linguistic sledgehammer! Yet it wasn't until college that I sat down with people from Brazil, Honduras, and Haiti, amongst other places, to fight through foreign sounds and even stranger grammatical landscapes to achieve English fluency. For four years, I was a volunteer and eventually the director for Project Progress, a program that offers free English classes for the immigrant community. My academic background in linguistics trained me to identify the causes of common mistakes and gave me the fundamental understanding of how to resolve them. Also, in the process of working with international individuals, my curiosity for diverse cultures expanded. A natural extension of these experiences has led me to Madrid, Spain where I am currently an English-language assistant at a secondary school. I incorporate games and interactive activities in my lesson plans to bolster the students' confidence and to create a safe environment for them to articulate their thoughts in the classroom. Working in a school system outside of the U.S. has also reinforced the importance of a commitment to helping people across cultural boundaries.
However, while the pedagogical route has been satisfying thus far, my fondness for the scientific, problem-solving aspect of linguistics has yet to be fulfilled; with teaching English, I have felt limited in reaching out in a holistic manner. I created a list of values that I desired in an ideal job, one that was challenging, gave back to society, and allowed me to learn through interacting with people from different walks of life. After relaying these points to a close friend, he spoke highly of his own aspirations in the world of speech pathology which fulfilled these values. Intrigued, I interviewed and shadowed local speech language pathologists and various students in the field. Knowing now how speech pathology addresses educational, social, and even psychological needs, I have confirmed my future aspirations.
Given that the Communication Sciences and Disorders Program at the University of South Florida prioritizes strong clinician-to-patient relationships while advancing the science of the practice, I believe that my interests and experiences align well with the goals of the school. USF's unique mission to both treat and advocate on behalf of patients is significant for me as I strive to be a holistic clinician. Ultimately, I am concerned with taking a therapeutic approach to the issue of illiteracy both with bilingual children and children with learning disabilities by addressing their distinctive needs respectively.
My passion for uniting language with speaker will become even more evident in the master's program setting where I can hone my skills in a more professional manner. I am confident that my interpersonal skills, experience with a wide range of demographic populations, and strong academic background will bring a unique perspective in reconciling speech pathology and literacy at the USF.
_________________________________________________________________ _____ _____________________________________________
I am also planning to apply to some more competitive schools in Boston.