BOTTE - BOOT parby Chantal Mayer-Crittenden - The Parle Podcast

S3 Ep.4 The French Studies Department at Laurentian University and the vitality of the French language in our community: an overview

4/15/2021

In this short episode, I comment on the situation at Laurentian University in the context of the restructuring process under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). The French Studies Department has been abolished. This has a direct impact on the communication of francophone speakers in the region. The impact on our minority language community is significant. The vitality of languages relies on post-secondary institutions, among other things. Please share widely. As a minority, we need help from our majority language speaker counterparts to make a difference.

Parlé Podcast · S3 Ep.4 The French Studies Department at Laurentian U and the vitality of the French Language

S3 Ep.2 Intimacy and Communication

3/18/2021

Laura Wolford, PhD is a speech and language pathologist, an education researcher, a professor and the founder of The Language for Sex. I love, love, love this episode. We talk about how uncomfortable so many of us are when it comes to talking about sex and intimacy. Society has molded us into believing that sex is a topic that should be avoided, yet we expect teenagers and young adults to know how to give consent and how to obtain it. Children typically learn to say no or that sex is bad. However, they don't always learn how to communicate about sex, consent and intimacy. What about adults who have suffered a brain injury or a stroke that has left them with a communication disorder? How has this impacted their sex life. Sexual rights are human rights, yet we don't often talk about them. Join Laura and I in a very interesting conversation about intimacy and communication across the lifespan.

During the podcast, I make reference to the tea analogy to getting consent video. You can find it here.

Laura has a wonderful book list on her website available here.

Parlé Podcast · S3 Ep.2 Language for sex with Laura Wolford

S2 Ep.16 Reaching for the stars with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

10/28/2020

I'm thrilled to release this episode on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, "a free book gifting program devoted to inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere. Each month, enrolled children receive a high quality, age appropriate book in the mail, free of charge. Children receive books from birth to age five."

Join me as I interview three guests on the topic: Jeanne Smitiuch, Regional Director for the Dollywood Foundation of Canada; Chaya Kulkarni, BAA, M.Ed. Ed D, Director of Infant Mental Health Promotion (IMHP) at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and Angela M. Neglia, Speech-Language pathologist for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and in private practice.

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has mailed over 48 million books worldwide and 1.5 million in Canada alone.

Here are some of my guests' favorite resources:

Chaya talks about the Llama Llama books series. They can be found on the Penguin Random House Canada Website.

Angela talks about Maya's Book Nook: "It is our goal to share books where young children of color can see themselves, and the stories they relate to, represented within the pages. Book reviews and resources will incorporate language-focused strategies that may be used by parents, educators, and speech-language pathologists. A strong language foundation is one of the pillars to future academic success. We’d like to support you in building that foundation, one book at a time.", by Lakeisha Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP
Jeanne talks about:
- the Jim Trelease Read aloud handbook website where you can find great resources about the importance of reading to young children
- the Enchanted Hour book "A Wall Street Journal writer’s conversation-changing look at how reading aloud makes adults and children smarter, happier, healthier, more successful and more closely attached, even as technology pulls in the other direction."
- The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation, an organization that strives "to enable Canada’s children to become the most literate in the world. We promote and develop literacy initiatives, champion literacy partners across Canada, and empower people to build literacy skills in their homes and communities."

Parlé Podcast · S2 Ep.16 Reaching for the stars with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

S2 Ep. 14 Neurogenic Communication Disorders: What Are They and What Can We Do About Them? With Dr. Laura Murray

7/16/2020

In this episode, I interview Dr. Laura Murray, director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western University, where she also serves as a professor and researcher, to talk about neurogenic communication disorders. Many people suffer from a stroke, a brain injury or other acquired neurological disorders, yet very few people know about the impact of these traumas on communication. We talk about the importance of communication and how speech and language pathologists can help. We also talk about recovery several years post injury and how it's important to have hope! Laura also shares some of her favorite resources:

The Aphasia Institute: www.aphasia.ca
The Evidence-Based Review of Moderate-to-Severe Acquired Brain Injury - ERABI
The National Aphasia Association
The Centre of Research Excellence in Brain Recovery
PsycBite - evidence-based practice resource for cognitive disorders treatments
SpeechBite - evidence-based practice resource for communication and/or swallowing disorders treatments

Laura is co-author, along with Heather Clark, of the book: Neurogenic Disorders of Language and Cognition: Evidence-based Clinical Practice. They are currently working on the third edition of this book so stay tuned!

Parlé Podcast · S2 Ep.14 Neurogenic Communication Disorders: What Are They & What Can We Do About Them/Laura Murray

S2 Ep. 12 Happy Stories: The Collective Episode

5/29/2020

Finley Crittenden. My new podcast buddy.

It took a bit longer for me to get this Happy Stories episode out but I managed to piece it all together before May – “Better Speech and Hearing Month” or “Communication month” was over! You will hear the sound of my vehicle running in the background whenever I speak. That’s because my family and I were on our way to pick up our new Australian Shepherd puppy named Finley while I was working on the episode. We had a four-hour drive so I jumped on that opportunity to finalize this episode. Here’s a picture of Finley! What a cutie. I’m in love already.

I’m very pleased with how this episode turned out. I wasn’t sure what I would get and was very pumped when I heard each and every one of the stories. They sure put a smile on my face, which was the purpose of the episode. COVID-19 has brought on a lot of uncertainty and hardship for many. I hope that you can find a bit of positivity in this episode and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to this Happy Story. Let's celebrate the work of speech-language pathologists together by sharing this episode!
Here are the names of all those who contributed and some of their websites and Instagram handles:

Korynn Agnew @korynn_aslp
Becky McArthur at We Communicate www.wecommunicateslp.com @we_communicate
Desiree Rusch www.slptalkwithdesiree.com or www.shopslptalk.com @slptalk
Alyssa Gibson @alyssagib_ @special_needs_siblings
Kassy at @slp4lyfe
Stephen Kneece @speechandlanguagesongs www.speechandlanguagesongs.com
Carol Baingana @communicaide
Sara Dubreuil-Piché @Sararosepiche
Speech Simplified @speech.simplified

Here is the link to Dylan’s full speech using his communication device:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omoszryJBFg&feature=emb_logo

Also, here is the link to the phonics song I shared during the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=nNTc8N3tQU0&list=PLfQnuxbhVNX9i6dNpHRGco7Gt8wc1643E

Parlé Podcast · S2 Ep. 12 Happy Stories: The Collective Episode

S2 Ep.10 Robust Vocabulary Instruction in French for Anglophone Parents: Chin faces with Sarah and Julianne

3/28/2020

In this episode, Sarah, Julianne and I put our creativity to the test and had a lot of fun! To get the most out of this episode, you must first listen to Episode 5 of Season 2 in which I explain the importance of teaching children a rich vocabulary to help them better understand the subjects taught in school, especially at the junior and secondary levels, and to better understand the literary vocabulary found in books.

The goal of this episode was really to demonstrate that it is possible to teach a rich, level 2 vocabulary, even when fun and silly activities are chosen. The chin-face is an activity that will surely make the whole family laugh. Even during difficult times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that we are currently experiencing, it is important for children to have fun and have a few laughs. The vocabulary selected for this activity is as follows:

Créatif ou créative: Creative
S'allonger : to lie down
Suspendre : Suspend
À l'envers : Upside down
Peindre : Paint
Rigoler : giggle
Divertir : Entertain
Vêtir : Clothe
Trait facial : Facial trait or feature
(Remember that the direct translation does not always give a level 2 word in English, but trust that it is a level 2 word in French).

Items required for the activity :
Black eyeliner or costume make-up (e.g. Halloween make-up)
Lipstick
White page to draw the face
A phone or a smart tablet to record the face chin (N.B. it is important to film with the device upside down for it to work).
A good imagination
A good sense of humour
You can search Google engines to find ideas for chin-faces:

Here are the steps for this activity:

Write the words on a piece of paper and refer to them as needed. Draw your desired facial traits on a paper before hand.

You can use regular makeup or costume makeup.

Ask an adult to paint some eyes and a nose upside down on your chin.

Or you can draw it on your own face if you can.

Apply lipstick if you want. Optional.

Talk about your facial traits.

Lie down and suspend your head and clothe your face to hide your nose/eyes.

Make sure your smart phone or camera is upside down when filming or taking pictures.

During the episode, Sarah mimics the voice of Miranda Sings, a fictional character you can find on YouTube. Here is the link for those who are curious. Here are also some videos of our chin faces:

S2 Ep. 8 Robust Vocabulary Instruction in French for Anglophone Parents: Raft challenge with Sarah & Julianne

3/22/2020

In this episode, I challenge Sarah and Julianne: Who can make a raft that is buoyant, waterproof, stable and won't tip over?
Before listening to this episode, it is important to listen to episode 5 of season 2 in order to understand the different levels of vocabulary. Robust vocabulary instruction in French can be very useful for your children if they are enrolled in a French-medium or French-immersion program. Literary vocabulary is used daily at school, however, this vocabulary is not typically heard during informal conversations. We need to explicitly teach some of these words. The Level 2 words targeted in this episode are the following:

Raft
Rescue
Platform
Assembly
Parts
Arts project
Challenge
Buoyant
Waterproof
Stable
Tip

Note: The translation of French Level 2 words may not give an English level 2 word. For example, the word "tip" may be considered a level 1 word. The important rule to remember is that level 2 words can be explained with simpler words from level 1.

Here's what you need for this activity:
2 rolls of toilet paper
Old markers or popsicle sticks or straws.
Saran wrap.
Ziplock bags
A hot glue gun or white glue.

Here are the steps for this activity. If you want to read the steps in French, you can find the show notes for the French episode here:

Write down the list of target words so that you can consult them during the activity.

Use old dry markers, popsicle sticks or straws for the platform of your raft.

Start by gluing a marker to each end of the toilet paper rolls.

Be creative and have fun building your raft with different parts.

Be careful with the hot glue!

If you use white glue, you will have to wait for it to dry before starting the challenge.

Find a body of water and put your rafts to the test! Sarah's raft is buoyant, waterproof, stable and won't tip over.

Julianne's too!

Mine tipped over and is sinking.

Sarah's making waves. Julianne's raft tips over and sinks too.

S2 Ep.6 Robust Vocabulary Instruction for Anglophone Parents: Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins with Sarah and Julianne

3/19/2020

During this episode, I invite you into my kitchen to show you how to teach your child robust vocabulary words in French while following a delicious banana and chocolate chip muffin recipe. You can find the link to the French recipe here and the English recipe here.

Nine words from Level 2 (see S2 Ep.5 for more details) were targeted during this activity:
Tendre: Tender
Moelleux: soft or chewy
Agréable: Enjoyable
Irrésistible: Irresistible
Douceurs: Sweets
Préchauffer: Preheat
Incorporer: Incorporate
Homogène: Homogenous
Concassé: Crushed

However, I do mention other level 2 words that can be selected during the episode.
Example:
Insérer: Insert
Refroidir: Cool
Hermétique: Airtight
Mûr: Ripe
Conserver: Store

Have fun during this activity! Sarah and Julianne had a lot of fun and they sure enjoyed the treats!

Sarah and Julianne have incorporated all the ingredients. Sarah et Julianne ont incorporé tous les ingrédients.

The vocabulary list is on our fridge to remind us to practice the words in various contexts.

Julianne is inserting the tooth pic in the muffin. Julianne insère le cure-dent dans le muffin.

The muffins look tender. Les muffins ont l'air tendre.

The muffins are very enjoyable. Les muffins sont agréables.

S2 Ep.5 Robust Vocabulary Instruction in French for Anglophone Parents: An Introduction

3/19/2020

This and future episodes have been recorded during these moments of social distancing due to COVID-19, to help you enrich your children's vocabulary while they are at home. It's not rocket science! You can do it and have fun doing it! This first episode is for you, the parents, to explain the different levels of vocabulary and how you can easily enrich your children's vocabulary during daily activities. Future episodes can be listened to WITH your children to introduce them to the new French vocabulary words targeted during the episodes. My two daughters, Sarah and Julianne, accompany me during the episodes to demonstrate how this teaching can be done. I hope you will enjoy these activities which vary: recipes, hiking, crafts, board games and others.

I am referring to the book by Beck et al. (2013). Here is a link to this book if you are interested.

I also mention other episodes which explains more about Developmental Language Disorder. Episodes 2 and 10 touch on this topic. You can also find more information here.

S2 Ep. 2 Pragmatics, Communication, and Brain Injury with Dr. Lyn Turkstra

3/5/2020

March is Brain Injury Awareness month and I am thrilled to be able to release an episode on the topic! This podcast will have you rethink the way you see social communication and pragmatics. Join me as I interview Dr. Lyn Turkstra. Lyn is a speech-language pathologist by training, and her research focuses on links between cognitive function and social communication in individuals with acquired brain injury. I was very excited to have her as a guest on this podcast. You will quickly discover her breadth of knowledge and experience in this vast and often obscure field.

Lyn starts off the episode by talking about a review paper that was published in 2017 from a joint committee from ASHA and the American Psychological Association (SLPs and neuropsychologists) which is a bit of a primer for what SLPs do in terms of pragmatics in relation to other health professionals and how communication goes beyond vocabulary and syntax. Here is the link to this paper: Pragmatic communication abilities in children and adults: implications for rehabilitation professionals

Lyn talks about a study she co-authored about pragmatics and makes reference to the “Lack of practice” problem. Here is the article:

Warner-Czyz, A. D., Evans, D., Turkstra, L., Scheppele, M., Song, C., & Evans, J. L. Effect of auditory status on visual emotion recognition in adolescents. Cochlear Implants International.

During the episode, Lyn talks about a tookit that can be used to assess the environment of those who have dementia and who live in long term care facilities. Here is the link to that resource:

Jennifer Brush, Margaret Calkins, Carrie Bruce and Jon Sanford; what supports communication environment?
Environmental communication assessment toolkit (ECAT)

I also make reference to the Episode with Tanya Nesterenko, SLP and executive coach. You can find it here.

Lyn talks about a study by Meulenbroek, Bowers and Turkstra (2016). The focus of this study was to examine successful return to sustained employment after brain injury. They discovered that social communication skills was number the number one skill required for sustained employment:

Characterizing common workplace communication skills for disorders associated with traumatic brain injury: A qualitative study.

We also talked about available resources for anyone who might be interested in finding out more about social cognition, pragmatics, brain injury and communication. Here are some of the resources discussed during this episode:

Medbridge Webinar:
Social Cognition: Populations at risk, Assessment and Intervention.

Lyn is also the co-author of a book that offers guidelines on how to teach new things to people with memory problems. The book also provides strategies for executive functions, but the focus is on memory. The authors are currently working on a new edition of the book which should be released next year. Sohlberg, Turkstra, & Wilson (2011). Optimizing Cognitive Rehabilitation: Effective Instructional Methods. The Guilford Press. New York.

Additional resources :

Paul, R., Norbury, C. F., & Gosse, C. (2018). Language Disorders from Infancy through Adolescence. Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Communication, 5th edition. St. Louis : MS, Mosby Elsevier.

Murray, L. & Clark, H. (2014). Neurogenic Disorders of Language and Cognition: Evidence-based Clinical Practice; Second Edition. Pro Ed

S. McDonald, L. Togher, & C. Code (Eds) (2014). Social Communication Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury (2nd Edition). Psychology Press: London.

Anderson, V. & Beauchamp, M. Developmental social neuroscience and childhood brain insult: Implications for theory and practice. Guilford Press: New York.

If you would like to hear more about Dr. Lyn Turkstra’s work, she has a webinar coming up in the fall that you could tune-in to:
Oct 14 2020
SAC Webinar: Intervention for Adolescents and Adults with Cognitive-Communication Disorders after Acquired Brain Injury