From Stories to Speech: Cultivating Cultural Competence and Linguistic Awareness in Future SLPs

This manuscript reports on a pilot study examining how storytelling and linguistic diversity may cultivate cultural competence in graduate students in speech-language pathology (SLP). Through engagement with traditional folk tales, students explored the cultural significance of narratives and the linguistic features that shape them. The assignment emphasized adapting stories for diverse audiences while highlighting culturally relevant vocabulary, dialectal variations, and the complexities of language use. Facilitated discussions following student presentations prompted reflections on how these elements influence communication and understanding. Preliminary findings suggest that narrative exploration can foster both cultural and linguistic awareness, equipping students with emerging skills to provide more inclusive and effective therapy. As an initial exploration, this pilot study underscores the potential value of integrating culturally responsive strategies into SLP education and practice, offering early evidence that engaging with stories from diverse cultures may prepare future professionals to navigate the intricate relationship between language, culture, and communication.