I have a pretty strong opinion about some issues, and the following is what evolved over a discussion about “homework.”
(1) In my personal opinion, “homework” is a misnomer and should not be used — especially with children. It is an emotionally loaded term and many kids (and parents) resent the idea that they are required to “work” while at home or what they consider their “play” time. It is often associated as a negative even by parents who would ostensibly agree there’s a value in it.
(2) But I think we can agree that any true change in behavior by children or adults has to come about through focused, regular practice. That for a skill to become fluent (effortless and natural), it has to be practiced.
(3) I also believe that what I, as an SLP do, matters. If a person could communicate effectively/independently on their own they wouldn’t need an SLP. That an SLPs background, training, access to resources, (EBP) etc. makes us uniquely skilled for engaging a change in behavior to support more effective/independent communication.
(4). Therefore, the sum of my beliefs is that my learning objectives for practice that occurs outside of my support is it has to be successful without my instruction/guidance. That is, it must be something I have already taught, that I know they can do, and the function of the activity is to build their ability to be effortless and natural. I do not want negative practice — I place no value on a learner completing tasks incorrectly, and if I’m not there I have no way of knowing if that’s what they’re doing. I would only give someone something to do the I knew for sure they could do correctly. I do not want someone else teaching what I am supposed to have taught. Even very well intended people (spouses, parents, friends, etc.), can give really crummy advice/feedback, and I don’t want others who are not SLPs or who may not have a value system around EBP to end up being responsible for explaining activities I’ve sent home. I do not want negative practice emotionally — I place no value on a learner (or the people in their lives who support him/her) hating what I’ve asked them to do. If I cannot connect what I’ve asked them to do with goals that they value, with a meaningful/functional improvement in their lives (a) I lose their trust, (b) they won’t do it anyway. Sometimes I have to make a case for how a task is a step along the way toward goals they value and so forth, and I’m okay with that.
So, for myself, I try not to use the word “homework” and instead prefer the phrase, “independent practice.” This reminds *me* that I need to make sure what I’m asking them to do meets my learning objectives, and is a more positive terminology for them. I use examples of learning to play a musical instrument or playing a sport — that a person might do part of a task many, many times so that they can do it easily, without having to think about it, and that talking/listening/reading/writing are the same way.
End blip.