Section 6: Teaching and Learning
Learning about multilingualism is important for both trainees and qualified therapists alike. But it is an area of our practice that we need to continue to think about and reflect on. Conversations with tutors, supervisors and reflective groups are an important way of doing this as is our own self-reflective processes. Considering your response to reflective questions after each piece of content can help facilitate this.
Listen to the course materials, and / or download the transcripts below:
Letter - One
This section may be used as supplementary material to Section 7 of the Multilingualism, Mental Health and Psychological Therapy course. Please see that material here.
| Letter One |
Listen to the course materials, and / or download the transcript below:
Letter - Two
Letter - Two
This section may be used as supplementary material to Section 7 of the Multilingualism, Mental Health and Psychological Therapy course. Please see that material here.
| Letter Two |
Reflective Questions
- How does the learning that Frankie and Rachel may do (in Letter Two) as a result of their experiences relate to your own learning, what will you take away from this?
- How would you imagine Frankie would respond to the letter and in what way could it help his reflection on the work and/or his practice going forwards?
- How does the learning that Frankie and Rachel may do as a result of their experiences relate to your own learning, what will you take away from this?
Good Practice Points
- Taking the unsureness and questioning to supervision is part of being a reflexive practitioner as is making use of your own internal supervisor. Perhaps the letter to Frankie demonstrates more compassion to Frankie than he could demonstrate to himself.
- Personal development activity or personal therapy can help us to consider our own cultural and language identities so we are more aware of how they are present, or avoided in the work.
- While watching another therapist at work can be a useful learning tool it can also cause comparisons that are not helpful. Frankie, Frankie’s fellow trainee, his supervisor and Rachel will all have their own ways of working and language identities.
Supervision
This section may be used as supplementary material to Section 7 of the Multilingualism, Mental Health and Psychological Therapy course. Please see that material here.
In this extract the therapist (monolingual in English) has been working with a client who is Welsh (first language) and English speaking. This is the first time the therapist has worked with someone who is multilingual. They are working in English, but the therapist is finding it difficult to understand and work with a client and brings this to supervision.
| Supervision |
Reflective Questions
- By using a metaphor, the supervisor brings a little lightness to the therapist’s struggle. Do you think metaphors can span differences?
- If so, where may there be limitations specifically with regards to language differences?
- The difference in languages is between the therapist and their client. What issues might arise in supervision as a result of this? What would you want the supervisor to address?
- Think about the issues of power – both therapist and supervisor are English speakers and there is no interpreter in this instance. (Historically English was the language of the invading English and Welsh was minimised and even forbidden by the English).
A few suggestions for reading and resources:
The All Wales Network Committee for Arts Therapies Professions. (2002). Speaking the Invisible. Conference proceedings 4th November 2001. Speaking-the-Invisible.pdf
Retrieved: 10.03.2022
Martin, C., Woods, B. & Williams, S. (2018). Language and Culture in the Caregiving of People with Dementia in Care Homes - What Are the Implications for Well-Being? A Scoping Review with a Welsh Perspective. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-018-9361-9
Retrieved: 10.03.2022
Evaluation of 'More than just words' the follow-on strategic framework for Welsh language services in health, social services and social care, 2016 to 2019 by Stuart Harries and Nia Bryer. First published: 31st August 2021
Madoc‐Jones, I. (2004). Linguistic sensitivity, indigenous peoples and the mental health
system in Wales. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 13(4), 216-224.
Roberts, G. (2017). Breaking the Silence: Identifying the Needs of Bilingual
Speakers in Health Care. In E. A. Jacobs & L. C. Diamond (Eds.), Providing Health Care in the Context of Language Barriers: International Perspectives, 116148.
Upton, D., & Martin, J. (2005). Psychology Learning and Teaching in Wales. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 4(1), 6–10. https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2004.4.1.6
For a profound and moving recounting of the Welsh experience through the story of one family - Angharad Price’s prizewinning novel written in Welsh: 'O! Tyn y Gorchudd' and translated into English as “The Life of Rebecca Jones”
Retrieved: 10.03.2022
Martin, C., Woods, B. & Williams, S. (2018). Language and Culture in the Caregiving of People with Dementia in Care Homes - What Are the Implications for Well-Being? A Scoping Review with a Welsh Perspective. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-018-9361-9
Retrieved: 10.03.2022
Evaluation of 'More than just words' the follow-on strategic framework for Welsh language services in health, social services and social care, 2016 to 2019 by Stuart Harries and Nia Bryer. First published: 31st August 2021
Madoc‐Jones, I. (2004). Linguistic sensitivity, indigenous peoples and the mental health
system in Wales. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 13(4), 216-224.
Roberts, G. (2017). Breaking the Silence: Identifying the Needs of Bilingual
Speakers in Health Care. In E. A. Jacobs & L. C. Diamond (Eds.), Providing Health Care in the Context of Language Barriers: International Perspectives, 116148.
Upton, D., & Martin, J. (2005). Psychology Learning and Teaching in Wales. Psychology Learning & Teaching, 4(1), 6–10. https://doi.org/10.2304/plat.2004.4.1.6
For a profound and moving recounting of the Welsh experience through the story of one family - Angharad Price’s prizewinning novel written in Welsh: 'O! Tyn y Gorchudd' and translated into English as “The Life of Rebecca Jones”
We hope that you have found this training resource useful.
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If you would like to receive a CPD certificate, please complete the evaluation here.
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