Students Offer Conversation and Literacy Groups to Stroke Survivors
Amy Brossart-Robinson (no longer available online), clinical assistant professor in Communication Sciences & Disorders at the University of North Dakota (UND), supervises graduate students working towards their Master's degrees in Speech-Language Pathology. They offer conversation and literacy groups to stroke survivors.
Performance and Recovery in Stroke (P.A.R.I.S.) Conversation Group
The P.A.R.I.S. Conversation Group (no longer available online) started in 2012 and around 12 participants meet weekly for 2 hours on UND's campus. The meetings offer participants a place to share thoughts, ideas, and engage in conversations on a variety of topics.
- Graduate students are on hand to help facilitate communication skills whether that be through prompting, visual aids, and/or augmentative and alternative communication.
- There is usually a theme for each week, such as basketball. There is either a speaker on the topic or a presentation that is shared at the beginning of the meeting to get participants' brains thinking about the vocabulary involved in a game such as basketball.
- Following the presentation, activities, and games related to that topic are then utilized.
- Coffee and treats are also served!
This is a great option for stroke survivors to have relaxed conversations in a comfortable environment – which can be crucial to their recovery.
P.A.R.I.S. Literacy Group
P.A.R.I.S. also offers a literacy group/book club that meets for two hours a week. The group has eight participants, on average, and graduate students assist with writing activities, comprehension questions, word work, etc. Books are selected based on individuals reading levels and as a group, they have read a variety of books from Wonder by R.J. Palacio to The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
The group's weekly schedule consists of five mini-sessions:
- Whole group discussion with a language focus
- Book club discussion
- Writing/journaling
- Reading
- Word work
Additional Information
For more information or referrals for these opportunities, please contact (701) 777-3232.
Groups in Action Photos
