Table 1 Thematic analysis of potential strategies suggested by the students for communicating with PWA, and the number of times (n) strategies were coded to each response category
Themes | Response categories | n | % |
|---|---|---|---|
Physical strategies | Use of gesture | 21 | 14.4 |
Facial expressions | 1 | 0.7 | |
Eye contact | 2 | 1.4 | |
Face the speaker | 1 | 0.7 | |
Verbal communication strategies | Reduced rate of speech | 18 | 12.3 |
Short/clear sentences | 9 | 6.2 | |
Simple/concise language | 5 | 3.4 | |
Y/N or forced choice questions | 1 | 0.7 | |
Allow the PWA time to respond | 4 | 2.7 | |
Be patient | 3 | 2.1 | |
Reassurance that we know they have something to say | 2 | 1.0 | |
Rephrasing | 1 | 0.7 | |
Clarifying | 1 | 0.7 | |
Convey one idea at a time | 1 | 0.7 | |
Visual information | Writing things down/key words | 25 | 17.1 |
Use of images (including photographs and diagrams) | 21 | 14.4 | |
Aphasia friendly written materials | 10 | 6.9 | |
Word boards, picture boards or number boards | 9 | 6.2 | |
Draw | 1 | 0.7 | |
Environmental changes | Reduce background noise | 1 | 0.7 |
Family/Friends | 2 | 1.4 |