Implicit beliefs of student speech-language clinicians as revealed in reflective journals

Numerous studies in disciplines such as education and medicine have shown that the interaction of prior experiences and formal knowledge contributes substantially to implicit beliefs that exert a powerful influence on decisions made in practice. However, there has been virtually no study of the tacit knowledge of graduate students in speech-language pathology and how it affects practice. This study examined implicit beliefs about the work of speech-language pathologists held by graduate clinicians enrolled in practicum courses between August 1997 and May 2002.; The journals of 13 female graduate clinicians in Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State University were analyzed for evidence of implicit beliefs. Procedures for developing grounded theory were applied to analyze 140 journal entries for indicators of implicit beliefs. Participants were interviewed for confirming or disconfirming evidence. The journals revealed that participants underestimated the time and effort required for graduate study. Participants believed that they learned best when supervisors modeled how to conduct language therapy and gave feedback about their attempts. Participants viewed language therapy as a specialized form of teaching and the practicum as a way to acquire a set of techniques for practice. Two types of graduate clinicians are profiled in case studies. The first, representative of most participants, is identified as a “Commonsense Thinker.” The second represents a unique way of “Trying to Make Sense” of the practicum. Implications for theory, practice, and research methods are discussed.