Public awareness of speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy and the role of speech-language therapist – teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing

Speech-language therapist – educator of the deaf and hard of hearing (SLT – EDhh) works in the field of prevention, identification and (re)habilitation of communication disorders, eating, drinking and swallowing disorders, deafness and hearing loss as well as their causes and consequences. An SLT – EDhh is employed in the domain of health, education and/or social care. One of the key areas of their work is prevention, which includes raising public awareness about speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy. In the theoretical starting points of the masters’ thesis, we defined speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy, presented their history, described the competencies of an SLT – EDhh as well as the areas of their work, formal education and employment opportunities. We emphasised the importance of public awareness about speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy and summarized the conclusions of previous studies. The aim of the research was to describe and compare the level of awareness of the professional and lay public about speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy as well as the work of an SLT-EDhh. We were interested in whether the professional and lay public differ in their public awareness of speech and language therapy and surdopedagogy and the work of an SLT-EDhh. Our sample consisted of 455 people; 224 of those were representatives of the professional public (whose professions are related to the profession of an SLT – EDhh and are employed in the field of health and/or education and/or social care) and 231 of those were representatives of the lay public (all others). The participants in the research filled in an online questionnaire on public awareness about speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy as well as the work of an SLT – EDhh. The research showed higher awareness in representatives of the professional public in all studied areas (speech-language therapy and surdopedagogy, the work of an SLT-EDhh, education and workplaces of an SLT-EDhh as well as early speech-language and surdopedagogical treatment), compared to the representatives of the lay public. In conclusion, the professional public is more aware of speech-language therapy, surdopedagogy and the aim of work of an SLT-EDhh than the lay public