What is it about?
Evidence-based practice is essential in speech-language pathology. This study examined how to support undergraduate speech-language pathology students in applying evidence-based vocabulary teaching strategies during their first clinical experience. Participants showed little change after completing a learning module alone, but improved with practice using scripts embedded in storybooks. Participants continued to use some of these skills when the scripts were removed. The findings suggest that structured, hands-on practice may help beginning clinicians apply evidence-based practice with clients.
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Why is it important?
Research on how to help speech-language pathology students translate evidence-based practice knowledge into clinical practice is limited. Our findings suggest that students benefit when instruction in evidence-based practice is paired with structured, hands-on experience applying evidence-based strategies with clients. This study offers clinical educators a practical approach to helping beginning clinicians use evidence-based practice in clinical care.
Perspectives
As a clinical educator, I strive to help students apply evidence-based practice in clinical settings. I hope this work encourages other clinical educators to consider how structured, hands-on experiences can support students as they develop their clinical skills and independence.
Kacey Cowburn
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Effects of a Scaffolded Clinical Experience on Evidence-Based Practice Behavior in Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology Student Clinicians, Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, August 2026, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA),
DOI: 10.1044/2026_persp-25-00240.
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