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In:Dialogues of the Clinic: Encounters across medicine and beyond
Edited by Mariaelena Bartesaghi and Shelby Forbes
[Dialogue Studies 36] 2026
► pp. 46–66

Chapter 2
Is dialogue a possibility in speech-language therapy?

Perspectives from one Hebrew therapy session

 | Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
 | University of Haifa
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
This chapter explores the potential for dialogue within the context of speech-language therapy (SLT), a specialized field focusing on communicative impairments. Drawing on phenomenological theories of dialogue, the analysis examines interactions between a Hebrew- speaking SLT clinician and her child-client. Using discourse analysis, the study highlights the tension between the mechanical aspects of speech correction and the holistic, creative nature of dialogue. It argues that the clinician’s emphasis on correct pronunciation undermines opportunities for genuine dialogic engagement. Instead of fostering open, autonomous, and reciprocal communication, the sessions often prioritize adherence to linguistic norms, which may silence the child’s creative input and reduce their agency. This chapter invites us to rethink the nature of dialogue within the speech-language therapeutic setting, where the act of communication is both the medium and the goal of the encounter.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Dialogue: The mundane and the phenomenological
  • 3.Non-dialogic moments in interaction
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (37)
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