Maximise your impact: Sustainable Development Goals-Focussed content in communication intervention and teaching

Abstract

Purpose: Communication specialists strive to develop communication skills of students and clients using evidence-based practices. There is limited discussion of the topic content of speech-language pathology interventions and language education strategies that act as the vehicle to deliver intervention/education. In this commentary we demonstrate ways materials based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; United Nations, 2015) can be integrated into daily practices when working with people with communication disability and people acquiring additional languages. Result: Examples are provided as to how any or all SDGs can be used as the content base within speech-language pathology interventions and language education. A number of situations are presented illustrating SDG-focussed content across diverse settings. Conclusion: This commentary paper focusses on how content from all 17 SDGS that can be embedded into speech-language pathology and language education services to enhance the speech, language, and literacy skills and SDG knowledge of both children and adults. In addition, educational and therapy resource developers are called to rise to the challenge of creating materials based on the SDGs.