HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT? EXPLORING QUALITY OF LIFE WITH PEOPLE WITH NO FUNCTIONAL SPEECH .

1. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT I WANT? EXPLORING QUALITY OF LIFE WITH PEOPLE WITH NO FUNCTIONAL SPEECH. Professor Kolbein Lyng Molde University College, Molde Norway

2. Molde University College www.himolde.no Molde

3. Enforced narratives • Observe emotional expressions • Give the expressions verbal form in First person utterances • Embed the utterance in a dialogue • Define the meaning/content of the dialogue • Bring the conversation into a relevant narrative • Different formats possible

4. Narratives are about persons • Who is this person? • What would she/he do as a retiree? • Where does she live? • What car is she driving? • What hobbies does she engage in? • Where does she by her cloths?

5. Activate stereotypes about old people • Old witch • Dirty old pig • Nice granny • Jolly grand dad • Casanova • Grumpy old man • Silly old woman • Sour old spinster etc.

6. Tasks to be accomplished • What is the expression? • What do you see (in the face, eyes, posture, breath etc? • What could be said? • Content (what is the message)? • The message should have personal voice (how it is said)? • How do you know? • Link physical expression with possible verbal utterances • Make a dictionary

7. Observe emotional expressions Face Gestures Gaze Sounds Breath Posture Mimic Look for variations What are the emotions? What are the context? Are there many meanings?

8. First person utterances • Everyday language • Emotion • I hate; I love; Fuck off! That was good! Gosh - awful! • Voice • Could you be so kind to send me the potatoes, please vs. • Over here with the potatoes, quick!

9. Non-verbal utterances into dialogues • What are the interchange about? • How is meaning negotiated? • Who sets the agenda and how? • What went wrong and why? • What could have been done differently? • What were the alternative paths? • Rewrite the story? • Use novels, cartoons or theatre as model

10. Sound: O/ uahh Open eyes “Looks” straight in front Open eyes Moves forward = Yes Sound: Aæææ “Closed” eyes Turns head to right Wrings mouth downward to the right = No Dictionary :From “Lovisian” to Norwegian Based on facial expression, sound and bodily movements

11. Sample dialogue S: Do you want some ice cream? L: Looks up: Say: “O/uuahh” and turns head to the left with wide open eyes: Did I hear ice cream? That is really tasty. Now I don’t care about working any more. Turns her head back and smacks her lips: I do hope they meant it! S: If you want some ice ask for help! L: Bends forward and ask nicely for help.: You are strange, but sometimes you do know my way. Staff opens the ice cream, the paper makes some noise. Louise turns her head towards the sound: This will be really nice, I hear they tear the ice cream paper. She licks her lips, opens and closes her eyes and say: O/uahh. S: Look here, here is the ice cream

12. Dialogue continued Louise takes the ice, lifts her eyebrows, opens and shuts her eyes several times. Looks at the staff, blinks and smacks her lips. Turns her head again, : I wanted a big ice, and this is just a lousy ice lolly!! She remains still and blinking with her eyes, while the staff tries to facilitate her hand with the ice toward her mouth. I want to enjoy this moment, don’t push me! Staff tries to distract her by saying: You!! Louise starts to chuckle, You never give in!! S: The ice melts Louise! Louise chuckles even more, Yes, and I decide it gone melt, it is my ice cream Staff repeats: Look it melts – tries to move her hand again Louise keeps on chuckling , now with her entire body. It is so funny to tease you, I do get a lot of attention from you Louise opens her mouth a bit,hesitate, and take a mouthful Ice is ice, Tasty anytime

13. Excercises • Think of two people with a disability and without speech that you know: one who can express himself really well and another that has very limited expression. • What are the expressions? • How can they be observed? • What person is this? • What would she/he do as a retiree? • What would he/she say about about her future as a retiree?

14. Theoretical basis • Development is socially and culturally embedded • Enculturation take place via the second person • Co-constructed meaning in dialogic activities • The adult provides the developing person with meaningful narratives to be appropriated • Communication and meaning construction is socially negotiated • Take for granted that the other person shares a common reality • Attunes to the other person’s perception of the reality

15. cont • Language games • Use of language as a form of life • Meaning is (determined by) how we use language • Writing dialogues enforces meaning into the situation because there are no options to meaningfulness when a story is to be told.

16. Consequences • “Lack of” language use makes enculturation difficult • Should increase focus on emotions instead of skills and cognition • Professional language excludes person from personal narratives • Few narratives available for the disabled without focus on the disability

17. Problems • Who have the right to formulate another persons intentions and innner life? • What could be criteria for when enforced narratives should be used? • Who defines what is a better life?