Director: Dr. Khader Joudeh
The Center for Phonetics Research ( CPR ) was established by a Royal Decree in 1987. Her Royal Highness Princess Sarvath El Hassan inaugurated its activities in 1990. Since then, CPR has been committed to the promotion of scientific studies of Speech and Language Disorders. It provides both academic training and clinical services.
The training program provides training for graduate students who pursue a master’s degree in speech – language pathology. The clinical program provides speech, language and hearing services.
The Center’s Clinics offer speech, language and hearing diagnostic services. Treatment services are provided by professional speech-language pathologists. Well over (286) clients have been evaluated and more than (358) cases were treated during the period Jan - Dec, 2001.
CPR speech pathologists evaluate the child’s language development, design organized plans of language sessions and suggest strategies for effective communication. Over the past decade, they have rendered humane services to hundreds of Jordanian children with problems in voice, speech or hearing.
Mission
The focus of the CPR research is the study of human speech sounds in terms of their physical, physiological and cognitive manifestations. The focus of the communication disorders module is on Arabic speech and language problems, professions “ at vocal risk” (lawyers, actors, school teachers and Mosque Imams), survey of Communication Disorders among school- age Children, speech analysis, testing materials for Arabic and language development.
CPR is committed to helping persons with communication disorders. Diagnostic and treatment services are provided by licensed speech pathologists who possess strong motivation to help individuals with genetically, physically, or psychologically caused communication problems. Because language is important for social development and effective communication, CPR stresses high standards of clinical competence and ethical delivery of services.
Speech-Language and Hearing Clinics
The Speech – Language and Hearing Clinics are self – supporting clinics operating for two primary purposes: (i) as training clinics for graduate students registered for the master’s degree in speech- language pathology, and (ii) as a service to the community.
Clinicians have completed their master’s degree. The clinics serve both children and adults and provide evaluation for disorders of hearing, and / or evaluation and treatment for disorders of speech, and delay or disorders of language. Services available include the following:
- Speech-Language Diagnoses. Speech – Language Diagnoses may include assessment of any one of the following:
- The Speech Mechanism (lips, tongue, palate, teeth, and supporting structures).
- Articulation and Phonological development.
- Language Comprehension (receptive language).
- Fluency of Speech (identification of stuttering).
- Vocal Aspects of Speech (voice resonance).
- Communication Competency.
- Screening of Hearing or Referral to Audiological Testing.
- Speech-Language Therapy. Speech –Language Therapy includes treatment of the following Speech Language difficulties:
- Treatment of Speech Intelligibility.
- Delayed Language.
- Motor – Based Articulation (e.g. Lisp).
- Dysarthria.
- Apraxia.
- Treatment of Disordered Language.
- Language Learning Disorder.
- Aphasia.
- Developmental Delay / Autism.
- Reading and Writing Difficulties
- Treatment of Disorders of Fluency.
- Treatment of Voice Disorders.
- Organic Voice Disorders (e.g. vocal nodules, polyps).
- Voice Disorders Resulting from Strain or Use Factors.
- Psychogenic Voice Disorders.
- Cleft Palate.
- Resonance Palate Nasality.
- Audiology Diagnoses. Audiology diagnosis includes the following:
- Pure-tone Hearing Thresholds.
- Immittance Testing (middle ear functioning).
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR).
Audiologists identify and assess hearing disorders. They prescribe hearing aids. Parents or family members may observe therapy sessions. At the beginning of the treatment plan, the procedure is discussed with the parents so that parents would become aware of treatment objectives. A progress report is provided at the end of the sessions. The reports are kept in files which are strictly confidential.
To initiate services in the clinics, the client phones the clinic office which can be reached at:
(962 6) 5355000 3347 Sunday through Thursday between hours of 8: 00 – 5:00 p.m.
Practicum
M.A. Speech Pathology students are expected to complete practicum work at the Center for Phonetics Research before beginning internships. Students’ clinics include: Speech- Language Practicum, Child Language Disorders, and Rehabilitation Clinic. Students of the M.A. Program in Speech Language Pathology perform diagnosis and treatment for a variety of speech and hearing disorders. There are about (120) graduate students who are involved in clinical observation, in the CPR clinics. Graduates find employment opportunities in hospitals, schools, community speech and hearing clinics, or private practice. The program is designed to provide speech- language students with skills needed to study etiology, prevention, diagnosis and remediation of speech language and hearing disorders. Graduates from the program will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of normal processes of speech, hearing and language factors and conditions which cause and perpetuate disorders of speech, hearing and language and methodological issues in the rehabilitation of communicative disorders in children and adults.
Physical Facilities and Space
The center occupies (400m) square meters in the complex next to the Administration Building of the University of Jordan. This includes, speech-language clinics, an audiology clinic, hearing tests, a voice clinic and laboratory space.
* Speech Pathologists at CPR conducted tests in different regions of Jordan to find out the size of the problem in speech and language disorders. Consequently, many children were referred to the Center for training.
Contact Us :
Tel. +962 6 5355000 Ext. 23988
Fax. +962 6 5355580
E-mail: cpr@ju.edu.jo