Aphasia courses
Courses for adults with aphasia
What is aphasia / dysphasia?
Aphasia (sometimes called dysphasia) is a communication disability affecting a person’s ability to make themselves understood or to understand others. It is usually the result of a stroke or head injury. It can vary in severity and affect different people in different ways. The effects of aphasia may change over time.
City Lit offers courses and support for people with aphasia including the Communication group.
What might the effects of aphasia be?
A person with aphasia may find it difficult to:
• say what they want to say
• understand what other people are saying
• follow a conversation in a group
• talk or listen in a noisy environment
• make sense of written information
• write things down
• follow a television programme or film
• use the telephone
It is important to remember that the intellect of the person with aphasia remains unaffected. The difficulties outlined above may affect all aspects of a person’s life including their work, social and home life. Aphasia may lead to frustration and isolation.
What do we offer?
We offer a group therapy course for people with aphasia.
We also offer support for people with aphasia who may wish to attend courses in the main programme.
Communication Group
Our Communication Group takes place every Wednesday afternoon. It lasts for two hours. The group is a conversation group for those people living with aphasia and is facilitated by a specialist speech & language therapist. It offers you an opportunity to:
• meet other people with aphasia
• develop your communication skills
• gain more confidence in your communication
• support other people dealing with communication disability.
Access to Learning
Our Access to Learning team is available to assist people with aphasia to access courses in the main programme. For example you may wish to do a course:
in computing or yoga
or music
There are lots of different courses to choose from.
Once your needs have been assessed and we’ve discussed with you what course would be suitable, we can help with:
• access to buildings
• pre-course visits
• enrolment
• support in the classroom
• adapting course materials to better meet your needs
• note taking
The team will work alongside you to identify your support needs and to provide the relevant support you may need to access a course of your choice.
Facilities
We are pleased to say that we have recently moved into our new building in Covent Garden.
It is fully accessible with lifts and ramps. The classrooms are bright and airy. Our building is not far from the underground or buses. There is a comfortable café on site. Our reception staff are friendly and helpful so when you arrive please go to the reception and they will direct you.
Nearest tube stations: Holborn (Piccadilly and Central lines) and Covent Garden (Piccadilly line).
If you would like more information about what City Lit has to offer adults with aphasia please contact:
Jan Logan, Speech & Language Therapist
E mail: jan.logan@citylit.ac.uk
Telephone: 020 7492 2578
Write to: Jan Logan, Speech & Language Therapist
Speech Therapy
City Lit
Keeley Street
London WC2B 4BA