Educational Speech, Language Pathology and Audiology: considerations on the medicalization of education

Abstract

Introduction: Over the last few years educational speech-language pathology and audiology practices have been addressed to students to identify any impairment in their language and learning. Several professionals have been debating about this context, which, in the long run, reflects in school failure. Objective: to make considerations about the role of educational speech-language pathology and audiology and of the medicalization process in education. Method: Bibliographical research using the key words: educational speech-language pathology and audiology and medicalization of education. Results: School is considered a promoter of opportunities for improvement of the citizens’ quality of life. For the student who does not present the expected development, school failure is what is left and its causes must be diagnosed by health professionals, as they are seen as capable of solving the problem. The performance of the educational speech-language pathologist requires knowledge about the educational context as well as about the specific features of the institution where he is inserted. This is the only way to develop citizenship and to offer benefits to the community as a whole. This is the goal of those who consider Education belongs beyond School walls. Conclusion: Over the last few years research and publications in this area continue to indicate strong tendency to maintain a clinical view of the School, despite institutional proposals. Initiatives seek to urge other possibilities of action, namely partnership with teachers and families, emphasizing the uniqueness of the learning process and the role the School plays preparing citizens, both in the regular education network and in special education.