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Proposal
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Rationale
3. Research question/hypothesis
4. Aims and objectives of the proposed research study
5. Research design and methodological approach
6. Ethical considerations
7. Projected outcomes
8. Conclusion
9. Bibliography
Introduction
Nowadays, the number of Latin American immigrants in the inner
London boroughs constantly grows. Naturally, as they arrive
from different countries they have different socio-cultural
background and even those Latin Americans, who have already
got certain experience and have been living in the UK for
some period of time, are, as a rule, the first or second generation
of immigrants. Consequently, they sustained a close links
with their motherland and often face certain problems with
integration in London society.
Obviously this problem is extremely serious and needs to be
thoroughly researched in order to find a possible solution
which could be effective enough and permitted to overcome
the existing socio-cultural barriers that exist in the life
of thousands of Latin American immigrants in the inner London
boroughs. In this respect, it is worthy of mention that the
assistance of occupational therapist is often essential, especially
in serious cases when Latin American immigrants simply turn
to be in isolation from the rest of London society and cannot
fully realize their skills and abilities and find their own
place in life. Among the recent trends of treatment of Latin
American immigrants who have such serious problems may be
named the use of interpreters by occupational therapist which
can really help close the socio-cultural gap between Latin
American immigrants and occupational therapists as well as
London society at large. It is extremely important because
this aspect of the problem of overcoming multicultural barriers
by Latin American immigrants remains merely researched.
Rationale
In fact, the research of the perspective of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists as an effective tool, which can
really help overcome multicultural barriers of Latin American
immigrants in the inner London boroughs in the UK, is really
important and necessary. Basically, there are several reasons
that can explain such a significance of the research of this
area.
First of all, it should be said that many Latin American immigrants
face serious problems and need a professional treatment from
the part of occupational therapists. In this respect, it should
be pointed out that the number of Latin American immigrants
in the inner London boroughs as well as in the UK constantly
grows and this growth is quite fast since within a decade
from 1990 to early 2000s, the number of Latin American immigrants
has grown substantially.
However, the lack of mutual understanding and simply miscomprehension
of needs, motivations, behaviour, values, culture in general,
make the help of occupational therapist of low efficiency,
thus depriving many Latin American immigrants from effective
treatment. In actuality, according to the existing researchers
often multicultural barriers turn to be too strong and simply
unsurpassable.
In such a situation, the use of interpreters in the work of
occupational therapists with Latin American immigrants can
be really helpful as they possess a profound knowledge of
the language and, thus, know socio-cultural background and
ethic values of Latin Americans, their lifestyle and habits.
Consequently, they may be potentially very helpful closing
the gap between not only between Latin American immigrants
and occupational therapists but between Latin American community
in the inner London boroughs and the rest of London society
at large.
However, this potential is hidden, at the present moment,
and neither specialists nor the wide public can fully assess
the extent, to which the use of interpreters by occupation
therapists can be effective. Nonetheless, regardless the fact
that this question remains under-researched, the potential
benefits of the use of interpreters by occupational therapists
are obvious and have been already mentioned above.
This research of this problem is particularly important in
the context of the growing number of Latin American immigrants
in the inner London boroughs that means that the problems
they face in the new country gradually aggravate and the effective
help from the part of occupational therapists become vitally
important to many of them. At the same time, it is worthy
of mention that, to a significant extent, the problems of
Latin American immigrants are relatively new to occupational
therapists not because they differ in principle but because
Latin Americans need a different approach compared to other
ethnic groups occupational therapists have a longer experience
of work with. And again it should be said that the use of
interpreters, being quite innovative in the practice of occupational
therapist, is also worthy of attention of specialists and
should be researched.
Moreover, the use of interpreters by occupational therapists
is important not only in terms of their direct professional
practice as specialists working with a definite category of
people, but it is also important in larger terms of social
and health care because the assistance of interpreters means
the growing cooperation of health and social workers and,
what is more, they would not simply help in terms of health
care but they would also bring cultural and social value to
the treatment of Latin American immigrants who need the help
of occupational therapists.
Naturally, the research of the use of interpreters by occupational
therapists, being quite new, should be based on the effective
methodology and involve possibly more efficient methods of
research. In this respect, it should be said that, because
of the complexity of the problem, it is possible to recommend
the application of a variety of methods that would provide
ample information about the Latin American community of the
inner London boroughs, its problems and the perspectives of
the use of interpreters in the treatment of those Latin Americans
who really need it. Practically, this means that the analysis
of statistics and research of specialists opinion would be
of a paramount importance as well as the position of Latin
American immigrants themselves.
Research question/hypothesis
Basically, the research should be focused on the problems
Latin American immigrants are currently facing in the inner
London boroughs and the opportunities of occupational therapist
to help them. To put it more precisely, it is necessary to
primarily identify whether the use of interpreters by occupational
therapists in their treatment of Latin American immigrants
will increase the effectiveness of the treatment or not, or
probably, it will even have quite the opposite result and,
in stark contrast to expectations, it could have some negative
consequences which remain unseen before the profound research
of the problem.
In fact, it should be pointed out that, because of the lack
of researches dedicated to the problem of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists to overcome the existing multicultural
barriers of Latin American immigrants in London, it is really
difficult to definitely say what will be the actual positive
consequences of the assistance of interpreters and whether
they can really outweigh possible negative consequences if
any could be found in terms of the proposed research and this
is actually the question the research is supposed to answer.
At the same time, it is worthy of mention that the proposed
research is not totally new since there exist certain researches
dedicated to the importance of the language in the work of
occupational therapists with their clients. Practically, it
mans that the existing researchers have already proven the
effectiveness of the development of language skills and improving
language proficiency as an effective tool that could be used
by occupational therapists in the treatment of their clients.
In this respect, it should be said that the bilingual education
is considered to be particularly perspective. Consequently,
it is obvious that, as the researchers show that the language
skills and proficiency are really important, the question
concerning the effectiveness of interpreters in the cooperation
with occupational therapists may get to be more concrete.
Notably, it would be possible to focus on the research of
positive effects of the language therapy that may be developed
by interpreters and occupational therapists who would mutually
enrich each other using their own knowledge and experience
in different field being applied to the treatment of Latin
American immigrants in the inner London boroughs.
Aims and objectives of the proposed research study
Obviously, a reliable research can be conducted only when
its objectives are clearly defined. This is why, speaking
about the use of interpreters by occupational therapists to
overcome multicultural barriers of Latin American immigrants
in the inner London boroughs in the UK, it is primarily necessary
to point out that one of the major goals of the research is
to clearly define the need of Latin American Immigrants in
the UK at large and the inner London boroughs in particular.
It means that it is necessary not only to define the number
of Latin American immigrants in the defined area but also
to single out those immigrants who really need the help of
occupational therapists and, on this basis, reveal their actual
needs and forecast their future needs they will have in the
process of treatment and integration in the new socio-cultural
as well as economic environment.
On the other hand, it will be necessary to achieve another
objective, to assess the potential of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists in overcoming multicultural barriers
by Latin American immigrants on the basis of their actual
needs and the potential problems they may have. This means
that it is necessary to define where interpreters can be used
and help professional occupational therapists. In this respect,
it is possible to remind about the potential of the language
therapy, for instance.
Furthermore, it is necessary to clearly define the potential
benefits of the use of interpreters by occupational therapists.
In this respect, it will be necessary to refer to the importance
of socio-cultural background in the treatment of Latin American
immigrants as well as many other clients of occupational therapists.
Obviously, this means that it is necessary to define the points
where the cooperation of interpreters and occupational therapists
would be particularly fruitful.
Practically, it means that it will necessary to pay a particular
attention to the language therapy as an effective tool that
can be used by occupational therapists and in which interpreters
may be extremely helpful since they possess a profound knowledge
of language and, what is more, they better understand socio-cultural
background of Latin American immigrants, their traditions,
ethic and moral norms, lifestyle, etc. This may be viewed
as the basis of the cooperation of interpreters and occupational
therapists.
At the same time, it will be necessary to define the potential
difficulties occupational therapists can face while using
interpreters to overcome multicultural barriers of Latin American
immigrants. In this respect, it is possible to focus on lack
of linguistic experience of occupational therapists and, in
contrast, the lack of knowledge of interpreters about the
work of occupational therapists. This is why it would be possible
to dwell upon the perspective of mutual enrichment of experience
of both interpreters and occupational therapists who could
acquire new knowledge from each other that is essential in
their work.
Finally, it is necessary find out the perspectives of the
further use of interpreters by occupational therapists. In
other words, this means the perspectives of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists in relation to other ethnic groups
as well as the perspectives of the language therapy, for instance,
to Latin American immigrants by occupational therapists and
probable enlargement of their professional skills and knowledge
that could also include linguistic skills and knowledge.
Research design and methodological approach
Obviously, the research could reach positive outcome only
on the condition that the research design and methodology
would be effective enough. In this respect, it should be pointed
out that, taking into consideration the complexity of the
problem, it is necessary to apply both quantitative and qualitative
methods of the research. Unquestionably, in order to meet
the goals of the proposed research and objectively assess
the potential and perspectives of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists to overcome serious multicultural
barriers the use of only quantitative or qualitative methods
would be insufficient since it is really hardly possible to
definitely assess the effectiveness of the use of interpreters
in relation to multicultural barriers which rather need qualitative
analysis than quantitative. On the other hand, speaking about
Latin American immigrants quantitative methods would quite
helpful to properly assess the scale of the problem and the
resources that would be needed to the solution of their problems.
Speaking about methodologies that can be applied in the proposed
research, it should be pointed out that first of all it will
be necessary to collect and analyze of statistical data. It
means that one of the suggested methods of the research is
statistical analysis of the current situation in Latin American
community in the inner London boroughs. To put it more precisely
it will be necessary to collect statistical data concerning
the number of Latin American immigrants in the area, find
out the number of those who really need the help of occupational
therapists. Furthermore, judging from the number of the clients
it will be possible to define the number of interpreters that
could assist to occupational therapists as well as reveal
the major trends, notably the growing need of the help of
occupational therapists, and, thus, interpreters, if the number
of immigrants who need help steadily grows, for instance.
At the same time, it is also possible to recommend using interviews
of specialists related to the problem. To put it more precisely,
it is necessary to involve or interview not only occupational
therapists or specialists from the field of healthcare but
it will be also quite important to involve interpreters and
linguists who could provide more information on the potential
and effectiveness of the use of language skills and proficiency,
as well as the knowledge of socio-cultural background based
on the knowledge of language, in communication with Latin
American immigrants. Moreover, linguists as well as occupational
and healthcare specialists can be also helpful as experts
in the field of language therapy.
Basically, it is possible to interview specialists who have
already worked on this or similar problems as well as it will
be quite important to analyze the opinion of independent specialists
that analyze the problem of overcoming multicultural barriers
by Latin American immigrants and the perspective of the use
of interpreters by occupational therapists.
On the other hand, it is also possible to interview Latin
American immigrants as well in order to find out their real
problems they are currently facing, their needs, expectations,
etc. In this respect, it would rather possible to recommend
the using of questionnaires which should be bilingual so that
Latin American immigrants could easily understand questions
and provide the information they are asked for.
It should be pointed out that the collection of data from
Latin American immigrants should comprise the first stage
of the research and after that it will be possible to involve
the specialists, such as occupational therapists, interpreters,
linguists, etc. in order to assess the potential perspectives
of the use of interpreters by occupational therapists to overcome
barriers of Latin American immigrants that were found out
at the first stage of the research.
In brief, the following schedule of the research could be
recommended. First of all, it is possible to start the research
with the defining the major problem, i.e. entering Norwegian
wheat market and related problems and perspectives. Than it
is necessary to define the main objectives of the research,
carefully select methods that could applied. After that it
is necessary to collect essential information and analyze
it. As a result, it will be possible to properly assess the
current situation and make a plausible forecast for the future
development and effectiveness of the use of interpreters by
occupational therapists to overcome multicultural barriers
of Latin American immigrants in the inner London boroughs.
Furthermore, it is necessary to take into consideration the
research budget which should include the costs on collecting
statistical data, interviews, analysis and evaluation of information
received that will naturally need the work of reliable specialists
experienced in statistical analysis and forecasting.
Finally, it will be necessary to take into consideration that
the analysis of the validity and reliability of the data and
information collected are also of a paramount importance since
can influence substantially the outcomes of the research.
Ethical considerations
Unquestionably, the proposed research should take into consideration
ethical aspects of the problem since the involvement of interpreters
that are not related to health care system and, thus, are
not healthcare professionals as occupational therapists are.
Practically, this means that they are actually not prepared
to work with the clients of occupational therapists since
they hardly know the existing ethical norms and values that
regulate the behaviour of occupational therapists.
This is why it is necessary to be very careful on analyzing
the results of the research since it involves important ethical
issues. Moreover, the proposed research of the use of interpreters
by occupational therapists should take into consideration
the problem of effective interaction of the triangle a Latin
American immigrant-interpreter-occupational therapist.
Projected outcomes
Forecasting the possible outcomes, it is possible to say that
the proposed research would reveal the extent to which multicultural
barriers are serious in the Latin American community of the
inner London boroughs. Also, the research will also help better
realize what the actual problems Latin American immigrants
suffer from are.
Moreover, it will be possible to assess and evaluate the potential
of the use of interpreters by occupational therapists in overcoming
these multicultural barriers of Latin American immigrants.
In this respect, it should be said that the opinion of specialists
and the reliability and validity of the data and information
collected by researchers will be of a paramount importance.
Conclusion
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is possible
to conclude that the proposed research is really important
as it will contribute to a more profound analysis of the existing
problems of Latin American immigrants in the inner London
boroughs and, what is more, this research will also help find
alternative ways of their solution or, to put it more precisely,
improve the existing ones.
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