Background: This thesis provides an updated systematic review of the literature relating to how communication skills are taught to Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) students in tertiary education. A comparison between experiential and instructive teaching approaches is investigated and primarily measured based on students’ perceptions.

Method: The databases CINAHL, Education Source, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Academic Search Complete were searched using key terms related to teaching speechlanguage pathology or audiology students and communication skills. Articles that described an experiential and/or instructional teaching method designed for CSD education were selected and reviewed. Evaluation of the learning process and publication since 2007 were further inclusion criteria that needed to be met. The Joanne Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of included articles.

Results: Twenty-eight articles were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria out of 601 articles sourced. Interventions and their outcomes were collated for comparison between the studies. Thematic narrative analysis indicated simulation was the most common intervention approach with the majority of these articles indicating value of this method based on students’ perceptions. However, all studies that used a hybrid approach, with both instructional and experiential components, found benefit from the students’ perspective.

Conclusions: The findings from this review suggest low quality evidence that experiential learning methods do improve clinical communication skills beyond use of only instructive methods. However, the studies indicate greater support for integrating instructive and experiential approaches supported by opportunities for critical reflection, specific feedback and repeated practise.