IT IS WITH DEEP SADNESS THAT CLASTA HAVE LEARNED OF THE PASSING OF PROF. JAMES LAW
We are sad to hear of the passing of Prof. James Law. In 2017 he generously agreed to hold a lectio magistralis entitled Child Language as a Public Health Issue and What Can Be Done About It at the Giornate CLASTA 2017 in Padua (12th May, 2017).
Prof. James Law was Professor of Speech and Language Sciences at Newcastle University and at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). The Review on speech and language therapy interventions he published in 2003 is a real milestone of evidence-based medicine. At the same time, it had the merit of enhancing speech and language support and facilities for children in Great Britain.
After this publication, he tirelessly dedicated himself to the spreading of a deeper and more updated knowledge of studies on problems connected with the development of language and on interventions in this field, in a profound belief that society and political decision-makers have a great responsibility in contrasting social injustices also regarding health issues, and to guarantee adequate care for girls and boys of all social backgrounds. These concepts were also clearly expressed in the lectio magistralis he held in Padua, which is available on our website for members and associates.
His sudden and unexpected death is a great loss to the whole scientific community as well as to all those who believe that the mission of science is to make the world a better place.
Farewell James. May the earth be light to you.
Materials
CLASTA organizes every year a two-day conference (Giornate CLASTA) that gathers researchers and practitioners working within the field of language and communication development in typical and atypical populations. The Giornate CLASTA include keynote lectures, thematic symposia and poster sessions.
Since 2014, CLASTA has also been promoting a working group that includes more than 20 Associations, Organizations, and Institutions, for the implementation of a Consensus Conference on primary language impairment. The Consensus Conference is organized in collaboration with the Federation of Italian Speech and Language Therapists.