This unit will cover two key areas: school aged children and children with diverse communication and learning needs.
In the "Working with school aged children" module, students will build on their understanding of early language development to consider the impact of further language development and skill on the acquisition of literacy and achievement of academic success. Students will consider language and literacy development within the context of the classroom environment and the demands of the academic curricula, as well as the implications of a communication impairment for a child's educational, occupational and social outcomes.
In the "Working with children with diverse needs" module, students will acquire the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose and plan effective evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents with diverse communication and learning needs, including autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and cleft palate. Students will also gain skills in working with children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Across both modules, students will develop an understanding of the role of the speech pathologist and other professionals involved in student's care team, including their contribution to assessment and management in these contexts and in the classroom environment.
This unit includes a mandatory 5 day residential school.
