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The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts. |
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Commonly used terms relating to speech/language disability may include: | Articulation: the process of producing speech sounds Auditory processing: the process through which the brain recognises and interprets sounds students with an auditory processing disorder often do not recognise subtle differences between sounds in words, even though the sounds themselves are loud and clear this is more likely to occur when in a noisy environment or when listening to complex information Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC): modes of communication, apart from speech, which are used to supplement a person's speech (augmentative communication), or to replace a person's speech (alternative communication) e.g. signing and voice output communication aids Communication: the process of exchange of meaning through listening, speaking, viewing, signing, symbols, gesture, facial expression, reading and writing Communication difficulty: a barrier to receiving and understanding messages and making and sending messages due to factors external to the person continued ... |
Commonly used terms relating to speech/language disability (contd): | Communication disability: a disability in the process of exchange of meaning students can have a communication disability as a result of underlying speech/language disability students can also have a communication disability as a result of other disabilities: for example, a student with a physical disability may have a limited ability to use the muscles of the mouth, thus limiting the ability to use oral communication therefore, a communication disability does not necessarily mean that there is underlying speech/language disability Disability: any lack or restriction of the ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being, resulting from disability Education adjustment: a measure or action taken by an education provider to assist a student with a disability to participate in education on the same basis as a student without a disability an education adjustment can include an aid, a facility, or a service that the student requires because of his or her disability. Disability (or impairment): abnormality of structure or function at the level of the organ; thus language disability relates to the body structures and functions associated with language processing and production inherent in this definition is the concept that the disability/impairment is intrinsic to the child a reader cannot assume this is the definition of disability/impairment used in other documents: a commonly-used definition is to equate disability/ impairment with severe disablement continued ... |
Commonly used terms relating to speech/language disability (contd): | Language: a conventional symbolic system used to communicate it is symbolic because the spoken, signed, indicated or written units of a language act as symbols, that is, they represent objects or concepts it is conventional because members of a community share the meaning of the symbols it is a system because there are rules for combining the symbols, and rules for using the symbols in different contexts |
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Developmental implications of speech/language disability may include: | Delays in comparison to the student's age cohort due to difficulties with: speech processing: recognising, and manipulating speech sounds language comprehension: understanding a message that has been made according to the rules of a conventional symbolic system (i.e. according to the rules of a language) speech production: saying and using sounds in words correctly language production: formulating a message according to the rules of a conventional symbolic system language use: this refers to producing language that is appropriate to the context and also to interpreting (understanding) language according to the context language use is sometimes referred to as 'pragmatics', and is often included as part of language production and also as part of language comprehension |
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Ways in which speech/language disability can affect student learning include: | Students learn through the process of communication, regardless of the mode of communication (e.g. whether it is spoken, signed, written, etc.) and the direction of the communication (e.g. teacher to student, student to student, textbook to student, student to teacher) A speech/language disability will result in a communication disability and can affect student's ability to: (i) understand and express information (ii) relate to others, including teachers and peers (iii) express needs, abilities and interests (iv) acquire adequate literacy and numeracy skills (v) participate in group activities (vi) develop a positive self concept (vii) learn appropriate behaviour and social skills (viii) problem solve, and (ix) acquire and demonstrate knowledge in key learning areas Speech/language disability can affect a student's participation in and achievement of learning outcomes from all areas of the curriculum The effect is not restricted to obvious areas such as communication in the early years curriculum, or English and language other than English (LOTE) |
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Implications of the communication difficulty include: | A student with speech/language disability who speaks in a way that is difficult for the listener to understand may: (i) often be misinterpreted by the teacher or peers (ii) avoid speaking, in an attempt to reduce potential frustration and embarrassment (iii) be given fewer opportunities to communicate by the teacher and by peers If this student's educational needs are not carefully considered, he/she may miss out on opportunities to: (i) demonstrate knowledge (ii) receive positive feedback from the teacher and peers relating to knowledge demonstrated (iii) receive additional information or correction relating to knowledge demonstrated (iv) request additional information or clarification of directions and instructions (v) direct conversation to specific areas of interest, within the current classroom topic (vi) negotiate activities and responsibilities with peers and the teacher (vii) establish an identity as a contributing and relevant member of the class. It is important for students to participate in these interactions in all learning areas A student with speech/language disability who has difficulty understanding messages that have been made according to the rules of a language may have difficulty understanding the following regardless of whether they are spoken or written: (i) instructions and directions (ii) questions (iii) answers to questions (iv) explanations (v) requests (vi) comments (vii) discussion (viii) stories and/or lectures (ix) conversations Students with language production difficulties may demonstrate limited capacity to: convey thoughts and feelings using appropriate words and grammatical structures ask questions participate in conversations answer questions use and define vocabulary continued ... |
Implications of the communication difficulty (contd): | Students with difficulty using language for a range of purposes may struggle to: use and understand a range of oral and written text types, e.g. persuasive, advertising, and information interact socially with peers and adults understand and use figurative language participate in discussions understand different perspectives Students with speech processing difficulties may struggle to develop phonological awareness which has a significant impact on learning to read and spell |
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Effective strategies and program adjustments may include: | Using more and/or longer pauses during instruction, to provide more processing time than is usual; Providing wait time - which is time for the student to respond Using specific visual cues while providing spoken instruction (such as overhead transparency/ whiteboard/ blackboard topic headings, written instructions/examples, or symbol/picture/photo sequences) Providing high redundancy instruction and repetition (specific information/vocabulary/sentence structures/ text features encountered many times, but in different contexts) Explicit pre-teaching of topic vocabulary and structures Activating the student's topic knowledge (especially focusing on related vocabulary) when introducing new topics or units of work Providing visual supports e.g. graphic organisers, to support orally presented information Using explicit topic shift cues in classroom discourse so the student can easily follow topic changes made by the teacher for example, the teacher may overtly teach the class that when he or she says a key phrase such as, '...okay new/different topic here...' they are to listen carefully, because new/different information will be presented continued ... |
Effective strategies and program adjustments (contd): | Providing more frequent and explicit opportunities for repair of conversation/interaction breakdown for example, the teacher may give explicit instructions about what students should say if they lose the thread of classroom talk, or build a low key 'checking for comprehension' routine into his or her discourse, so that students become used to indicating 'where they got lost' Increasing frequency of practice and review for specific activities Adjusting vocabulary use and syntactic complexity of classroom discourse - for example, instead of saying, 'Before you get out your books and start writing, I want you to listen to me read this description, because it demonstrates the type of thing I want you to go away and write in your groups,' the teacher may say: 'Listen to this description. It is a good description. Think about what makes it a good description' Using an alternative/augmentative communication system such as Makaton (an approach that uses key word signing to facilitate language) |
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The learning environment may include: | A furnished room in an educational facility An outside area A community space Groups of people A sports team Resources Technology Levels of noise that may or may not be adjusted Levels of light that may or may not be adjusted |
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An environment conducive to learning provides: | A safe supportive educational environment Relevance to the cultural context of student learning Community engagement and participation Opportunities for students to actively engage in learning Flexibility Inclusivity Values Diversity Holistic learning opportunities Social justice |
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Suitable resources may include: | Symbols and pictures to facilitate understanding of instructions, new concepts etc. The student may use a computer and associated equipment for achieving specific learning outcomes The student may use computer software programs (e.g. inspiration, clicker 5) to help achieve specific learning outcomes The student may communicate by pointing to symbols using low tech communication displays, or chat books, or a high tech device which uses a microprocessor-based voice output device |
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Support may include: | A collaborative educational team approach to appropriate programming A learning support program A speech/language therapy program A social skills program A self-esteem program Teaching the student to use strategies/skills (for example, mental imagery, mental rehearsal, graphic organisers, self-prompts, summarising, task analysis, and think aloud) to help the student achieve specific learning outcomes Teaching the student to use an augmentative communication system, e.g. Makaton |
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Education teams may include: | Principal Head of special education services Speech/language pathologist Advisory visiting teacher Classroom teachers Education support workers |
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Contribute as a team member includes: | Sharing information that could assist the education team to set learning goals for a student Evaluating specific learning activities and resources in relation to the student's learning needs, learning style, special learning needs, background and prior learning Asking for clarification, further information, opinions and/or feedback in relation to support for the student with speech/language disability Offering and receiving suggestions for improvements e.g. to the learning environment, resources, delivery strategies, structure of activities, grouping of students |
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Effective learning outcomes for the student with a speech/language disability may include, but are not limited to: | Students are able to effectively demonstrate what they know and what they can do with what they know Students progress towards or achieve identified learning goals Learning builds on and extends a student's current understandings and knowledge Learning provides knowledge and skills that are transferable Learning improves communication skills |
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Adjustments to learning programs are limited to: | Adjustments to the learning activity that do not compromise the intended learning outcomes Adjustments that cater for a student's learning style Adjustments that enable flexibility e.g. In time and/or interactions within the learning group The scope agreed with supervising teacher/s which may focus on language comprehension, production and language use |
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Adjustments to assessment processes may include: | Consider current assessment best practices by considering a range of assessment tools The student may require extra time Extra breaks Use of an alternative/augmentative communication system to demonstrate learning outcomes Alternate presentation of the task (e.g. Reduced complexity) Assistance with reading, writing and interpretation of assessment material (where appropriate) |
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Adjustments to the learning environment may include: | Manipulating size of student working groups for specific learning outcomes Designing physical classroom features or classroom routines to reduce background noise Utilising locations other than the classroom to facilitate specific learning outcomes Placing students near a capable buddy |
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