SPEECH PATHOLOGY
The KCC Speech Pathology team began in the western suburbs of Melbourne in 2009, since then we have been passionate about supporting children’s communication development. We extend our services to clinic-based sessions and offer support in school or kindergarten settings. As a team, we embrace a purposeful approach that infuses intention into every facet of our work, ensuring that every interaction, from our collaborative team discussions to our individual sessions with children, is driven by a specific and meaningful goal.
Our clinicians, who work with children experiencing diverse abilities, are deeply committed to making a meaningful impact in each child’s life. This commitment motivates us to demonstrate our value through the provision of outcomes that are both tangible and measurable. We firmly believe in the need for results-driven intervention, recognising that every child’s journey is unique. Our firsthand experience reinforces how purposeful engagement can genuinely enhance a child’s progress.
At KCC, we specialise in the assessment and treatment of children with communication disorders, encompassing challenges in speaking, comprehension, reading, social interactions, fluency, and appropriate voice usage. We approach each child’s unique communication needs with empathy, respect, and an unwavering commitment to their holistic development.
Assessment of Communication
Our assessment process for communication skills is a comprehensive and holistic approach, designed to understand and address a child’s unique needs. We focus on various aspects of communication, including receptive and expressive language, sounds, fluency, pragmatic skills, auditory comprehension, and literacy skills. Here is an overview of our assessment process:
- Family Questionnaire: We begin by gathering essential information through a comprehensive family questionnaire, which helps us understand your child's background and unique circumstances.
- Service Agreement: We work with you to complete a service agreement, outlining the scope of services, goals, and expectations, ensuring transparency and alignment.
- Family Support Plan: Through building a family support plan, we delve deeper into your family's needs and explore how we can provide the most effective support.
- Child Assessment: Our experienced team conducts a thorough assessment of your child, considering their strengths, challenges, and developmental goals. This can be done through the completion of standardised assessments or informal observation.
- Outcome Explanation: After the assessment, we take the time to discuss the assessment results with you, providing a clear understanding of your child's progress and areas of focus.
- Goal Setting: Together, we work with your family to define and prioritise achievable goals that align with your child's unique development journey. This collaborative approach ensures that our services are tailored to your whole family’s needs.
Receptive Language Skills
Receptive language is a vital aspect of communication, encompassing a child’s ability to understand spoken language. A qualified Speech Pathologist will assess receptive language through a combination of formal assessments and informal observations. These assessments help us to evaluate vocabulary comprehension, sentence structure, and the ability to follow spoken instructions. We consider the child’s age and developmental stage as well as the family’s needs when developing and prioritising intervention goals.
Once we’ve identified a child’s specific needs, we create interventions that are engaging and effective. We use a variety of toys, games, and everyday objects to build their understanding of concepts, instructions, and relationships. Our goal is to make learning enjoyable and relevant to the child’s daily life. By targeting receptive language development in a neuroaffirmative and interactive way, we empower children to reach their communication goals and thrive on their unique developmental journey.
Expressive Language Skills
Expressive language is a key element of effective communication, encompassing a child’s ability to convey thoughts, ideas, and emotions through spoken language. A qualified Speech Pathologist will assess expressive language using a blend of formal assessments and informal observations. This process involves comparing the child’s expressive language skills to developmental norms to pinpoint their level of understanding and identify priority goals.
Our assessment approach combines standardised tests with keen observations to gain a comprehensive understanding of the child’s expressive language abilities. These assessments help us evaluate vocabulary usage, sentence structure, and the child’s ability to express their thoughts and needs effectively.
We then support the child in building their vocabulary, enhancing sentence structure, and honing their ability to express thoughts and ideas. We utilise a wide array of tools, including objects, pictures, games, and everyday items, to create a learning experience that is both enjoyable and practical.
Articulation
Articulation refers to the clear and precise pronunciation of speech sounds. Developing accurate articulation is essential because it directly impacts a child’s ability to be understood and effectively communicate with others. A Speech Pathologist will evaluate a child’s articulation of sounds through a combination of formal assessments and informal observations. We compare the child’s articulation skills to established developmental norms, allowing us to determine their level of proficiency and identify areas that require attention. Following the assessment, we set achievable and measurable goals that are tailored to the child’s unique articulation needs.
We employ a structured and hierarchical approach to intervention, targeting sounds of high importance and value to both the child and their family. This is done by incorporating engaging activities, games, and exercises to make therapy sessions enjoyable and interactive. Consistent practice and repetition are fundamental to articulation therapy. We provide the child with opportunities to practice the target sounds in various contexts to enhance their speech clarity.
We encourage parents and caregivers to support the child’s progress by engaging in home practice activities. This reinforces the skills learned during therapy and promotes generalization into everyday communication. We continuously monitor the child’s progress to ensure that they are meeting their articulation goals. Adjustments are made to the therapy plan as needed.
Phonological Awareness
Phonological awareness is a fundamental pre-literacy skill that encompasses the understanding and recognition of the sound structure of spoken language. This skill set is a crucial building block for early literacy development, and it plays a pivotal role in a child’s ability to read and write. A Speech Pathologist will focus on assessing a child’s phonological awareness skills by assessing the child’s ability to identify and form rhyme, segmenting words, blending sounds, identifying beginning and ending phonemes.
By identifying a child’s strengths and areas for improvement in phonological awareness, we can set specific and achievable goals to enhance these skills. Our intervention methods are designed to promote phonological awareness through engaging and interactive activities. We work with the child to build their phonological awareness skills by paying games and activities that strengthen their understanding of pre-literacy rules. Our goal is to empower children with strong phonological awareness skills, laying a solid foundation for their literacy development and lifelong learning.
Literacy
Literacy is the ability to read and write, and it forms the cornerstone of effective communication and lifelong learning. It also involves decoding the rules needed to understand, read, and spell words. Through assessment, we evaluate a child’s proficiency in these fundamental literacy skills, identifying areas for growth.
Our approach is centred on developing achievable and measurable goals that are tailored to the child’s unique needs. We work diligently to build their literacy skills by foster a deep understanding of language, phonics, and comprehension. Our interventions are designed to empower children to become confident and capable readers and writers, equipping them with essential skills for their educational journey.
Fluency
Fluency in communication is the ability to express thoughts, ideas, and emotions smoothly and effectively. It encompasses the ability to speak with clarity, rhythm, and coherence. A Speech Pathologist will assess and observing blocks, pauses and stutters in their conversational speech which includes assessing their speech rate, rhythm, and the absence of disruptions. Our goal is to develop achievable and measurable objectives to enhance a child’s fluent speech, enabling them to communicate with confidence and effectiveness. We work collaboratively with the child to build the skills needed for clear and uninterrupted communication, fostering their ability to engage with the world and express themselves confidently.
Pragmatic Skills
Pragmatic skills are the social communication abilities that enable children to navigate interactions and relationships effectively. We recognize that these skills are vital for building meaningful connections and enhancing a child’s social and emotional well-being. We take a neuroaffirming approach to guide children through situations that may trigger distress or anxiety. Our aim is to provide them with the tools to assert themselves, feel heard, and make genuine connections with the people around them. Through tailored interventions and support, we empower children to communicate confidently, understand social nuances, and foster authentic relationships, ultimately enriching their lives and fostering a sense of belonging in their community.