Introduction

Speech pathology requires skills to live, learn and work in a society where communication and access to information is increasingly through digital technologies.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to access and use technology, and adapt to technological changes.

Justification

• Having the capability to operate various digital technologies in diverse learning and workplace settings.
• Understanding appropriate use of digital technology in various settings.
• Being able to access and update a range of programmes and platforms to deliver speech pathology within the scope of practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others, and a capacity to provide appropriate care.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Able to use digital technology safely; for example, to use relevant equipment, electronic medical records (EMR), telehealth, etc.
• Able to use computers to access online learning resources to support learning.
• Able to use digital technology to enhance engagement of clients.

Gross motor

Introduction

Speech pathology involves physical demands and requires gross motor function.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to perform gross motor skills to function within scope of practice.

Justification

• Sufficient gross motor skills are necessary to perform, coordinate, and prioritise care. Tasks that involve gross motor skills include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, standing, twisting, and bending. Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.

Adjustments

• Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety of self and others, and a capacity to provide appropriate care.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Safely and effectively evaluating clients, who have varying physical capacity (e.g., positioned in hospital beds, wheelchairs, on chairs of varied size, or standing) who may reside in diverse educational, health or community settings.

Fine motor

Introduction

Speech pathology is a profession that requires manual dexterity and fine motor skills.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to use fine motor skills to provide safe effective care.

Justification

• Sufficient fine motor skills to administer speech pathology assessments and conduct therapy with children and adults.
• Tasks that involve fine motor skills involve being able to manipulate various objects required for communication and mealtime management, writing and data collection, and using technology and devices.
• Students must be able to demonstrate and perform these tasks consistently and safely to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.

Adjustments

• Adjustments should facilitate functional effectiveness, safety to self and others, and a capacity to provide appropriate care.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Recording data and writing client notes in a timely and legible manner.
• Manipulating utensils and resources required to conduct communication and swallowing assessments and management.
• Using hand signs and other augmentative and alternative communication methods with clients.

Verbal Communication

Introduction

Effective verbal communication, in English, is an essential requirement to provide safe delivery of speech pathology care in the Australian context.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Respect for diversity during individual, family, and community interactions.
• Accurate and timely comprehension and processing of conversational speech, verbal instructions, and feedback.
• Clear expression with intelligible and appropriate instructions and feedback required for communication in workplace learning contexts.
• Capacity to provide an accurate and timely model of speech and language skills in workplace learning contexts.
• Effective presentation of information in a group/ team setting.
• Ability to use interpersonal communication skills to positively interact and build rapport with others.
• Ability to respond appropriately during communication interactions with others when ‘higher level’ language skills are required including understanding abstract concepts, and non-literal language.
• Capacity to adapt own communication to provide accessible information and facilitate others to effectively communicate.

Justification

• Verbal communication equivalent to an IELTS level 7 or above is a requirement for students enrolling in the Master of Speech Pathology degree.
• Verbal communication is a core element of speech pathology professional practice.
• Communicating in a way that displays respect and empathy with others underpins effective professional relationships.
• Comprehension of conversation, instructions, and feedback is integral to workplace learning, client management, and safe practice.
• Accurate, clear, and appropriate speech and language models are required to provide effective therapy.
• Presenting verbal information in group situations is consistently required in speech pathology workplaces.
• Timely, accurate, and effective delivery of instructions and feedback is essential for safe speech pathology practice.
• Speech pathology students will need to adapt their communication in response to a client's  communication needs.
• Speech pathology practice may include communication in face to face and online environments.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must address effectiveness, timeliness, clarity, and accuracy issues to ensure safe and appropriate care.
• Adjustments must enable effective verbal communication in individual, small, and large groups (consistent with speech pathology practice).
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Participating in tutorials, lectures, simulation, and workplace learning discussions.
• Establishing rapport, through verbal communication, with clients during speech pathology management and responding appropriately to requests from individuals in tutorials, lectures, simulation laboratories and workplace learning settings.
• Providing feedback, reports, summaries to both individuals and groups of people.
• Analysing speech/language production of clients either in real time, or from recordings.
• Comprehending verbal instructions and feedback from clinical educators.
• Engaging appropriately with interpreters and translators.

Non-verbal Communication

Introduction

Effective non-verbal communication is fundamental to speech pathology and needs to be respectful, clear, attentive, empathetic, and non-judgmental.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Capacity to recognise, interpret, and respond appropriately to non-verbal behavioural cues by others from diverse backgrounds.
• Capacity to use non-verbal behaviours to facilitate positive interpersonal interactions with others from diverse backgrounds.
• Consistent and appropriate awareness of own behaviours during communication interactions.
• Responsiveness to children and adults who communicate using multimodal communication (MMC) and/or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems.

Justification

• The ability to observe and understand non-verbal cues assists with building rapport with people and developing academic and professional relationships.
• Displaying consistent and appropriate facial expressions, eye contact, being mindful that space, body movements, and gestures facilitate effective communication.
• The ability to observe and understand non -verbal cues is essential for safe and effective observation of client communication and mealtime management.
• Understanding and responding to multimodal communication (MMC), including the use of AAC systems by children and adults, is core speech pathology practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must enable the recognition, initiation of or appropriate response to effective non-verbal communication in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Recognising and responding appropriately to cues in tutorials, lectures, simulation laboratories, and workplace learning settings.
• Demonstrating the use of AAC systems to clients, family and carers.
• Respecting cultural differences in non-verbal communication styles.

Written Communication

Introduction

Effective written communication, in English, is a fundamental speech pathology responsibility in Australia, with professional and legal ramifications.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to process and construct written communication accurately and in a timely manner.
• Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
• Capacity to construct written communication with cohesion, grammar, and spelling appropriate to the academic or workplace learning context and a variety of audiences or purposes.
• Capacity to administer and analyse client assessments that include written textual components and numeric analysis.
• Capacity to adapt written communication to meet the communication needs of clients, families, care teams, and the community.

Justification

• Accurate processing of client notes, reports, assessment results (including numeric analysis), and feedback is vital to provide consistent and safe client care.
• Construction of written text-based assessment tasks to reflect the required academic standards are necessary to convey knowledge and understanding of relevant subject matter for professional practice.
• Accurate written communication, including record-keeping and client notes which meet legal and ethical requirements, is vital to provide consistent and safe client care.
• Assessment of client's reading and writing is required during speech pathology practice.
• Written communication needs to be adapted so that information is accessible for clients, families, care teams, and communities.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must meet necessary standards of clarity, accuracy, and accessibility to ensure effective recording and transmission of information occurs in both academic and workplace learning environments and that competent literacy support may be provided to speech pathology clients.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Constructing an essay (or academic writing task) to academic and professional standards.
• Constructing client notes, reports, and educational information in a timely manner that meets medico legal, ethical, and professional standards.
• Providing written material using style and content that is accessible for individuals, families, care teams, and communities.
• Attributing and acknowledging authorship contributions and original work of others in academic and workplace learning writing tasks.

Introduction

Speech Pathology is a profession governed by professional standards, a code of ethics, position statements, and clinical guidelines where speech pathologists are both accountable and responsible for ensuring professional behaviour in all contexts.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Knowledge of, and engagement in, ethical behaviour in practice.
• Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements and standards. This compliance is pre-requisite to workplace learning (WPL) in order to reduce the risk of harm to self and others.
• Compliance with professional regulations and the Australian law.

Justification

• Compliance with the codes, standards, guidelines, and policies facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and/or the people with whom they work. This supports the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of all.

Adjustments

• Ethical behaviour, codes and standards must be maintained despite adjustments.
• Adjustments must be consistent with legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Complying with medico-legal requirements relating to informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality with client information in academic and workplace learning settings.
• Demonstrating ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and take responsibility for ethical behaviour in line with the Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics.
• Complying with the requirements for student registration with Speech Pathology Australia (SPA).
• Complying with the health and safety policies of workplace learning and placement sites (e.g., Work Health and Safety Act, Working with Children and Vulnerable People checks, immunisations, and uniform requirements).

Introduction

Speech pathology requires the ability to understand and effectively apply various financial skills.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to manage personal finances (such as budgeting) in order to manage costs associated with study and workplace learning.
• Ability to plan for the future costs of workplace learning by seeking financial assistance, scholarships and grants.
• An understanding of the requirements of and ability to deliver services that support clients’ access to funded services.

Justification

• Sufficient finances are required to meet the incidental costs involved with workplace learning (WPL).
• Planning and budgeting to meet these costs is important during WPL for extended periods of time when paid employment is not possible.
• Conducting and reporting on clinical assessments and therapy are frequently required to facilitate client access to funded services and/or acquittal of funding, grants, or scholarships.

Adjustments

• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Able to manage personal finances for study and workplace learning (WPL) requirements (such as budgeting for accommodation on WPL, internet fees, meals, and associated travel).
• Ability to utilise resources wisely to optimise client care, work within a client’s socio-economic circumstances, and/or manage a business profitably and ethically.
• Ability to write funding reports for access to disability services (e.g., NDIS).

Knowledge, reflection, and thinking skills

This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of thinking, reflection, literacy (language), and numeracy. Critically reviewing evidence on assessment and therapy approaches in speech pathology practice in academic and workplace learning contexts

Introduction

Consistent knowledge, reflection, and effective thinking skills must be demonstrated to provide safe and competent speech pathology practice.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information.
• Ability to process and recall information relevant to practice.
• Ability to integrate and implement knowledge in practice in a responsive manner.
• Ability to reflect on performance and develop action plans.
• Capacity to develop clinical reasoning skills.

Justification

• Safe and effective delivery of speech pathology management is based on comprehensive knowledge that must be sourced, understood, and applied appropriately.
• Reflection, reasoning, and professional development are essential for speech pathology practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must ensure that a clear demonstration of knowledge, reflection, and thinking skills is not compromised or impeded.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.
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Exemplars

• Being able to demonstrate that you can understand and apply knowledge learnt throughout the course from multiple sources in academic and workplace learning contexts.
• Appropriately analysing and applying knowledge of theory and research evidence.
• Following policies and procedures in the workplace learning setting to ensure safe practice.
• Being able to demonstrate that you can use reflection skills to guide life-long learning, competency development, and quality interventions.

Literacy (language)

Introduction

Competent literacy skills are essential to provide safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to acquire information and accurately convey appropriate, and effective messages.
• Ability to read and comprehend a range of literature and information.
• Capacity to understand and implement academic conventions to construct written text in a scholarly manner.
• Capacity to read and convey written content in a timely manner.

Justification

• The ability to acquire information and to accurately convey messages is fundamental to ensure safe and effective assessment, treatment and delivery of speech pathology care.
• The ability to read, decode, analyse, interpret, and comprehend multiple sources of information is fundamental for the safe and effective delivery of speech pathology care.
• Literacy skills are necessary to provide effective speech pathology services to children and adults
• Providing written content in a timely manner is essential for safe and quality speech pathology care and to meet legal requirements.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to effectively acquire, comprehend, apply, and communicate accurate information in a timely manner.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Conveying written instructions accurately and effectively in a workplace learning setting.
• Paraphrasing, summarising, and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions
• Producing accurate, concise, and clear speech pathology documentation which meets legal requirements.
• Critically reviewing evidence on assessment and intervention approaches in speech pathology practice in academic and workplace learning contexts.
• Completing academic work and clinical work to meet expected deadlines.

Numeracy

Introduction

Competent and accurate numeracy skills are essential for safe and effective practice.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Ability to interpret and correctly apply data, measurements, and numerical criteria.

Justification

• Competent application of numeracy skills is essential in speech pathology to facilitate the safe and effective delivery of care.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must demonstrate a capacity to interpret and apply concepts and processes appropriately in a timely, accurate, and effective manner.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Accurately recording measurements in client notes.
• Working with others to prescribe assistive technologies that correctly meet client measurement requirements (e.g., augmentative communication device).
• Scoring and analysing speech pathology assessments.
• Engaging in quantitative and statistical research.

Introduction

Speech pathology practice requires both physical and mental performance at a consistent and sustained level. Behavioural stability is required to function and adapt effectively and sensitively in this role.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Consistent and sustained level of physical energy to complete a specific task in a timely manner and over time.
• The ability to perform repetitive activities with a level of concentration that ensures a capacity to focus on the activity until it is completed appropriately.
• The capacity to maintain consistency and quality of performance throughout the designated period of time.
• The capacity to attend intensive schools and workplace learning placements at designated times and places.
• Behavioural stability to work constructively in diverse and changing academic and workplace learning environments.

Justification

• Sufficient physical and mental endurance is an essential requirement needed to perform multiple tasks in an assigned period to provide safe and effective care.
• Behavioural stability is required to work individually and in teams in changing and unpredictable environments.
• Speech pathology students will be exposed to emergency situations and human adversity and will be required to have behavioural stability to manage these events.
•  

Adjustments

• Adjustments must ensure that performance is consistent and sustained over a given period.
• Adjustments must support stable, effective, and professional behaviour in both academic and workplace learning settings.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Participating in tutorials, lectures, and in simulated learning.
• Undertaking workplace learning placements full-time, outside the standard academic year or traditional working hours.
• Providing consistent speech pathology management over a negotiated time frame while completing workplace learning experiences.
• Maintaining appropriate time management to provide healthcare services to the expected number of clients in a given time frame.
• Being receptive and responding professionally to constructive feedback.
• Developing and refining strategies to support own emotions and behaviour effectively when dealing with individuals and groups in tutorials, lectures, simulation laboratories, and workplace learning.

Visual

Introduction

Adequate visual acuity is required to provide safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Sufficient visual acuity to perform the required range of skills.

Justification

• Sufficient visual acuity is necessary to demonstrate the required range of skills, tasks, and assessments to maintain consistent, accurate, and safe care of self and to others.
• Visual observations, examination, and assessment are fundamental to safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the vision impairment must be effective, consistent, and not compromise client treatment or safety.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Observing and detecting subtle changes in swallowing movement and the ability to perform functional activities during assessment and treatment.
• Safely operating electronic equipment (e.g., audiological screening equipment, pulse oximetry, etc.).
• Observing and interacting with clients using multimodal communication.

Auditory

Introduction

Auditory ability is required to provide safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Description

Student demonstrates:

• Sufficient aural function to undertake the required range of skills.

Justification

• Sufficient auditory ability is necessary to monitor, assess, and manage an individual's health needs consistently and accurately.
• Assessments and observations that rely on auditory perception and processing are fundamental to safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must address the need to perform the full range of tasks involved in clinical practice. Any strategies to address the effects of the hearing loss must be effective, consistent, and not compromise treatment or safety.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Ability to discriminate speech sounds in a range of communication environments.
• Responding appropriately to a client’s responses during assessment and management in a range of workplace learning contexts.

Tactile

Introduction

Sufficient tactile ability is required to perform competent and safe speech pathology practice.

Description

Student demonstrates

• Adequate tactile function sufficient to undertake the required range of skills and assessments.

Justification

• Sufficient tactile ability is necessary to monitor, assess, and detect clients' physical functioning during communication and mealtimes for appropriate speech pathology management.
• Tactile assessments and observations are fundamental to safe and effective speech pathology practice.

Adjustments

• Adjustments must have the capacity to make effective assessments of physical characteristics and abnormalities within safe time frames.
• Individual adjustments can be discussed with Support Services.

Exemplars

• Assessing changes in oral muscular functioning.
• Palpating muscles required for swallowing and detecting anatomical or movement abnormalities.
• Demonstration of treatment techniques (e.g., speech and swallowing rehabilitation).