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SPCH13004 - Communication Development and Disorders across the School Years

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This course provides students with the theoretical knowledge to understand the communication development of children from the commencement of school through to adolescence. Relationships are explored between the ongoing development of oral language and phonological abilities with the development of literate language (including reading, writing and spelling), self-regulatory behaviour and higher level thinking and discourse. Evidence-based speech pathology research and practice is explored to ascertain how children and adolescents at risk of delayed or disordered communication, social and literacy skills can be identified, evaluated and managed. Management is explored in the context of the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. A particular emphasis is placed on interprofessional work within the school and other appropriate settings.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 3
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

For term 2, 2015 the following courses are prerequisites for SPCH13004 Communication Development and Disorders in School-Aged Children:

  • ALLH12006 - Evidence-Based Practice for Allied Health
  • SPCH12002 - Communication Development and Disorders in Early Childhood
  • SPCH12004 - Skills and Prac 1
  • SPCH12006 - Linguistics and Phonetics 1

    
In term 2, 2015 the following courses are co-requisites for SPCH13004:

  • SPCH12007 - Skills and Prac 2
  • SPCH12005 - Linguistics and Phonetics 2

    
 

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2015

Term 2 - 2017 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2018 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2019 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2020 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2021 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2022 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2023 Profile
Rockhampton
Term 2 - 2024 Profile
Rockhampton

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 35%
2. Presentation 35%
3. In-class Test(s) 30%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2023 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 62.50% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 66.67% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: SUTE Unit Comments
Feedback
The students enjoyed the use of a guest speaker to support their understanding of multi-disciplinary work.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the unit coordinator continues to invite a guest lecturer from another discipline to run a face to face tutorial.
Action Taken
A guest lecturer was invited to present in 2023 however they were unavailable at the scheduled time of the tutorial.
Source: SUTE Unit Comments
Feedback
The students found the written feedback on assessment tasks helpful.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the unit coordinator continues to provide written feedback for all assessment tasks.
Action Taken
Written feedback was provided for all assessment tasks including strengths and areas for improvement.
Source: SUTE Comments
Feedback
The use of real-life case studies helped students to understand how content taught in the unit applied to clinical practice.
Recommendation
It is recommended that real life case studies are used throughout the unit to support application of theory to practice.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: SUTE comments
Feedback
Further explanation and guidance was required for assessment one to support student understanding of task expectations.
Recommendation
It is recommended that the assessment one task description is revised to ensure the instructions are clear and thorough for students.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Identify and explain the development of and disorders experienced in the school aged populations’ communication, cognitive, literacy and social skills and identify the impact this will have on academic learning and lifelong achievement.
  2. Identify, administer and interpret appropriate formal and informal assessment measures within the ICF framework.
  3. Adopt a collaborative decision making approach with relevant stakeholders to formulate best practice diagnostic and intervention plans.
  4. Critically evaluate contemporary models of service delivery in relation to the school age population.
  5. Practise research literacy skills applicable to professional reasoning and work practice.

The learning outcomes are in line with Speech Pathology Australia CBOS and Compass requirements. The Professional Framework states - "It is expected that an entry-level speech pathologist in Australia will be familiar with the ICF framework and competently apply the social health principles of individual functioning and well-being to their speech pathologypractice. Applying the ICF to the clinical practice of speech pathology, practitioners can incorporate both the diagnosis of impairment (body function and structure) and the activity and participation of the individual to assess the impact of the communication and/or swallowing disorder on quality of life. A guiding principle of speech pathology assessment, habilitation and/or rehabilitation is a thorough evaluation of an individual’s functional abilities. Using the ICF framework, including the contextual factors (environmental and personal) and activity and participation levels, allows speech pathologists to collaboratively set goals with an individual and their caregivers."
 
The Learning Outcomes for this course reflect this principal as well as reflect Units 1, 2 and 3 of the competency based occupational standards (CBOS).
Unit 1 relates to Assessment, Unit 2 relates to Analysis and Interpretation and Unit 3 relates to Planning Evidence-Based Speech Pathology Practices.
These are more specifically:

Unit 1: Assessment

  • 1.1 Investigate and document the client’s communication and/or swallowing condition and explore the primary concerns of the client.
  • 1.2 Identify the communication and/or swallowing conditions requiring investigation and use the best available scientific and clinical evidence to determine the most suitable assessment procedures in partnership with the client.

Unit 2: Analysis and interpretation

  • 2.1 Analyse and interpret speech pathology assessment data.
  • 2.2 Identify gaps in information required to understand the client’s communication and swallowing issues and seek information to fill those gaps.
  • 2.3 Determine the basis for or diagnosis of the communication and/or swallowing condition and determine the possible outcomes.
  • 2.4 Report on analysis and interpretation.
  • 2.5 Provide feedback on results of interpreted speech pathology assessments to the client and/or significant others and referral sources, and discuss management.

Unit 3: Planning evidence-based speech pathology practices

  • 3.1 Use integrated and interpreted information (outlined in Unit 2) relevant to the communication and/or swallowing condition, and/or the service provider’s policies and priorities to plan evidence-based speech pathology practice.
  • 3.2 Seek additional information required to plan evidence-based speech pathology practice.
  • 3.6 Define roles and responsibilities for the management of the client’s swallowing and/ or communication condition.

The range of practice areas included Speech, Fluency, Voice, Swallowing, Language and Multimodal for school age children.

Students will also be cognisant of the generic competencies as outlined in COMPASS -
• reasoning
• communication
• lifelong learning
• professionalism.

 

 

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Written Assessment • • • • •
2 - Presentation • • • • •
3 - In-class Test(s) • • • • •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Communication • • • •
2 - Problem Solving • • • • •
3 - Critical Thinking • • • • •
4 - Information Literacy • • • •
5 - Team Work • • •
7 - Cross Cultural Competence • • • • •
8 - Ethical practice •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment • • • • • •
2 - Presentation • • • • • •
3 - In-class Test(s) • • • • • • •