Health & Wellbeing

Speech Pathology

Each August, we celebrate Speech Pathology Week, an opportunity to recognise the important role speech pathologists play in supporting communication, language and literacy. You might be wondering, though, what exactly does a Speech-Language Pathologist do in a high school?

While many people think of speech pathologists as helping children with their speech sounds, our role in a high school is much broader. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) work alongside students, teachers and families to support the communication, language and literacy skills students need to access learning and participate successfully at school. 

This might involve taking a closer look at a student’s language, reading or spelling skills, helping to identify useful supports and adjustments, or working directly with students.

A big part of the role is also working alongside teachers. SLPs can help teachers think about the language and literacy demands of the curriculum and explore practical ways to make classroom teaching, learning and assessment more accessible.

Did you know?

Following a teacher’s explanation, working out what an exam question is really asking, learning subject-specific vocabulary, understanding an unfamiliar text, taking part in group work and putting your ideas into words all rely on language.

In high school, the language of learning becomes increasingly complex and sometimes it can be the language, rather than the content itself, that makes learning tricky for a student.

And with Father’s Day just around the corner, here are a couple of language-themed Dad Jokes to make you groan or roll your eyes!

The past, present and future walked into a bar. It was tense. 

What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? Thesaurus Rex.