CSU CVC researchers featured on SPA website and communications

Speech Pathology Australia has featured us on their website! https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/

 

CVC Bimonthly Community Meeting and Lunch

Today CVC affiliates joined us for our bimonthly whole of centre meeting. The agenda included centre updates, collaborative projects, and opportunities to get involved. We also welcomed Amy Whitfield as our new Digital Media Curator

CVC2026 - Over 1,000 registrations

Today we were able to celebrate over 1,000 registrations to CVC2026

1,041 registrations across 58 countries (6 August 2026)
(June 2026 Registrations = 666 from 40 countries)
Countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Macao, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam

Abstract acceptances = 145 from 35 countries (Abstract submissions = 174)
Countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Fiji, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam 

Todayt we had our last CVC Scientific Review Committee meeting where we are looking at the quality of the videos that are submitted before we upload them onto the CSU YouTube channel for the CVC2026 conference

CVC2026 Scientific Review Committee - 6 Aug 2026

 

Visit to Early Start at University of Wollongong

This week A/Prof Tamara Cumming and I were able to visit Early Start at University of Wollongong and spend 3 hours with their fantastic staff

IJSLP editorial board meeting

Tonight I attended the editorial board meeting for the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (IJSLP).

• Editors: Natalie Munro and Elizabeth (Libby) Cardell
• Editorial Board: Kirrie Ballard, Suze Leitao, Sharynne McLeod, Mark Onslow, Anne Whitworth
• International: Chris Code (UK) 

IJSLP's acceptance rate is 26% and they received 346 submissions in 2025.

Here is the 2025 impact factor for speech-language pathology journals:

• LSHSS 3.0
• JSLHR 2.5
• AJSLP 2.5
• IJLCD 2.5
• JCD 2.2
• CLTT 1.7
• IJSLP 1.6
• Folia Phon 1.2
• SLH 1.1
• CLP 1.1
• Seminars 1.0
• Logopedia 1.0 

OUP free chapter

Chapter 1 of The Oxford Handbook of Speech Development in Languages of the World is free until 28th August 2026 

https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/62951/chapter-abstract/564582292?redirectedFrom=fulltext

McLeod, S. (2026). Children’s speech development around the world: A transformative paradigm shift. In S. McLeod (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Speech Development in Languages of the World. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780191964909.003.0084 

SACHL research

Congratulations to Dr Kate Margetson and Fiona Baybrooks who are working so well on the implementation science research for the Speech Assessments in Children's Home Languages (SACHL). Last week, Kate applied the SACHL to the assessment of a child who spoke English, Swahili, French and two other languages - and it worked!

 

 

Vice Chancellor's All-staff Session

Today I attended the CSU Vice Chancellor's All-staff Session on the Bathurst. It was advertised as "This is a chance for me to update you on the university’s direction and priorities and to hear directly from you with any questions or views." The VC asked for news and updates, so I was able to provide a shout out to A/Prof Kathy Cologon, Dr Belinda Downey, Dr Goutam Roy, Dr Shukla Siker, their children and the Communications Team (Kevin Ng and Dom Lindsay) for their research that lead to the World Health Organization profiling our CVC children's advisory group 7-minute video in their presentation at the United Nations in June.

 

Holly has printed her PhD

There is a significant moment in writing a PhD - and that is when you print what you have written for the first time and start to read it as a book. Congratulations Holly McAlister for ticking off this important milestone.

 

CSU Writing for Publication Program

I am both an invited speaker and mentor for the CSU Writing For Publication Program run by the Research Office. There are 22 participants who meet every 3-weeks on Fridays. Their goal is to write a journal article during the program. I am mentoring Dr Carolyn Gregoric to write the paper about Children Draw Playing in Mongolia. This morning focused on writing the introduction, conclusion and literature review.

Child Language Teaching and Therapy Special Issue (2026) is finished

Child Language Teaching and Therapy Special Issue (2026)
Listening to Children with Diverse Communication Abilities
Guest editors: Sharynne McLeod and Holly McAlister, Children’s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia
CLTT Editors: Judy Clegg and Victoria Joffe

1. Cologon, K. (2026). From space and voice to audience and influence: Methodological approaches to inclusive co-research with young children. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication.  
2. Deehan, H., McLeod, S., & Harrison, L. J. (2026). “Oh! I forgot the voice”: Comparing drawings of talking by children with and without speech sound disorder. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261433348
3. Devane K., O’Malley-Keighran M., & Carroll, C. (2026). ‘Irish... It’s the native language...It representes who you are in a way’: Understanding the lives of Irish-English speaking children in Ireland. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261460261
4. Doherty, G., O’Malley-Keighran, M., & Carroll, C. (2026). An exploratory study of the school experiences of multilingual children in an English monolingual primary school in Ireland. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261461427
5. Esbensen, A., Pilesjö, M. S., &., & Clausen, M. C. (2026). “I’m a man of few words”: Children’s perspectives on living with developmental language disorder. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261428941
6. Furlong, L., Clendon, S., Gillon, G. & McNeill, B. (2026). Children’s perspectives on structured literacy teaching and their emerging perceptions of themselves as readers and writers. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication.
7. Gregoric, C., McLeod, S., Hopf, S. C., Downey, B., Rahman, A., Sikder, S., Zischke, C., Tran, V. H., Murray, E., McAlister, H., Ivory, N., Delli-Pizzi, L., Elwick, S., Dealtry, L., &., & Davies, J. (2026). Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals by listening to children’s voices across the globe. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590251406102
8. Harasym, J. A., Gross, D. P., MacLeod, A. A., &., & Phelan, S. K. (2026). They smirk ‘but you’re not dying’ and other (mis)understandings about communication and concussion navigated by youth: An arts-based reflexive collective case study. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261424124
9. Harding, S., Burr, S., Cleland, J., Stringer, H., & Wren, Y. (2026). Understanding the experiences of children with speech sound disorder in speech and language therapy using emotional mapping. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261444674
10. McAlister, H., McLeod, S., & Hopf, S. C. (2026). Ladders, trees and matrixes: Child-focused participatory action research frameworks in speech-language pathology. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261455298
11. McCormack J., Cronin A., McLeod S., Ireland M., Wang C., & Tiong C (2026). Children’s drawing of intervention for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS): Place, people, activity and emotion. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590251375340
12. McLeod, S. (2026). Large listening ears are not enough: How can we mature in our practices to listen to children? Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication.
13. Miletic, K., Choi, L. D., Biggs, K., Bazzocchi, N. B., & Washington, K. N. (2026). Listening to Jamaican preschoolers’ voices: Exploring relationships between child- and proxy-based measures of communication experiences. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261461429
14.  Shelton, N., Munro, N., Starling, J., Tieu, L., Sutherland, R., &., & Keep, M. (2026). Social media experiences of adolescents with communication disability: A structured interview pilot study. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261432879
15. Spencer, S., Roberts, V., Schroeter, K., &., & Clegg, J. (2026). Being understood: Neurodivergent care leavers’ perspectives on their own communication skills. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590251411749
16. Tiong, C., McCormack, J., & Cronin, A. (2026). What is a good outcome in speech and language therapy and how can this be achieved? Exploring the views of school-aged children and parents. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication.
17. Weir, S., Forster, S., &., & Clendon, S. (2026). Exploring voice and participatory processes for children who communicate in unconventional ways. Child Language Teaching and Therapy, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/02656590261422660

Holly and Sharynne  celebrating the achievement

CVC2026 and SDGs

We calculated today that the CVC2026 papers cover all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) apart from 2, 6, and 7. What a comprehensive program!

CeTasSSD exciting numbers

Screening was attempted with the 1203 Kinder student cohort using the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS), a parent and educator (ICSE) report tool. Speech pathologists also screened speech using the International Speech Screener (ISS). The Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP) was administered as a benchmark. Speech Pathology contractors completed diagnostic assessments as usual practice. Data collection was embedded within existing school processes, modified collaboratively with teaching colleagues. Ethics approval was granted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) Human Research Ethics Committee (approval 25025). 

Speech was screened with the ICS with 929 students and with 895 of these using the ISS also.  Some students were identified for additional assessment using ICS and/or teacher “worry” about students’ ability to pronounce speech sounds (n = 526). The DEAP Diagnostic Screen was completed on 219 students and the Phonology subtest on 119 students. Diagnostic speech assessments were completed on 497 students who did not pass screening.

Emma Scanlon has entered 529 ISS forms into Phon still a few hundred to go - but this is a big number. Thanks Emma and Felicity

CVC2026 Publications Committee

The CVC2026 Publications Committee, chaired by A/Prof Tamara Cumming met today - and decided on the book series we aim to target for the publication of key presentations from CVC2026. It was a useful conversation - and we are ready to begin the proposal documentation. We worked out that CVC2026 papers target all Sustainable Development Goals apart from SDGs2, 6, 7.

Large listening ears are not enough: How can we mature in our practices to listen to children?

The following article has just been accepted for publication after peer review: 

McLeod, S. (2026, in press). Large listening ears are not enough: How can we mature in our practices to listen to children? Child Language Teaching and Therapy. 

Here is the abstract:

Communication is a human right for all; including children with speech, language, and communication needs and those who speak/sign non-dominant languages. Communication specialists enhance the “voice” of children in two ways. We support children’s physical and cognitive abilities to talk as well as enabling children the “right to freedom of expression… regardless of frontiers” (Article 13 Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Nations, 1989). We have creatively engaged in child-friendly methods to provide children space and voice – and children frequently depict their supportive communicative partners with “large listening ears”. As communication specialists, we also have the power to assist others to listen, giving children audience and influence (Lundy, 2007). This paper provides examples of listening to children with diverse communication abilities, is based on the Child Language Teaching and Therapy (CLTT) 2024 Summer Lecture, and has been updated by integrating papers from the CLTT special issue published in 2026. As we become accustomed to including children’s perspectives in our professional practice, this paper encourages us to reflect on whether we listen to children superficially or use our large listening ears to provide children the opportunity for action based on their insights. How can we mature in our practices to enhance all children’s participation within democratic processes in their families, schools, communities, and society? Our challenge is to have large listening ears; employ a variety of sources (Mosaic approach); involve children’s participation throughout the research process, and facilitate their capacity to influence the world.   

The manuscript was written based on my invited lecture and forms the first article of the special issue of CLTT titled "Listening to Children with Diverse Communication Abilities". 

You can watch the Child Language Teaching and Therapy Summer Lecture 2024 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iajSaUyEuOw

Summer Lecture Abstract:

Communication is a human right for all; and ALL includes children with speech, language, and communication needs, including those who speak/sign non-dominant languages (McLeod, 2018). Aligning with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1989) we have given attention to the “voice” of children. For example, we have creatively engaged in child-friendly arts-based methods to provide children with the “right to freedom of expression… regardless of frontiers” as outlined in Article 13. However, do we REALLY listen to children? As we become more accustomed to including children’s perspectives in our professional practices, it is time to reflect on whether some of our inclusion of children’s voices could be perceived as “tokenistic” (Hart, 1992). As communication specialists, we have the power to support children’s voice and to assist others to listen. How can we mature in our practices to enhance children’s participation within democratic processes in their families, schools, communities, and society?

Emma day

Two Emmas worked with me at the Children's Voices Centre today :)

Emma Hayes: CVC Senior Adminstration Officer 

Emma Scanlon: CeTasSSD Research Assistant

Sharynne, Emma H and Emma S

Emma S working in The Nest

 

It takes a villiage to submit a grant

Thanks to everyone who has supported me to get my latest grant application completed including DVC-R Neena Mitter, PVCI Michael Friend/Jason White, Lisa Limbrick, Sharon Geltch, Annette Harris, Lee Williamson, Helen L. Blake, Stefania Graham (who clicked submit) and Emma Hayes and Emma Scanlon who celebrated submission 

Learning from Lee on Sunday evening!

Support from Helen on Wednesday

CSU Research Office - Stefania Graham

Celebrating submission with Emma S at The Treehouse

ASSA Panel D (Education, Psychology & Public Health) committee meeting

This morning we held a short meeting of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia Panel D Committee (Education, Psychology & Public Health) 

• Professor Don Byrne Chair (Psychology) ACT, ANU 
• Professor Henry Jackson 2021 Deputy Chair (Psychology) VIC, UoM
• Professor Anne Castles Member (Psychology) NSW, MQ 
• Professor Kim Cornish Member (Psychology) VIC, Monash 
• Professor Russell Tytler Member (Education) VIC, Deakin 
• Professor Jenny Gore Member (Education) NSW, Newcastle 
• Professor Sharynne McLeod Member (Health Sciences) NSW, CSU 
• Professor Julie McLeod Member (Education) VIC, UoM 
• Professor Peng Bi Member (Health Sciences) 
• Zoe Perry 2026 2028 Manager – Fellowship, Governance & Awards

Special issues

I am currently co-editing two special issues: 

1. Listening to children with diverse communication abilities | Guest Editors: Sharynne McLeod and Holly McAlister with Journal Editors: Judy Clegg and Victoria Joffe | Child Language Teaching and Therapy, in process to appear 2026 |  https://journals.sagepub.com/home/CLT | Call for papers: https://journals.sagepub.com/pb-assets/cmscontent/CLT/CLTT-Call%20for%20Papers-ListeningTo%20Children-FINAL-1733118416.pdf
2. Children’s communication and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) | Guest Editors: Sharynne McLeod, Helen L. Blake and Kathy Cologon  | Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, in process to appear 2027 | https://pubs.asha.org/journal/lshss | Call for papers: https://academy.pubs.asha.org/call-for-papers/childrens-communication-and-the-united-nations-convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child-crc/

I have been guest editor of some other special issues that have had a lot of international interest:

1. Communication is a human right: Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights | Guest Editor: Sharynne McLeod  | International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology 2018, 20(1)  | https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/20/1 | Downloads: 47,1297 Citations: 661 Altmetrics: 1,256 (July 2026)
2. Communication, swallowing and the Sustainable Development Goals | Guest Editor: Sharynne McLeod and Julie Marshall | International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology  2023, 25(1) | https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/iasl20/25/1

 

International Speech Screener (ISS)

The International Speech Screener (ISS, McLeod, 2013) is a 50-item picture-naming task that samples all English consonants and six English consonant clusters on two occasions in word-initial position. Words vary in length and stress. The ISS was designed to ensure that there were two examples of each word-initial consonant. Most pairs of words for each word-initial consonant contained a monosyllabic word and a bisyllabic or polysyllabic word (e.g., dog, dinosaur). Within these words most English vowels, within-word consonants, word-final consonants, and some word-final consonant clusters are sampled. The ISS is presented via PowerpointTM with one picture per slide. An audio-voice recording of the target word is available on each slide and played during the imitation condition. 

More information about its development: 

McLeod, S., & Masso, S. (2019). Screening children's speech: The impact of imitated elicitation and word position. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 50(1), 71–82. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_LSHSS-17-0141