Graduation of the first Master of Speech and Language Therapy (MSALT) course in Vietnam

Today was the graduation of the first Master of Speech and Language Therapy (MSALT) students in Vietnam. I was honoured to work with Dr Ben Pham to co-supervise the research undertaken by two of these students: Hằng Nguyen and Vấn Phạm.

Here is the background about the 2-year course

The Master of SALT (MSALT course) is a component of the Project. UMP HCMC and MCNV collaborated to run this MSALT course with technical consultancy from TFA. The goal of cooperation was to train a group of 14 SALT Master trainers for future SALT education at four medical universities of HCMC, Da Nang, Hue, Hai Duong and the medical secondary school of Tay Ninh in Vietnam. The course ran for two years from November 2019 to November 2021. During the MSALT course, the 14 students did 14 research for their graduation. The students successfully defended their theses in November 2021 and were awarded with graduation degrees on 28th April 2022. 

Here is the background about the funding

For the period from 2017 to 2022, through the DISTINCT project by VietHealth, MCNV received a fund from USAID to run the “Development of Speech and Language Education in VietNam”. The Project aimed at establishing a solid foundation for development of an official education system of speech and language therapy (SALT) profession in Vietnam. The University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh city (UMP HCMC) and Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP) participated in this Project as implementing partners to MCNV. Trinh Foundation Australia (TFA) participated in this Project as a technical consultation partner to MCNV. 

Congratulations Hằng Nguyen, Vấn Phạm and your colleagues. What a wonderful day. We look forward to your impact on the speech and language therapy profession in Vietnam.

Congratulations to Professor Lindy McAllister whose >20 year vision for the profession of speech and language therapy in Vietnam has been realised through this graduation ceremony.

IALP Child Speech Committee - Thank you to our outgoing chair

Tonight we held a meeting of the Child Speech Committee of IALP. On the agenda was discussion of 

• the success of the Speech Sound Disorders Panel Series that held in Oct, Dec, Feb and April and the special issue of IJLCD that will profile the presentations
  
• future planning for new Panels addressing SSD and multilingualism
• a new UK study to consider core outcomes and minimal datasets for children with SSD
• committee membership.

We thanked our oustanding chair, A/Prof Yvonne Wren who has lead the committee so capably and has organised excellent projects including the special issue of FPL on Transcription and the SSD Panel Series. 

The committee has proposed that I be the new chair until the IALP convention in New Zealand in 2023, then Helen Grech take over as chair.

Launch of the Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research (ECIR) Sturt Scheme

Today we launched the Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research (ECIR) Sturt Scheme with our colleagues.

The purpose of the Sturt Scheme is build research capacity through supporting new research groups within faculties that will improve our ERA results build research capacity through creating additional research FTE facilitate the development of research questions that will attract external funding provide support where government or industry investment is likely The scheme will be funded from the DVC Research Portfolio. 

Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research (ECIR) Sturt Scheme will focus on:

• Theme 1: Interdisciplinary Practice in the Early Years 
• Theme 2: International Children’s Communication 

A distributed leadership model will recognise existing research leadership and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary capacity building among leaders as well as with the broader group. 

• Professor Sharynne McLeod (School of Education) 
• Professor Julian Grant (School of Nursing) 
• A/Professor Sarah Verdon (School of Allied Health, Exercise Sport Science) 
• Dr Elizabeth Murray (School of Education)

Paul H. Brookes Editorial Advisory Board member

I have been invited to be a member of Paul H. Brookes Editorial Advisory Board for the Communication and Language Intervention Series. The series editors are Alan G. Kamhi and Rebecca J. McCauley. The editorial board members are: 

• Patricia A. Prelock 
• Nan Bernstein Ratner 
• Elizabeth Peña 
• Sharynne McLeod 

What an honour!

Media: VN People's Army Newsletter

Our VietSpeech book titled "VietSpeech Multilingual Children" is a story in the VN People's Army Newsletter!   https://en.qdnd.vn/ovs/news/book-encouraging-vietnamese-language-learning-published-in-australia-540457

The next day another Vietnamese news site - Talk Vietnam - ran a story titled "Book to encourage Vietnamese language learning published in Australia" https://www.talkvietnam.org/2022/04/book-to-encourage-vietnamese-language-learning-published-in-australia/

Here are more Vietnamese news sites that have run the story:

Da Nang Today: https://baodanang.vn/english/society/202204/book-to-encourage-vietnamese-language-learning-published-in-australia-3911592/

Vietnam Plus: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/australia-xuat-ban-cuon-sach-khuyen-khich-hoc-tieng-viet/785129.vnp

Board Certified Specialist in Child Language

I just received the following information from the Chair of the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders Linda R. Schreiber, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL "The American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLLD) has approved your Board Certification. You are now a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language!"

The American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders (ABCLLD) is a nonprofit Board recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association since 2000 as having oversight of Specialty Certification in the area of child language. Board Certified Specialists represent a cross section of our profession, including those who are in private practice or business; in school, medical, or university settings; and are from geographical areas across the U.S...The ABCLLD is the only entity that can provide Board Certification of professionals who demonstrate excellence in their knowledge, skills, experience, and leadership in child language.

PhD proposal title: Phonological intervention for Vietnamese children with speech sound disorders

Today I met online with Nguyễn Thị Anh Thủ and Dr Ben Phạm to discuss her reading and to plan her PhD proposal title: "Phonological intervention for Vietnamese children with speech sound disorders". It is exciting to work with students at the beginning of their candidature. Miss Thủ is studying at Hanoi National University of Education.

Australian Catholic University Speed Session

I have just submitted my invited presentation for the Australian Catholic University Speed Session for May. My talk is titled Multilingual Children's Speech.

Learning about Persian/Farsi

Over the past few days I have had fascinating conversations with colleagues in Tehran, Iran who are contributing a chapter on Persian/Farsi to The [Oxford] Handbook on Speech Development in Languages of the World. This Handbook will be an updated version of the International Guide to Speech Acquisition published in 2007. Persian was not included in the IGSA, so I'm glad it will be in this book. I love learning about languages.

Forugh Shushtaryzadeh and Sharynne

Talieh Zarifian and Sharynne

First manuscript for IJSLP special issue on SDGs has arrived

This morning the first manuscript for the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology special issue on Communication, Swallowing and the Sustainable Development Goals has just arrived. Prof Julie Marshall (Manchester Metropolitan University) and I excited to bring this important topic to light through these papers. I met with the IJSLP editors Prof Elizabeth Cardell and A/Prof Natalie Munro last Friday afternoon, so we are all ready to begin the reviewing phase.

Teaching in the first Masters of Speech and Language Therapy course in Vietnam

This morning I received the following email thanking me and my 20 Australian colleagues for our contribution to teaching the first 14 Masters graduates of the Speech and Language Therapy course in Vietnam. The course was undertaken at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City (UMP HCMC), Vietnam. 

Dear international SALT lecturers, mentors, clinical supervisors, thesis research supervisors, 

I am Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy and I work as a Program Coordinator for my organization, MCNV, and in charge of the SALT Education Development Project in partnership with TFA since 2017. Under this project, the first Master of SALT course was implemented with 14 students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh city (UMP HCMC), Vietnam. The 14 MSALT students have finished their training program and will be awarded with degrees at the end of April 2022. To come to this point of achievement, your contribution in the forms of lecturing, mentoring, clinical supervision, thesis research supervision has been invaluable. 

To celebrate the completion of the first MSALT course and to congratulate the MSALT students on their graduation, MCNV and UMP HCMC will jointly organize a WORKSHOP on SHARING FINDINGS FROM SOME RESEARCH ON SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY IN VIETNAM. On behalf of MCNV, I would like to send this email to invite you to join the Workshop online. 

Yours Sincerely, 

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, M.Phil Coordinator Disability Program- MCNV Vietnam A: E3 Trung Tu Diplomatic Compound 6 Dang Van Ngu Str, Ha Noi City T: (+84) 24 3835 9005/ ext 25 M: +84 (0) 986607351 W: mcnv.org FB: MCNV

International Symposium on Monolingual and Bilingual Speech 2022

The International Symposium on Monolingual and Bilingual Speech (ISMBS) (6-9 April 2022) is a hybrid conference with both on site and online presentations and events at the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Université des Acadiens et Créoles). https://speechandlanguage.louisiana.edu/international-symposium-monolingual-and-bilingual-speech-ismbs-2022 

Kate Margetson and I are chairing a session each (starting ~6:30am our time!) and over three days are virtually presenting three papers from our VietSpeech research:

1. VietSpeech: Vietnamese-Australian children’s speech and language competence (Sharynne McLeod, Sarah Verdon, Kate Margetson, Van H. Tran, Cen Wang, Ben Pham) 
2. The VietSpeech Multilingual Transcription Protocol: A 4-step process for transcribing Vietnamese-Australian children’s speech (Kate Margetson, Sharynne McLeod, Sarah Verdon, Van H. Tran) 
3. Cross-linguistic transfer during multilingual speech acquisition: A longitudinal Vietnamese-English case study (Kate Margetson, Sharynne McLeod, Sarah Verdon, Van H. Tran) 

Additionally, I am on the ISMBS International Scientific Committee https://speechandlanguage.louisiana.edu/international-symposium-monolingual-and-bilingual-speech-ismbs/ismbs-international-scientific

It has been an inspiring conference with fascinating papers from across the world.

James Law's contributions to IJLCD

A virtual issue of all of James Law's publications to IJLCD has just been published. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1111/(ISSN)1460-6984.James-Law-Tribute 

It contains 29 articles:

1. Adams, C., Lockton, E., Freed, J., Gaile, J., Earl, G., McBean, K., Nash, M., Green, J., Vail, A., & Law, J. (2012). The Social Communication Intervention Project: a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of speech and language therapy for school-age children who have pragmatic and social communication problems with or without autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 47(3), 233-244. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00146.x 
2. Beecham, J., Law, J., Zeng, B., & Lindsay, G. (2012). Costing children's speech, language and communication interventions. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 47(5), 477-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2012.00157.x 
3. Buckeridge, K., Clarke, C., & Sellers, D. (2020). Adolescents’ experiences of communication following acquired brain injury. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55(1), 97-109. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12506 
4. Cronin, P., Reeve, R., McCabe, P., Viney, R., & Goodall, S. (2020). Academic achievement and productivity losses associated with speech, language and communication needs. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55(5), 734-750. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12558 
5. De Barbieri, Z., Fernández, M. A., Newbury, D. F., & Villanueva, P. (2018). Family aggregation of language impairment in an isolated Chilean population from Robinson Crusoe Island. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 53(3), 643-655. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12377 
6. Dockrell, J., Lindsay, G., Roulstone, S., & Law, J. (2014). Supporting children with speech, language and communication needs: an overview of the results of the Better Communication Research Programme. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 49(5), 543-557. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12089 
7. Ellis Weismer, S., Tomblin, J. B., Durkin, M. S., Bolt, D., & Palta, M. (2021). A preliminary epidemiologic study of social (pragmatic) communication disorder in the context of developmental language disorder. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(6), 1235-1248. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12664 
8. Gallagher, A. L., & Chiat, S. (2009). Evaluation of speech and language therapy interventions for pre-school children with specific language impairment: a comparison of outcomes following specialist intensive, nursery-based and no intervention. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 44(5), 616-638. https://doi.org/10.1080/13682820802276658 
9. Hopkins, T., Clegg, J., & Stackhouse, J. (2018). Examining the association between language, expository discourse and offending behaviour: an investigation of direction, strength and independence. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 53(1), 113-129. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12330 
10. Kouba Hreich, E., Moitel Messarra, C., Martinez-Perez, T., Richa, S., & Maillart, C. (2020). Supporting language development in Lebanese preschools: SLT and pre-KT practice and perception of roles. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55(6), 988-1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12576 
11. Law, J. (1995). Efficacy of speech and language therapy with children. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 30(S1), 484-484. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.1995.tb01738.x 
12. Law, J. (1997). Evaluating intervention for language impaired children: A review of the literature. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 32(2s), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.1997.tb01621.x 
13. Law, J., Clegg, J., Rush, R., Roulstone, S., & Peters, T. J. (2019). Association of proximal elements of social disadvantage with children's language development at 2 years: an analysis of data from the Children in Focus (CiF) sample from the ALSPAC birth cohort. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 54(3), 362-376. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12442 
14. Law, J., Dornstauder, M., Charlton, J., & Gréaux, M. (2021). Tele-practice for children and young people with communication disabilities: Employing the COM-B model to review the intervention literature and inform guidance for practitioners. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(2), 415-434. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12592 
15. Law, J., Huby, G., Irving, A.-M., Pringle, A.-M., Conochie, D., Haworth, C., & Burston, A. (2010). Reconciling the perspective of practitioner and service user: findings from The Aphasia in Scotland study. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 45(5), 551-560. https://doi.org/10.3109/13682820903308509 
16. Law, J., McBean, K., & Rush, R. (2011). Communication skills in a population of primary school-aged children raised in an area of pronounced social disadvantage. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 46(6), 657-664. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00036.x 
17. Law, J., Reilly, S., & Snow, P. C. (2013). Child speech, language and communication need re-examined in a public health context: a new direction for the speech and language therapy profession. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 48(5), 486-496. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12027 
18. Law, J., & Riches, N. (2015). The Language Myth: Why Language is Not an Instinct Edited by Vyvyan Evans (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014) [Pp. 304.] ISBN 978-1-107-61975-3. £45.00 (hbk). £18.00 (pbk). International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 50(5), 719-719. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12168 
19. Law, J., Zeng, B., Lindsay, G., & Beecham, J. (2012). Cost-effectiveness of interventions for children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN): a review using the Drummond and Jefferson (1996) ‘Referee's Checklist’. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 47(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00084.x 
20. Levickis, P., McKean, C., Wiles, A., & Law, J. (2020). Expectations and experiences of parents taking part in parent–child interaction programmes to promote child language: a qualitative interview study. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 55(4), 603-617. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12543 
21. Lindsay, G., Dockrell, J., Desforges, M., Law, J., & Peacey, N. (2010). Meeting the needs of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 45(4), 448-460. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3109/13682820903165693 
22. Lindsay, G., Soloff, N., Law, J., Band, S., Peacey, N., Gascoigne, M., & Radford, J. (2002). Speech and language therapy services to education in England and Wales. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 37(3), 273-288. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/13682820210137204 
23. Mackie, L., & Law, J. (2010). Pragmatic language and the child with emotional/behavioural difficulties (EBD): a pilot study exploring the interaction between behaviour and communication disability. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 45(4), 397-410. https://doi.org/10.3109/13682820903105137 
24. McKean, C., Law, J., Laing, K., Cockerill, M., Allon-Smith, J., McCartney, E., & Forbes, J. (2017). A qualitative case study in the social capital of co-professional collaborative co-practice for children with speech, language and communication needs. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 52(4), 514-527. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12296 
25. Reilly, S., Tomblin, B., Law, J., McKean, C., Mensah, F. K., Morgan, A., Goldfeld, S., Nicholson, J. M., & Wake, M. (2014). Specific language impairment: a convenient label for whom? International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 49(4), 416-451. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12102 
26. Smith, J., Levickis, P., Neilson, R., Mensah, F., Goldfeld, S., & Bryson, H. (2021). Prevalence of language and pre-literacy difficulties in an Australian cohort of 5-year-old children experiencing adversity. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(2), 389-401. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12611 
27. Snow, P. C., Sanger, D. D., Caire, L. M., Eadie, P. A., & Dinslage, T. (2015). Improving communication outcomes for young offenders: a proposed response to intervention framework. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 50(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12117 
28.  Wren, Y., Pagnamenta, E., Peters, T. J., Emond, A., Northstone, K., Miller, L. L., & Roulstone, S. (2021). Educational outcomes associated with persistent speech disorder. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 56(2), 299-312. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12599 
29. Zwitserlood, R., Wijnen, F., van Weerdenburg, M., & Verhoeven, L. (2015). ‘MetaTaal’: enhancing complex syntax in children with specific language impairment—a metalinguistic and multimodal approach. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 50(3), 273-297. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12131  

IALP Child Speech Committee Online Panel Series - SSD and speech difference in diverse communities

Tonight (11pm - 12:30am) was the final IALP Child Speech Committee Online Panel Series 2021- 2022

Panel 4 - SSD and speech difference in diverse communities 

Available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pG8wPr-3Sw

Panel Speakers: 

• Dr Annette Fox Boyer, University of Lubeck 
• Dr Yolanda Holt, East Carolina University 
• Dr Ben Pham, Hanoi National University of Education 

About this panel: For many years we have debated terminology for describing the needs of children with communication impairment across the globe. Researchers, specialists, clinicians, parents and individuals with lived experience of the conditions have contributed to these discussions. The IALP Child Speech Committee have organised a series of panel meetings to discuss the overlap and distinctions between the label ‘Speech Sound Disorder’ and other closely related conditions. We invite you to join these meetings which will consist of short presentations by key figures in the field. You will have an opportunity to submit questions which will be considered by the panel on the day. In this fourth panel, invited speakers Dr Annette Fox-Boyer, Dr Yolanda Holt and Dr Ben Pham will discuss how SSD differs from speech difference - but also how this varies for different communities. For example, what may be considered a disordered feature of speech production for one person may be considered a difference in speech production for another.

Teaching UTS students online about speech assessments

I had the wonderful opportunity to teach first year Masters' students from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) this week, presenting 3.5 hours of lectures on the topic of assessment of children's speech. I enjoyed meeting the students and am grateful for the chance to discuss for quality assessments when considering children's speech.

These UTS students consented to have their photographs taken to appear on my blog

I was delighted to receive this thank you card!

Conversations with international colleagues

Today Prof Barbara May Bernhardt and I had the opportunity to discuss a variety of topics relating to our research, writing and lives. It is wonderful to share ideas with friends and colleagues across the world.

 

Diving Deep into Qualitative Data Analysis in Communication Disorders Research

Congratulations to my colleagues who have just published their second book about qualitative research titled "Diving Deep into Qualitative Data Analysis in Communication Disorders Research" https://www.jr-press.co.uk/diving-deep.html Here are the editors: Rena Lyons, Lindy McAllister, Clare Carroll, Deborah Hersh and Jemma Skeat

Prof Lindy McAllister with her new book

Speech Pathology Australia accreditation now includes multilingualism

Speech Pathology Australia has updated its university accreditation and has proposed a new item  that will be something like:

“the curriculum supports students to recognise and respond respectfully to the impact of culture, language and diversity when working with individuals and communities”

Vale Diana Maloney

Last week I attended the memorial service to honour my colleague and friend Di Maloney.

Diana Maloney in 2020

Di was my lecturer for my undergraduate degree and became a close colleague in my years of working at The University of Sydney. We co-authored a book with Lindy McAllister and Michelle Lincoln titled "Facilitating Learning in Clinical Settings".

Prof Michelle Lincoln (UC), Prof Lindy McAllister (USyd), Prof Sharynne McLeod (CSU)

Her memorial service was attended by many people from across her life, including a large group of speech pathologists. Di had a key role in the Australian speech pathology profession as the President of the Australian Association of Speech and Hearing and the Head of the Program of Speech Therapy. Her wisdom, kindness, and insights will be missed.

Standing: Maree Doble, Michelle Lincoln, Jan van Doorn, Caroline Slater, Lindy McAllister, Alison Purcell, Chris Sheard, Tricia McCabe, Cate Madill, Eva Nemeth
Seated: Gwyn Burns, Hilary Roberts, Joan Rosenthal, Sharynne McLeod

Effect of dialect on identification and severity of speech sound disorder in Fijian children

Congratulations Holly McAlister on the publiscation of "Effect of dialect on identification and severity of speech sound disorder in Fijian children" from your honours thesis

The eprint link for 50 free copies is: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/65ZQUTEVTTGKUNBRTEU9/full?target=10.1080/2050571X.2022.2052506