Cambridge in spring

Cambridge in spring is beautiful.

Kings College in the evening sunshine

Mathematical Bridge

Mathematical Bridge from Queens College

Was this the tree inspired Newton's theory of gravity?

Round Church

 

Visiting the University of Cambridge

This week I have enjoyed visiting the University of Cambridge. I have been hosted by Prof Jenny Gibson and Prof Karen Forbes from the Faculty of Education and Prof Napolean Katsos from the Faculty of Linguistics. Prof Gibson is co-chair of PEDAL: Play in education learning and development. A highlight of my visit was examining the PhD thesis of Mélanie Gréaux (supervised by Prof Gibson and Prof Katsos). I have also learned about the 31 colleges of the University of Cambridge and have been able to dine in Homerton College with Prof Forbes and Trinity College with Prof Katsos. 

Prof Karen Forbes at Homerton College

Prof Sharynne McLeod, Prof Napolean Katsos, Mélanie Gréaux, Prof Jenny Gibson, Prof Karen Forbes

A squirrel on campus!

The dining hall at Homerton College

Invited lecture at the University of Cambridge: Communication rights and social justice: Enhancing communicative participation for children

Today I gave a lecture at University of Cambridge in the Faculty of Education. 

Title: Communication rights and social justice: Enhancing communicative participation for children with speech, language and communication needs 

Abstract: 

Communication is a human right for all; including children with speech, language, and communication needs and 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. 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 all children’s participation within democratic processes in their families, schools, communities, and society? 

Thank you to Professor Jenny Gibson (https://www.languagesciences.cam.ac.uk/directory/dr-jenny-gibson) for the invitation and the excellent and engaged audience. I announced The Treehouse and the International Children's Research and Communication Centre during the talk was delighted by the interest and potential future collaborations.

Prof Jenny Gibson and Prof Sharynne McLeod
at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

Some of the engaged audience who continued discussing
children's communication after the lecture

An eloquent description of the impact of our work

I recently came upon this eloquent description of the impact our work we have presented to the UN: 

"By virtue of linking SLT [speech and language therapy] with Human Rights and the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, McLeod and colleagues fundamentally decentred the traditional medical model. Instead, they harnessed frameworks that specifically acknowledge and seek to address issues of injustice and inequalities, hence affording greater alignment with the current reframing of the profession under social justice movements" 

McLeod, S. (2018). Communication rights: Fundamental human rights for all. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 20(1), 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2018.1428687 

McLeod, S., & Marshall, J. (2023). Communication for all and the Sustainable Development Goals. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 25(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2022.2160494

Invited lecture at BSLTRU: All Children Should be Seen AND Heard: The Importance of Communication so Children can Thrive

Yesterday I gave the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit Annual Lecture at Southmead Hospital as part of my Benjamin Meaker Visiting Distinguished Professor program.

Title: All Children Should be Seen AND Heard: The Importance of Communication so Children can Thrive

Abstract: Communication is a human right for everyone – including children. Being an effective communicator is essential for children’s belonging, being, and becoming – and their ability to thrive. The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights describes our right to freedom of opinion and expression and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. This right is echoed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This presentation will draw on extensive large-scale evidence regarding children’s communicative competence and capacity. Data from thousands of children within the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) will be supplemented with insights from children’s drawings and insights. The communicative competence of multilingual children and families will be celebrated. This presentation will conclude with a range of solutions for international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral change to enable children to be seen AND heard so they can thrive.

 What a fabulous event - with people traveling from London, Worcestershire, Exeter and Cardiff to attend, including Steve Jamieson, CEO from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) and Emeritus Professor Sue Roulstone.

Steve Jamieson, CEO from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)

 

Visiting the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit

What a pleasure to visit the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit (BSLTRU) again. I first visited in 2010, and again in 2013. BSLTRU was founded by Prof Pam Enderby, then has been led by Prof Sue Roulstone and now by Prof Yvonne Wren. I constantly quote work from the PhD students and staff from BSLTRU. I was honoured to present their annual lecture and am enjoying my collaborative conversations during my fellowship.

Famous PhD theses from BSLTRU: including Enderby, Roulstone, Wren ...

Invited lecture at Bristol Dental School: Speech, Language and Communication: An Overview for Dentists

Today, as part of my role as the Bristol Benjamin Meaker Visiting Distinguished Professor, I presented a guest lecture to the School of Dentistry titled "Speech, Language and Communication: An Overview for Dentists" https://www.bristol.ac.uk/international-research-development/diary/2024/dental-school-talk-by-professor-sharynne-mcleod.html. The lecture was held at the Bristol Dental School, Temple Quay Room

Here is the abstract: 

Most speech, language and communication is produced using the mouth. Dentists are frequently asked about the association between oral structures and communication. This presentation will describe how speech is produced using ultrasound and electropalatography images and will demonstrate the impact of oral structural alterations (e.g., tongue tie and cleft palate) on speech. Recent evidence-based techniques will be described to enable dentists to be better equipped to work with individuals with speech, language and communication needs.

Prof Sharynne McLeod and Prof Yvonne Wren

 

Vale Lawrence D. Shriberg

I am so sad to hear that my mentor and friend Larry Shriberg has passed away. He has had such a profound influence on my work, and on children with speech sound disorders (SSD) throughout the world. I was to be his PhD student at the University of Wisconsin Madison; however, grant funding fell through the year I was to study with him - so I was unable to move to the USA. Larry had an ongoing interest in my work and we met up at each ASHA convention. 

Sharynne, Larry Shriberg and Helen Blake - ASHA 2017

Larry Shriberg, Greg Lof, Sharynne McLeod, Peter Flipsen - ASHA 2014

 

A few of his influential papers include:

1. Shriberg, L., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1980). Natural process analysis. John Wiley. 
2. Shriberg, L. D., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1982a). Phonological disorders I: A diagnostic classification system. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 47, 226–241.
3. Shriberg, L. D., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1982b). Phonological disorders II: A conceptual framework of management. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 42, 242–256.
4. Shriberg, L. D., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1982c). Phonological disorders III: A procedure for assessing severity of involvement. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 47, 256–270.
5. Shriberg, L. D., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1990). Self-monitoring and generalization in preschool speech-delayed children. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 21, 157–170.
6. Shriberg, L. D., Kwiatkowski, J., Best, S., Hengst, J., & Terselic-Weber, B. (1986). Characteristics of children with phonologic disorders of unknown origin. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 51, 140–161.
7. Shriberg, L. D., Kwiatkowski, J., & Hoffman, K. (1984). A procedure for phonetic transcription  by consensus. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 27, 456–465.
8. Shriberg, L. D., Kwiatkowski, J., & Snyder, T. (1986). Articulation testing by microcomputer. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 51, 309–324.
9. Shriberg, L. D., & Lof, G. L. (1991). Reliability studies in broad and narrow phonetic transcription. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 5(3), 225-279. https://doi.org/10.3109/02699209108986113
10. Shriberg, L. D., Strand, E. A., Jakielski, K. J., & Mabie, H. L. (2019). Estimates of the prevalence of speech and motor speech disorders in persons with complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics, 33(8), 707–736. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2019.1595732
11. Shriberg, L. D., Tomblin, J. B., & McSweeny, J. L. (1999). Prevalence of speech delay in 6-year-old children and comorbidity with language impairment. Journal of Speech Language & Hearing Research, 42(6), 1461–1481. https://doi.org/10.1044/jslhr.4206.1461
12. Shriberg, L. D., & Wren, Y. E. (2019). A frequent acoustic sign of speech motor delay (SMD). Clinical Linguistics & Phonetics. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699206.2019.1595734
13. Shriberg, L. D., Austin, D., Lewis, B. A., McSweeny, J. L., & Wilson, D. L. (1997a). The percentage of consonants correct (PCC) metric: Extensions and reliability data. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 40, 708–722. https://doi.org/10.1044/jslhr.4004.708 
14. Shriberg, L. D., Austin, D., Lewis, B. A., McSweeny, J. L., & Wilson, D. L. (1997b). The speech disorders classification system (SDCS): Extensions and lifespan reference data. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 40, 723–740. 
15. Shriberg, L. D., Aram, D. M., & Kwiatkowski, J. (1997). Developmental apraxia of speech: I. Descriptive and theoretical perspectives. Journal of Speech Language, and Hearing Research, 40(2), 273–285. 

Larry in his office in Madison, 2006

Prof Yvonne Wren acknowledging Prof Shriberg's international contributions at the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit Annual Lecture - 30 April 2024

Graduation congratulations

During April/May, some of my research students graduate at Charles Sturt University. I am unable to celebrate with them at the graduation ceremonies, because the graduation dates changed from December 2023-  so coincided with my international travel. I cheered loudly from the other side of the world - and had an opportunity to celebrate Belinda in Bathurst.

Pre-graduation celebration with Dr Belinda Downey

Congratulations Sarah Faulks on your honours graduation in Albury in April.
I am glad A/Prof Sarah Verdon was with you to celebrate

Visiting Wales

 I enjoyed visiting Cardiff and learning more about Wales and Welsh.

Inspiration for The Treehouse from Wales

Here are some ideas for The Treehouse from visiting the Welsh Parliament in Cardiff

Invited lecture at Cardiff Metropolitan University Centre of Hearing, Language and Communication

Today (Wednesday 24th April) I presented a lecture as part of the Cardiff Metropolitan University Centre of Hearing, Language and Communication Research Lecture Series. My presentation was titled: Assessing Children's Speech in Languages Other than Welsh and English 

It was great to spend time with the team at Cardiff Metropolitan University and to see Prof Robert Mayr again (we met in Sydney last June at the ISB14 conference)

The Speech, Hearing and Communication research group, led by Dr Robert Mayr, has three major strands:

• Bilingual Development, led by Dr Robert Mayr;
• Healthy and Impaired Hearing, led by Prof Fei Zhao, and
• Clinical Speech and Language Research, led by Prof Yvonne Wren.

The latter is run in partnership with the Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit (BSLTRU). Much of our work involves national and international collaborations, notably with universities in Europe, the USA, China and Japan and Australia.

 https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/sportandhealthsciences/researchandinnovation/populationriskandhealthcare/Pages/Speech,-Hearing-and-Communication.aspx

Sharynne and Prof Yvonne Wren

OUP Handbook authors: Sharynne, Rhonwen Lewis, Robert Mayr, Yvonne Wren

Some of the audience at the invited lecture -
99 people registered online as well

ECIR bio for Research Office website

The Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group will be profiled on the Research Office website:

The Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group (ECIR) conducts transformative research promoting social justice for children, families and practitioners. This group brings together a critical mass of interdisciplinary early childhood researchers (academics, adjuncts, HDR students) to build research capacity, establish and expand collaborations, and support funding application success. The group cultivates a positive collegial environment to develop the full potential of researchers at all stages of their careers.
The ECIR team recently have published the Springer book: Early childhood voices: Children, families, professionals https://link.springer.com/book/9783031564833. Additionally, ECIR founded the successful Early Childhood Voices Conference hosting ~ 2,000 online registrations during ECV2020 and ECV2022. The conference will be held again in 2024. The ECV2022 Children Draw Talking Global Online Gallery included drawings from 200 children from 24 countries. These children’s insights were shared with the United Nations: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/youth/hr75/submissions/subm-views-youth-led-cso-early-childhood-interdisciplinary-resear.pdf. Acknowledging these and other initiatives, ECIR won a CSU Research Excellence (RED) Award in 2023.
Reflecting this expertise, Charles Sturt University earned an ERA rating of “above world standard” for Field of Research 1301 Education Systems, which encompasses early childhood education, and 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, which encompasses creative arts, media and communication curriculum and pedagogy, curriculum and pedagogy theory and development, mathematics and numeracy curriculum and pedagogy.
ECIR is currently funded by the Charles Sturt University Sturt Scheme and will transform into the International Children’s Research and Communication Centre in 2025. Learn more https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/organisations/early-childhood-interdisciplinary-research-group

Inspiration for The Treehouse from Bristol

While in Bristol I have been gathering ideas for The Treehouse - our new building for the International Children's Research and Communication Centre

Celebrating women in Bristol and the Put Her Forward project

 While walking around the University of Bristol, there are many statues of men - but I am pleased to see women being celebrated in more recent initiatives. One initiative is the Put Her Forward project where 25 women were nominated by the community to have a 3D printed statue made of themselves https://putherforward.com/the-women/.

Professor Jean Golding's statue is located at Royal Fort Gardens, University of Bristol. Professor Golding founded the ALSPAC longitudinal study that Prof Sue Roulstone and Prof Yvonne Wren have been involved in.

Two other women being celebrated in Brisol at the moment are Henrietta Lacks and Mary Anning.