CSU welcomes people from across Australia and across the world

I was very honoured to show a new CSU student around the university today - and to watch her proudly add a sticker to the world map indicating where she was born. I added a sticker to where I was born as well.

Higher Degree Research (HDR) students

Higher degree research students (HDR) are wonderful colleagues who bring their experiences and contexts to undertake quality impactful real-world research.

• Congratulations to Cathie Matthews who has completed all of the requirements to graduate with an MPhil this week!

What a joy it is to learn from and give ideas to PhD students. This week has been a wonderful time of discussion with the following PhD students:

• Sarah Bartlett (CSU PhD student supervised by myself and Dr Carolyn Gregoric)
• Anniek van Doornik (UUtrecht PhD student co-supervised by myself) 
• Arifa Rahman (CSU PhD student supervised by Dr Shukla Sikder) 
• Felicity Laurence (2026 PhD student supervised by myself and A/Prof Sarah Verdon)
• Nikki Simone (QUT PhD student visiting CVC and The Treehouse)
• Camilla Porsanger (Nord University PhD student visiting CVC and The Treehouse) 

Sarah B, Sharynne, Carolyn

 

Sharynne, Camilla and Tamara enjoying the Australian sunshine and blue sky

Arifa Rahman

Tamara, Nikki, Sharynne  and Camilla

Anniek and Sharynne looking at CSU PhD students' final chapters

Congratulations to Cathie Matthews - nearly finished

This morning Cathie Matthews and I discussed her examiners' feedback for her Masters of Philosophy. She is close to finalising her thesis for resubmission. Congratulations Cathie.

 

University medalist!

Huge congratulations to Dr Kate Margetson who just received this email from the Charles Sturt University Office of Governance and Corporate Administration:

It is my pleasure to advise that you have been awarded the Higher Degree by Research University Medal as recognition of your outstanding academic achievement.
 
Only one graduate per Faculty, per year, may be awarded the Higher Degree by Research University Medal. The University Research Committee determines the eligibility and assessment criteria to award a Higher Degree by Research University Medal. Criteria may include details of publications or presentations given during your candidature, prizes or scholarships won during your candidature or attestations of excellence by your examiners.
 
Congratulations on this momentous achievement.

Kate's PhD was titled: Moving Beyond Monolingual Practices with Multilingual Children: Learning from Vietnamese-English–Speaking Children, Families, and Professionals

She was supervised by A/Prof Sarah Verdon and myself. Congratulations Kate! We are so proud of you!

Congratulations Sarah B

Congratulations Sarah Bartlett on passing your PhD endorsement requirements. It is exciting that you are able to finalise your ethics application then start data collection. Sarah's PhD title is: "Implications of Caregiver-implemented Intervention for Underserved Communities".

Sarah celebrating with her supervisors - Sharynne  and Carolyn Gregoric

 

2025 research students

 I really love working with my research students. In 2025 I have

• Holly McAlister (co-supervised with Suzanne Hopf)
  
• Sarah Bartlett (co-supervised with Carolyn Gregoric)
• Cathie Matthews (co-supervised with Julian Grant and Libbey Murray)

and a new PhD student who is currently being finalised.

I am also working with Dr Kate Margetson as my postdoc (2 days/week)

They all do such great work - it is a pleasure to work with them all.

Holly, Sharynne and Suzanne

Carolyn, Sharynne and Sarah B

Working (and celebrating) with Dr Kate Margetson in Sydney

What a joy to spend a whole day with my postdoc Dr Kate Margetson in Sydney. We had a lovely day celebrating her PhD graduation, working on her implementation science approach to disseminating the Speech Assessment of Children's Home Languages (SACHL), and planning our presentations to Hong Kong.

Congratulations Dr Kate Margetson!

Both of my PhD graduates - Kate Margetson and Marie Ireland - are in the same graduation booklet

Congratulations Dr Margetson

Just before our postdoc meeting today, Kate Margetson received an official parcel that she had to sign for - it was her testamur - so now she is officially Dr Kate Margetson. CONGRATULATIONS KATE!

Research higher degree students are great

It's time I had another blog about my research higher degree students. I love working with them. This week: 

• Suzanne Hopf and I met with Holly McAlister to discuss her ethics variation, her paper being accepted at the ASHA convention, and her ongoing work. 
• I met with Sarah Bartlett to work on her PhD endorsement document and plans.
• Libbey Murray, Julian Grant and I sent back a draft of Cathie Matthews' thesis. Cathie is having another writing week - so we have worked on her updated literature review and results tables.
• I met with Kate Margetson to finalise her thesis being included in the CSU library, her synopsis for her graduation, and her postdoctoral plans.
•  We've also submitted a number of conference abstracts too.
  

Sarah B and Sharynne

Cathie and Sharynne

Holly, Sharynne and Suzanne

Congratulations Dr Belinda Downey on your graduation

 Last week Dr Belinda Downey graduated with her PhD in Bathurswhile I was in Perth at the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference. I celebrated with her before I left for my 7-week trip - and was so pleased to see the photos and congratulate her this week on my return.

DVC-A Gavin Brown and Dr Belinda Downey

Dr Kelly Tribolet, Dr Andi Salamon, Dr Belinda Downey, Dr Doreen Rorrison, Dr Shukla Sikder

Belinda's PhD was titled: Staying in the Early Childhood Education and Care Profession: Struggle, Hope and Connection

Her supervisors were: A/Prof Will Letts, Prof Sharynne McLeod, Dr Tamara Cumming, Dr Leanne Gibbs and Dr Doreen Rorrison.

Abstract:

Retention of early childhood educators (ECEs) has become a ‘wicked problem’ with estimates that more than 39,000 ECEs are currently required to meet workforce demands and projections that an additional 24,000 ECEs may be needed by 2025. Attrition or turnover of ECEs can negatively affect the relationships held with children and families, the quality of care and education and the educators’ workload. Wages and working conditions have been identified as one concern, but additional complex issues affecting retention, include professional recognition, administrative and regulatory burden and the intensity of the ECE role as well as compounding effects from these issues on those ECEs’ who remain. Retention in ECEC, specifically focused on the Northern Territory of Australia, provides a unique perspective regarding complex issues affecting retention in the ECEC sector. Therefore, this research investigates factors that enable or constrain ECEs’ retention in the Northern Territory.
The 34 participants were recruited through purposive random sampling across the ‘top end’ of the Northern Territory in Australia. Yarning sessions (cf. focus groups) were undertaken that discussed the ECEC profession, national sector reforms and retention. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used, and constant comparative analysis of the data was undertaken. This process led to the generation of a substantiative grounded theory to explain attrition and retention in the ECEC field, building connection builds retention. The relationships that educators built with the children, families, colleagues, their wider professional networks and their profession were identified as supporting retention.
The research findings generated one core category that was central to the data, adjusting practices and accommodating values, and two properties, struggle and hope. A basic social process of attrition and retention was identified that formed a three-stage process that became the basis of this thesis. In the first stage (becoming a professional), second stage (belonging in an organisation) and third stage (engaging with policy and legislation), participants either found hope in the connections developed and were retained, or they struggled to build connections through these stages, which led to turnover or attrition. The findings identified that ECEC retention could be supported when becoming a professional through the development of trusted, collaborative relationships, practice-level mentors and scaffolded examples of documentation and assessment. Similarly, belonging in an organisation was fostered through leadership that encouraged and supported inclusive practices and values-based approaches through robust conversations that encouraged professional autonomy and agency. Participants who engaged with the policy and legislation found that their understanding of practice and the terminology provided in the policies assisted participants’ ability to articulate and advocate for their profession.
The factors that increased ECEs’ retention was enabled through the connections these ECEs developed, which increased their motivation to ensure high-quality care and education and the probability of their retention. These findings supported the substantive grounded theory that building connection builds retention, which provides a possible solution moving into the future of the ECEC field’s ‘wicked problem’ of retention.

Friends and colleagues (old and new) at the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference

The Speech Pathology Australia National Conference was a great time of connecting in person with my team (since we all live in different cities), as well as with friends and colleagues (old and new). I particularly enjoyed meeting current and past students and hearing about how they have been using our research and books in their work. I had many rich conversations and learned a lot.

Some of the attendees at the IALP session

The SLM team at the end of the conference:
Sharynne McLeod, Emily-Jane Woodhead, Sarah Bartlett, Kate Margetson, Sarah Faulks

Kate Margetson, Emily-Jane Woodhead, Beth Armstrong, Mitchell Walley, Sarah Bartlett, Megan McAllister, Sharynne McLeod

Sharynne and Louise Brown with Hana Richmond an enthusiastic student volunteer

Prof Natalie Munro sharing wisdom with Sharynne and Sarah Bartlett

Sharynne and Alice Lans from Noah's Inclusion Services

Sharynne and Caroline Tiong

Sharynne with Dr Mary Claessen

Sharynne with our CSU student

Prof Bronwyn Hemsley and Sharynne
with Laura and Hana - student volunteers from WA

Sharynne with Dr Sarah Masso

Sharynne with A/Prof Elise Baker

Sharynne with helpful student volunteer Emily Candy

Prof Anne Whitworth, Prof Andrew Whitehouse, Prof Sharynne McLeod

Charles Sturt University in Perth for Speech Pathology Australia National Conference

It is fantastic to attend the Speech Pathology Australia National Conference each year because it is a rare chance to see my Charles Sturt University colleagues in person. CSU has several campuses with hundreds of kilometres between them - so most of our work is done online.  We enjoy each others' company - have fun, progress projects, and learn a lot when we are together. We met up the day before the conference began to watch the sun set over the ocean (something we never see on the eastern side of Australia).

Sarah Faulks, Kate Margetson, Sharynne McLeod,
Sarah Bartlett, Emily-Jane Woodhead

Kate, Sharynne and Sarah F watching the sun set over the ocean

Early identification of communication delay by health and education professionals in rural Australia

Today Cathie Matthews and I had a productive day working on her Masters' thesis. We were working on a paper titled "Early identification of communication delay by health and education professionals in rural Australia". Her mixed methods study sought to assess the feasibility of the Early Communication Measures to identify communication risk in 48 2-year-old children by eight early childhood educators, eight child and family health nurses, and 48 caregivers.

While we were working we learned that her abstract was accepted for presentation at the upcoming Speech Pathology Australia National Conference in Perth in May 2024. Congratulations Cathie.

Early identification of communication delay by health and education professionals in rural Australia

Over the past two days Cathie Matthews has been in Bathurst working with me on her Masters research. She has undertaken important research about early identification of communication delay by health and education professionals in rural Australia. I have really enjoyed working with her to write up her data collected from early childhood educators, child and family health nurses, caregivers and 2-year-old children.

PhD students are a joy and stand on each others' shoulders

I love working with and being inspired by my PhD students. I also love seeing the intersections between the work of my previous and current PhD students - and how each one builds on the next.

Today, in my meetings with 

• Holly McAlister (current student) I quoted Sarah Verdon, Helen Blake and Van Tran's work (previous PhD students)  
• Kate Margetson (current student) I quoted Sarah Masso, Van Tran and Suzanne Hopf's work (previous PhD students)

Suzanne Hopf, Sharynne, Holly McAlister

Congratulations Cathie Matthews - submission of HETI Report

Congratulations to Cathie Matthews who submitted her HETI Report last week. Cathie has been enrolled in the Rural Research Capacity Building Program (RRCBP) https://www.heti.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/courses-and-programs/rural-research-capacity-building-program 

Her report was titled: Rural health professionals and early childhood education services working together to support 2-year-olds’ communication development in rural New South Wales. 

Here is the abstract: 

Children with speech and language difficulties are at risk for poorer outcomes in literacy, academic success, social-emotional wellbeing, and employment outcomes. Nearly 20% of children are regarded as late talkers. Early identification and intervention are important to increase the likelihood of children communicating successfully now and in the future. The Early Language Identification Measure-Shortened (ELIM-S) has recently been developed and validated in the United Kingdom to support the earlier identification of those at risk of communication delays. The current mixed methods study sought to assess the feasibility and acceptability of use of this early communication tool by caregivers, early childhood staff and speech pathologists with 2-year-old children attending early childhood education centres or child and family health nursing services in one rural city in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD). This feasibility study demonstrated that the Early Communication Measure successfully initiated dialogue around 2-year-old’s communication development between caregivers and staff working in early childhood settings in a rural metropolitan city in NSW. Early educators, child and family health nurses and caregivers found the Early Communication Measure to be feasible and acceptable to monitor 2-year-old children’s communication development. It was found to offer better outcomes and detail for staff compared to standard monitoring practices, with a positive outlook for its future use particularly by caregivers and educators. Furthermore, it promoted early and appropriate referrals for speech pathology assessments. This research will inform interdisciplinary collaborative practices across WNSWLHD for supporting young children’s early communication development. Furthermore, results from this pilot study may inform the development of a validation study of this communication tool in Australia.

Cathie's research also forms part of her Masters research at Charles Sturt University and is a pilot work for our collaboration with the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service.

During her research Cathie has been supported by the following institutions and people: 

• Charles Sturt University: Sharynne McLeod, Julian Grant, Libbey Murray
• The University of Sydney School of Rural Health: Georgina Luscombe
• NSW Health Education and Training Institute: Kerith Duncanson

Congratulations Cathie from your proud supervisors!

Presentation to the Western NSW Health Research Network

Congratulations to Cathie Matthews who presented her Masters' research to the Western NSW Health Research Network (WNRN) Symposium in Dubbo Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 September 2023 (https://whrnnetwork.wordpress.com/) 

The title of her presentation was "Advancing rural children’s communication, partnering with parents, early educators and child and family health nurses". 

Cathie Matthews is undertaking her Masters research at CSU supervised by Julian Grant, Sharynne McLeod, Libbey Murray. She is also undertaking a Health Education and Training Institute (HETI) Grant supervised by Kerith Duncanson (HETI) and  Georgina Luscombe from The University of Sydney.

Students

 I love working with my research and higher degree students:

1. Belinda Downey*
2. Kate Margetson
3. Marie Ireland*
4. Holly McAlister
5. Cathie Matthews
6. Sarah Faulks
7. Sarah Bartlett
8. Caitlin Hurley (UWA)
9. Anniek Van Doornik (Utrecht) 

I am principal supervisor for Kate, Marie and Sarah B.

*Submitted in 2023

 

Guest lecture for CSU Dentistry students - Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics

Tonight I gave a 2-hour guest lecture (online) to the 4th year Bachelor of Dental Science students at Charles Sturt University in their subject Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. I was invited by Dr Winey Wan, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Dentistry l Specialist Paediatric Dentist, Centre for Rural Dentistry & Oral Health, School of Dentistry & Medical Sciences on the Orange campus at CSU. I really enjoyed the evening.

We discussed Speech Pathology Australia's position on tongue ties. Here is their Fact Sheet

Seeing Speech is an excellent website to see the oromusculature working during speech production

Congratulations Marie on your PhD submission

Congratulations to Marie Ireland who submitted her PhD in Iceland today. She undertook her PhD by Prior Publication.

Congratulations Marie!

The moment of submitting Marie's PhD

 

A/Prof Sarah Verdon (in Australia) and Adjunct A/Prof Kate Crowe,
Marie Ireland and Prof Sharynne McLeod in Iceland

Lava cake!

Marie's thesis title was "Evaluation and Eligibility of Students with Communication Disorders in Public Schools in the United States" and consisted of 13 chapters (10 publications + 3 exegesis chapters).

Here is the abstract 

Communication is an essential human right that, beginning early in a child’s life, provides the foundation for interaction with others. Communication is the underpinning for success in school and untreated communication disorders may impact children’s futures. In the United States, students with disabilities in public schools receive free speech and language evaluations and, if needed, services from speech-language pathologists (SLPs). In U.S. public schools this process is regulated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and services are only available to students who meet specific eligibility criteria. An educational disability must result in an educational impact and is decided by a team that includes SLPs. Private speech-language pathology services are also available using a fee for service model decided by individual service providers. As parents and some educators may desire free services for students under IDEA, there is pressure to identify students as disabled who do not meet eligibility criteria. Misidentification due to cultural or linguistic differences also occurs. There are potential negative consequences to inappropriate disability identification such as: segregation from typically developing peers, violating the child’s rights with decreased expectations or limited educational opportunities, increased caseloads for SLPs resulting in recruitment and retention issues, and violation of state and federal regulations. While service options exist outside of IDEA, inconsistency in evaluation practices and eligibility decision-making has been documented and creates tensions for families, educators, and SLPs.
This thesis presents work for a PhD by Prior Publication to explore and describe evaluation and eligibility of students with communication disorders in U.S. public schools using quantitative and qualitative research and publications (presented as chapters) over the span of a career drawn together through an exegesis. Part 1 includes 7 chapters and provides an introduction and literature review that examines the SLPs’ practice patterns and documents the unique requirements for public-school practice in the United States. Chapter 2 reviews public policy and Chapter 3 discusses educational requirements and provides the context of public policy in the United States. A review of evaluation and eligibility requirements under IDEA and research on evaluation practices focusing on students from diverse backgrounds, test accuracy, and state differences are included in Chapter 4. Clarification regarding regulations, guidance and information to support understanding of guidelines and severity rating tools used by states as they implement IDEA is presented in Chapter 5. Options for services to support students with language differences, not disorders, outside of IDEA are detailed in Chapter 6. Chapter 7 integrates research and policy in the United States and addresses the implementation of research on children with speech sound disorders in the context of IDEA.
Part 2 includes six chapters and addresses the complex activity system involving team decision-making regarding evaluation and eligibility for speech-language pathology services in U.S. schools. Chapter 8 presents the theoretical framework that was used as the unifying approach to this thesis and for the study reported in Chapter 9. The chosen theoretical framework, Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) by Engström (1987, 2015), was used to explain the complex activity system of speech-language pathology services in U.S. schools. Chapter 9 investigates the team decision-making activity system for determining student eligibility for speech or language services in U.S. schools and documents nine major tensions related to the team decision-making activity system. Chapters 10, 11, and 12 document SLPs’ use of evidence-based practices and language sample analysis techniques. Variations in evaluation and eligibility decision-making often are attributed to the SLP, rather than the team decision-making system. The impact of differences in state and local regulations and policy, input from other members of the team, and variations in requirements for use of specific tools for evaluation were identified. Knowledge of the individual elements within the team decision-making activity system and the interactions and tensions that arise between elements may assist in understanding practice patterns of SLPs in U.S. schools. There are common tensions experienced by school SLPs regarding evaluation and eligibility of students. Using the CHAT framework enables acknowledgment of the interplay of elements within the broader activity system (beyond the SLP) and promotes the importance of teamwork and advocacy by SLPs at the local, state and national level. Inconsistency and tensions in school team decision-making are well documented in the research literature. Once identified, information on inconsistency and tensions can be used to develop of strategies to improve practice. The findings identify needs and solutions to strengthen school teams’ and SLPs’ knowledge of the regulations, research, and advocacy to address challenges in the school setting. Use of evidence-based practices for evaluation and compliance with IDEA regulations for data collection and decision making will reduce mis- and overidentification and protect students’ civil rights. Improving consistency by school decision-making teams will enable all students to receive quality evaluations and appropriate decision-making regardless of where they live or attend school. Consistency in evaluation and eligibility processes is essential to advance SLPs’ professional practice and build or maintain trust between families, students, and public-school professionals across the United States.

We had a fun day preparing for submission - see here.