Handbook

In this subject, students explore the development of communication across the lifespan. Students gain an understanding of the role of language and cognition, as well as sensory-motor skill development in the development of communicative competence focusing on oral language and literacy development. Students develop skills in the analysis of communication data and apply this to describe communication skills of infants, children and adolescents. Students reflect on their personal experiences and knowledge of communication across the lifespan and extend this knowledge through critical reflection on linguistic and developmental theories, as well as cultural/social beliefs. Throughout this subject, students will engage with different types of evidence as used in evidence-based speech pathology practice.

This subject will cover the following topics:

• Knowledge in speech pathology: models of communication and language, evidence-based practice;
• Communication development in infancy;
• Development of social communication across childhood and adolescence;
• Development of oral language across childhood and adolescence;
• Pre-literacy and literacy development and the relationship between oral language and literacy development;
• Typical speech sound development in early childhood;
• Social, cultural and individual variation in typical development; and
• Analysis of language and speech data.