CHILDREN AS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS
AN EXAMPLE OF INCLUSIVE PRACTICE
Marette Gale
Samaritans Foundation
How does inclusion relate to quality practice?
Early childhood education is guided by several important national frameworks:
• National Quality Framework (NQF) setting national benchmark for the quality
of education
• Belonging, Being and Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for
Australia – identifying children as co-collaborators of their learning
Inclusive Education
• The right to an inclusive education is articulated in:
o Convention on the Rights of the Child
 http://www.unicef.org/crc/
o Convention on the rights of persons with a Disability
 https://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=150
o National Disability Strategy (NDS) 2011
 http://www.cornlaw.gov.au/Details/C2013C00022
o Disability Standards for Education 2005
 http://www.cornlaw.gov.au/Details/F2005L00767
legal Obligations for inclusive education
• These legal obligations include ensuring the right of every child
who experiences disability to education on the same basis as any
child not labelled disabled.
SCAN Program
Supporting Children with Additional Needs
• The effective inclusion of children with additional needs in preschool requires
an understanding of the specific needs of each child.
• SCAN assists preschools to meet the associated requirements to ensure the
inclusion of the child in the education program and the physical environment
of the preschool
Children as Effective Communicators
• Pilot Project in the Hunter and Mid North Coast
• Review Findings
• Tuned-In Consulting
o Carolyn Cousins – May 2014.
Children as Effective Communicators
Innovative response to identified needs:
o Preschools report working with high numbers of children with language delays
o Frustration at long waiting times for speech Pathology
o Inability to provide early intervention and prevention
o Inability to access prompt assessments
Innovative Response
Program designed to provide targeted intervention to:
o Utilise and resource Educators to improve outcomes
o Equip and resource Educators to undertake early intervention
o Speech pathologist working in Partnership in preschool environment
The Process
From One to One intervention - Traditional
Individualised speech therapy
TO
Capacity Building
Building on existing activities and educator skills:
Speech and language extension
Options built into existing programs
TO
Inclusion
Speech and Language Issues as part of continuum
Modification of activities to suit child irrespective of (dis) ability.
Benefits
o Inclusion for all children
o Positive and strength based approach
o Assists educators build communication skills
o On site
o Capacity building of Educators
o Recognising the Educators existing knowledge and experience
Key learning: Speech Pathologists
o Stretched them to work with children across normative range
o Developed appreciation for the skills of Educators
o Required adaption of traditional methods
Key Learning: Educators and Preschools
o Recognised their existing expertise and ability to incorporate further
communication ideas into programs
o Encouraged reflection
o Required openness to new ideas and feedback
Contact Information
Marette Gale
Community Service Manager
mgale@samaritans.org.au
Kerry Rowlandson
SCAN Co-ordinator
krowlandson@samaritans.org.au