Welcome to Term 2. Learning Support will continue to include information on a range of topics this term. If there is something that you would like to know more about, please let me us know. You can email requests to  Allyson.Jessen@twb.catholic.edu.au  

What is Speech Language Pathology? 

Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office provides a Speech Language Pathology (SLP) service. Recently the service was reviewed to enhance the delivery of speech pathology services across the Diocese of Toowoomba. 

What does the service look like?  

There are three full time Speech Pathology Advisor positions within the Diocese of Toowoomba, which are currently filled by three full time employees. These positions cover all 31 schools within the Diocese. 

What is the role of the speech language pathology advisor in schools? 

SLP Advisors provide support to school staff and students utilising an educational therapy model with a priority focus on building teacher capacity and early intervention. The primary clients of the SLP Advisors are the Class Teacher (CT) and the Learning Support Teacher (LST). 

SLP Advisors provide support to teachers and other school staff to identify students with communication needs and build their capacity to support individual student learning in the classroom. 

What support will my child receive? 

SLP Advisors build capacity of school staff to understand the speech and language needs of their students. SLP Advisors also work with school teams to upskill and support staff to plan for personalised learning and determine relevant adjustments and differentiation for the whole class or with individual students. 

Will my child still be withdrawn from the classroom to complete a program? 

Research suggests that students learn best when they are in the classroom learning alongside their peers. Your child will receive support through adjustments and differentiation to enhance their participation in the classroom. We recognise that targeted intervention is required at times to enhance specific skills to allow a student to access to the Australian Curriculum. On occasions, your child may work with support staff to focus on specific skill development which will be planned for with the class teacher and support staff. 

Is a hearing assessment required for a consultation/referral? 

A full audiological assessment is recommended and may be required if a comprehensive speech and/or language assessment is requested for your child. 

Adequate hearing is essential for a child’s speech and language development. Hearing loss can have a direct impact on a child’s learning. 

Can I access private therapy if my child receives support through school? 

Yes. If you are concerned about your child’s communication skills, we recommend that you access external speech pathology services. A list of external services throughout the Toowoomba Diocese can be provided upon request. 

Allyson & Maria

Allyson Jessen & Maria Kehoe

Learning Support Teachers