Speak Out
June 2014
15
continuing professional development news
It’s a rarity
that overseas speakers are part
of Branch CPD Programs but that was the thrilling
outcome of a timely alignment of planning occurring
on opposite sides of the world in 2013. Professor
Gina Conti-Ramsden from the University of
Manchester in the UK was investigating visiting
Australia in early 2014 for research purposes and
the SA Branch Professional Learning Working Group
(PLWG) was thinking laterally and creatively about
possibilities for its 2014 CPD Program! After exploratory
emails and Skype calls, and then confirmation
that Gina would be in Melbourne in early 2014,
arrangements proceeded for Gina to present in
Adelaide on 3 March. This was somewhat of a coup!
Anyone reading in the area of child language will
come across Gina’s work as she is prolific in the
literature. So it was not surprising there was a lot of
interest in Gina’s one-day workshop, ‘Understanding
the nature and developmental course of language
impairments in children’, which ended up being sold
out.
As well as conveying current and useful information
with practical application the day also provided food
for thought. Discussion about key messages for
parents and teachers was opportune in the context
of the recent launch of the ICP2014. It was interesting
to reflect on public awareness of Autism Spectrum
Disorder compared with Specific Language Impairment
and consider how understanding and appreciation of
the hidden disability of language impairment might be
increased.
Gina is among a group of academics behind RALLI, an
internet campaign for Raising Awareness of Language
Learning Impairments. The RALLI YouTube channel can
be found at
After the workshop there was time to show Gina some
of the sights and landmarks of Adelaide before dinner
with the Professional Learning Working Group.
Barbara Lyndon
Professional Learning Working Group Leader
SA Branch
Note:
In regard to speakers for the Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) program it is current
Speech Pathology Australia (Association) policy that
overseas speakers must be already visiting/in Australia
or nearby countries, and the Association does not pay
international airfares from the USA, UK or Europe for
CPD speakers. If you know of a speaker planning to
come to Australia or a nearby country at any stage your
Branch CPD Committee or Sharon Crane at National
Office would be very interested to hear from you.
CPD News: Professor Gina Conti-Ramsden in Adelaide
From left, Catherine Quin (SA CPD Coordinator), Professor Gina Conti-Ramsden and
Barbara Lyndon (SA Branch Professional Learning Working Group Leader).
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