Speak Out April 2013

Feature

Change of scenery – speech pathology work in Papua New Guinea

I wonder how familiar you are with Papua New Guinea (PNG), Australia’s nearest neighbour? In 2009 when it became apparent that my husband Geoff and I would be moving to Papua New Guinea, I found so little in my speech pathology journals that I gave away most of my speech pathology texts and packed my easel and oil paints instead. We were making our move so that Geoff could take up a role with Mission Aviation Fellowship, a Christian mission that flies tiny planes to PNG’s most remote bush settings in the mountains and swamps of this rugged young country. “In this country of 841 languages the challenges of bilingual education are enormous.” To my surprise, from the first week on, I have been receiving invitations to offer my expertise. As an older therapist, I have very general experience, and practice at making do with few resources, which has been an advantage. I volunteer at the local provincial hospital, ‘living’ in the Physiotherapy department. Physiotherapists are trained at the Divine Word University in Madang. I visit the wards and run two outpatient clinics a week, one in conjunction with the regional ENT doctor. My caseload includes CVA, voice, TBI, cleft palate, stuttering, laryngectomy and ABI. I participate in the early intervention group, and the Physiotherapy student training that this also encompasses.

Different perspective: Clockwise from left; Jennifer with her oil paints; catching a flight out bush for a follow-up consultation for cleft surgery; a highland dancer; a group of local villagers.

essential. This month I joined the ENT team and Callan Disability services in a provincial hearing screening exercise in rural health centres. Each day we saw over 80 patients (190 on one day) and were very aware that this was just the tip of the iceberg. Of those 80, most have experienced chronic otitis media and no longer have intact ear drums. The needs here in PNG for speech pathology work amongst PNG’s citizens are enormous. I often wish for some students to share the load! There is now an enthusiastic young therapist in Port Moresby and another pilot’s wife expected this year. Perhaps one day I can go back to my oil paints!

841 languages the challenges of bilingual education are enormous. I am finding my online masters in Applied Linguistics very helpful! The Cued Articulation course I previously ran for teachers in the Victorian Education system has proved useful. I combine it with a phonological comparison with the regional vernacular languages, which allows the teachers to identify the phonemes which will present a phonological awareness challenge to their students. We then work on Phonological Awareness strategies and games for those phonemes. I have delivered this course here in Mt Hagen, my highlands home, and in Buka, on Bougainville.

Because services to those with disabilities are few, networking is

It is a privilege to be involved in teacher training. In this country of

Jennifer Boer, L.A.C.S.T, B.TH., CERT IV TESOL Speech Pathologist

Speak Out April 2013

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au