Christmas present for Speech clinic

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 30, 22 December 1986, Page 13

Christmas present for Speech clinic

Ohakune Primary School's speech therapy clinic was given a boost last week with the presentation of a "Derbyshire Language Scheme" teaching kit, from Winstone Pulp Industries. Alison Anderson, the school's speech and language therapist, accepted the kit from the Mill's administration manager, Colin Turner. The Derbyshire Language Scheme, valued at $273, consists of manuals, tests, forms and comprehension cards for the purpose of testing children from the time they first learn to talk up to age five or six. The scheme is an invaluable tool when working with children with speech problems and 'language delayed' children. It is becoming increasingiy evident that the problem is not recognised in some children until they reach secondary school age or, in extreme cases, until they reach adulthood and are in an employment situation. Mr Turner observed that it is more important these days to catch the problem early in a child's life because of the need to understand and comprehend basic instructions in a job situation. "Employers sometimes have a hard job selecting suitable applicants because some people do not have a grasp of the fundamentals of speech," he said. "The problem is not a new one. This is obvious by the number of adults who have speech and comprehension difficulties." To this end, Mrs Anderson concentrates on preschool children up to about the age of six with the Derbyshire Language Scheme, which determines the individual child's comprehension level. After assessing what the child doesn't know a course appropriate to their level of learning can be started. Mrs Anderson commented that she is receiving more and more referrals every year and suggests that people may be becoming

more aware of the problem that exists, especially in remote country areas where children may have less interaction with visitors or neighbours who pop in for a chat, as would children in an urban centre. She said it is common to have older children and parents doing the talking for other children and it is often hard for some parents to tell if their children are falling behind. Winstone Pulp Industries became involved with the clinic because of the number of their workers who have young children attending Ohakune Primary School. Mr Turner said the company sometimes finds it difficult to become involved in the workings of the community and also to find the right area in which to become involved. He added that in the future, they hope to do more for community groups in the area.