Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
Tracks
5
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Collaboration
Early childhood education
Early language
Practice (clinical) education
Service delivery
Supervision
| Saturday, June 14, 2025 |
| 1:55 PM - 2:05 PM |
Overview
Dr Gwendalyn Webb and Samantha Barnsley
Details
⏫ Research insights
⏲️ 1.55pm - 2.15pm
⌛20-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
⏲️ 1.55pm - 2.15pm
⌛20-minutes
📚 Assumed knowledge of attendees: Foundational (new/casual familiarity with the topic e.g. treated a single case)
Presenter
Dr Gwendalyn Webb
University Of Newcastle
Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
1:55 PM - 2:15 PMPresentation summary
Aboriginal children in Australia are twice as likely to experience poorer health and education outcomes (Sargison et al., 2020) with an increased chance of developmental difficulties (Webb & Williams, 2018) compared to non-Aboriginal children. Colonisation, including historical and ongoing prejudices, has resulted in these inequities (Webb & Gordon 2023). Student speech pathology placements collaborating with community-controlled preschools, embedded in culturally safe environments are an effective method of delivering allied health services to Aboriginal children to support the development of early communication skills (Sargison et al., 2020, 2021; Webb & Gordon, 2023).
AIM: To explore the perceptions and experiences of student speech pathologists and practice educators in a paediatric Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled placement, to gain insight into the value of this student placement and to identify ways of supporting the development of similar placements.
METHOD: Participants included one practice educator and nine speech pathology students in the final year of their undergraduate degree completing a 25-day placement in an Aboriginal community-controlled preschool between 2021-2023. Participant experiences were explored using semi-structured interviews and a survey. Interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and survey data was analysed using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: The data revealed six main themes 1) cultural and contextual preparation is essential; 2) cultural responsiveness, awareness and sensitivity; 3) building strong relationships; 4) positive placement experience; 5) skills and growth; and 6) supervision in a complex rural context. These themes provide insights that can support the development of similar student placements with Aboriginal peoples to maximise the value of the placement for all concerned.
CONCLUSION: Student placements in Aboriginal community-controlled settings were perceived to be valuable by students and practice educators. Findings will contribute to the development of a framework for successfully embedding student speech pathology services in an Aboriginal community-controlled preschool.
AIM: To explore the perceptions and experiences of student speech pathologists and practice educators in a paediatric Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled placement, to gain insight into the value of this student placement and to identify ways of supporting the development of similar placements.
METHOD: Participants included one practice educator and nine speech pathology students in the final year of their undergraduate degree completing a 25-day placement in an Aboriginal community-controlled preschool between 2021-2023. Participant experiences were explored using semi-structured interviews and a survey. Interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and survey data was analysed using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: The data revealed six main themes 1) cultural and contextual preparation is essential; 2) cultural responsiveness, awareness and sensitivity; 3) building strong relationships; 4) positive placement experience; 5) skills and growth; and 6) supervision in a complex rural context. These themes provide insights that can support the development of similar student placements with Aboriginal peoples to maximise the value of the placement for all concerned.
CONCLUSION: Student placements in Aboriginal community-controlled settings were perceived to be valuable by students and practice educators. Findings will contribute to the development of a framework for successfully embedding student speech pathology services in an Aboriginal community-controlled preschool.
Refrences
Sargison, H., Copley, J., Hill, A., Booth, J., & Anderson, R. (2020). Experiences and perceptions of a process for interprofessional clinical education of allied health students in metropolitan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preschool programs. Australian Journal of Clinical Education, 7(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.53300/001c.12133
Sargison, H., Hill, A., Anderson, R., Copley, J., & Booth, J. (2021). Allied health students as service providers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood education programs: Perceptions of parents and educators. Australian Journal of Clinical Education, 10(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.53300/001C.25670.
Webb, G. L., & Williams, C. J. (2018). Factors affecting language and literacy development in Australian Aboriginal children : Considering dialect, culture and health. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(1), 104–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X17693417
Webb, G., & Gordon, B. (2023). Embedding speech pathology in an Aboriginal community-controlled playgroup: Perceptions from the community. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 52(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v52i2.323.
Sargison, H., Hill, A., Anderson, R., Copley, J., & Booth, J. (2021). Allied health students as service providers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood education programs: Perceptions of parents and educators. Australian Journal of Clinical Education, 10(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.53300/001C.25670.
Webb, G. L., & Williams, C. J. (2018). Factors affecting language and literacy development in Australian Aboriginal children : Considering dialect, culture and health. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(1), 104–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X17693417
Webb, G., & Gordon, B. (2023). Embedding speech pathology in an Aboriginal community-controlled playgroup: Perceptions from the community. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 52(2), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.55146/ajie.v52i2.323.
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Gwendalyn Webb is a speech pathologist with over 30 years of clinical and research experience. Currently employed by the University of Newcastle, Gwendalyn's research includes projects in diverse paediatric settings.
Ms Samantha Barnsley
Bright Beginnings Allied Health
Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
1:55 PM - 2:15 PM**********
Dr Megan Barr
Self Employed
Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
1:55 PM - 2:15 PM**********
Megan has worked as an academic, speech pathologist, preschool teacher, and early intervention consultant. She is passionate about equipping and supporting speech pathologists which led to her business, Speech Pathology Learning and Supervision Hub (SPLASH Supervision). Megan and the SPLASH team provide independent supervision and professional development to all levels of speech pathologists.
Megan’s work has focused on children who experience disadvantage due to disability, rural living, socioeconomic disadvantage, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. She has engaged in policy advocacy and senate reviews for the NDIS. She is also the practice educator in the award winning Guyati, Garraka wa Witing program, a rural early intervention program offering culturally safe and responsive speech pathology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Megan has qualifications in speech pathology, special education and a PhD.
Ms Rhyann Roberts
University Of Newcastle
Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
1:55 PM - 2:15 PM**********
Rhyann Roberts is a casual academic, research assistant and PhD candidate.
Dr Benjamin Bailey
University Of Newcastle
Guyati, Garraka wa Witing: Speech pathology student services in an Aboriginal community controlled preschool.
1:55 PM - 2:15 PM**********
Session chair
Jacqueline McKechnie
University Of Canberra
The information contained in this program is current at of the time of publishing but is subject to changes made without notice.
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