Therapy & Specialists

Overview

A team of therapy staff consisting of speech pathologist, occupational therapist, music therapist and physiotherapist work together to plan and implement programs for students who require this support.

 

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Occupational Therapist

The occupational therapist assesses the skills of the individual student and designs and implements therapy programs to develop and extend these skills. These programs focus on:

• Sensory Development
• Physical Development
• Fine motor skills
• Visual perceptual skills
• Self-care & grooming
• Play skills
• Use of Technology

The occupational therapist also prescribes specialised equipment for individual students to be used at school and at home. Home visists are carried out to address structural modifications (e.g. ramps, modified bathrooms etc) as well as safety modifications.

 

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School Nurse

Our school Nurse, Larni, is available to attend and assist students everyday between 11.00am until 3.00pm.

Larni's role is broad and diverse and incorporates supporting all the health and medical needs of our students, many who have complex identifiable syndromes, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, acquired brain injury or Autism Spectrum Disorder. Larni is also responsible for the management of first aid across the school.

Our school Nurse is involved in direct student care and works closely with other members of the therapy team including the OT, physiotherapist, speech therapist and student welfare officer.

Larnis role also includes managing and supporting the many welfare needs of students, parents and their family unit while striving to achieve a holistic approach to fulfilling all our students health needs.

 

 

 

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Physiotherapist

The Physiotherapist is part of a multi-disciplinary team that addresses the gross motor activities of the students so that they can access the curriculum.

This is achieved by:

• Assessment
• Establishing needs
• Designing programs to fulfil those needs
• Improving and maintaining gross motor control, flexibility and mobility to enable the development of skills in fine motor, eye-hand coordination and body awareness.
• Assessing the need for and procuring necessary equipment, aids and orthotics
• Support for families and staff to benefit the student’s development.

 

 

Physiotherapists often work in conjunction with the other therapy disciplines and staff and may include group or individual programs in the classroom, gym, pool and playground.

 

 

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Speech Pathologist

Communication sessions at Croydon S.D.S. address a number of different areas of speech and language.  Each student displays a different understanding of his/her environment and a different way of expressing needs or wants.

Oral motor skills activities aim to encourage awareness of sensation in the lip/mouth area, as well as awareness of tongue position and teeth position.   These activities are good for developing drinking, eating and possible speech skills.

Articulation or sound activities aim to encourage listening and interpreting sound skills as well as self-monitoring (or listening to oneself) skills for spoken language.

Language activities aim to develop concepts that can enhance learning - categories, plurals, him/her pronouns are just a few areas of language.    Language activities also encourage grammatical use - increasing the number of words per sentence, mixing different word types eg object names, actions, adjectives etc.   Language also encompasses the ideas of how we use speech - for questions, statements or comments.

Each child is encouraged to be successful in communicating here and now, so a number of augmentative (or supplementary) means of communication are used.
Signing, using Australasian signs in a key-word approach, offers a gestural means of communicating, as well as a visual means of cueing and staying on target.   Signing is quick, portable and an extension of natural gesture that we use to “highlight” speech.

Boardmaker pictographs (or symbols) are used widely as a visual means to communicate, and to understand an activity or names of things in our environment (with object being labelled).   Boardmaker symbols can be quick and reasonably portable, and can be used in a wide variety of settings where signing may not be understood.

Photos or objects for communication may be a start for some students where the visual, physical or understanding skills for signing or Boardmaker need to be developed.   Students use a photo board or objects for making choices.

Electronic communication aids are also available to be used where appropriate.  These have voice output and are accessed by locating a photo or symbol on the face of the unit which activates the word or sentence that has been programmed.    Assessment for suitability of using electronic aids involves looking at motivation, ability to access keys, visual and auditory skills.

There are a number of factors considered for developing communication skills:

• motivation to communicate
• person or people with whom to communicate
• a means of communication
• something about which to communicate

The factors which contribute to communication development are:

• motivation, or lack of motivation to communicate
• intellectual functioning
• learning problems
• visual difficulties
• physical status
• behavioural problems

It is encouraged that the type of communication system used, the level of development and the extent of independent communication, be a group decision, with parents /family, teaching staff and speech pathologist working towards a realistic and successful goal.

 

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The Arts

A specialist teacher is allocated to this area. A well equipped art room provides the students with opportunities to experience a variety of media under guided instruction. The specialist teacher communicates closely with classroom teachers and extends and consolidates classroom activities or follows a theme.

 

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Swimming

Our on-site swimming pool and spa is a very valued facility which allows each student to have individual swimming lessons or water therapy delivered by qualified staff.  The younger students begin with a program of water familiarisation and gradually gain confidence and acquire basic skills.  Formal stroke techniques are introduced as students progress and become independent swimmers.  Students are carefully supervised in the pool area and pool rules are taught and strictly enforced to ensure safety.  Each student has documented learning outcomes to be achieved over short medium and long term. students are encouraged how to both repsect and equally enjoy being in and around water.

 

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Information Communication Technology

There are computers in each classroom which are networked and updated regularly.  New software is purchased to take advantage of relevant and recent technology.  All school staff are computer literate and a computer specialist provides opportunities for teachers to consider ways Information Technology can be integrated across the school in different contexts.  The school has a large variety of programs to cater for all ability levels.  Language and number based programs as well as visual and tracking skills are provided.  Switches and touch technology allow easy access. Students are also encouraged to explore a variety of mobile technologies to extend communication opportunities and develop independence in recreation technology.

 

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Bike Ed

The school has a good selection of well maintained bikes and qualified bike education instructors who conduct bike ed programs both in and out of the school grounds. The program recognises all levels of skill and encourages students to practise during recess times on different onsite bike paths. Our student’s progress in stages on the different tracks both in the senior bike track area and the sealed environmental bike path circling the schools own bush block.

 

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