The SLD offers a variety of training courses to parents/carers and other professionals, allied professionals and educators who work with individuals with communication disorders. The courses are highly practical and resourceful and provide a range of ideas on how to improve and facilitate the communication for adults and children with communication impairments.
Training Courses Include:
1. Aphasia: The Journey to Adaptation
This course is aimed providing the listener with information, both theoretical and practical as to the manifestation
and management of aphasia. Characteristics and difficulties encountered, as well as the Speech-Language Pathologist's direct role in working with the person with aphasia will be discussed.
2. ASD - One Step at a Time
An introductory course that explains the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including the triad of impairments in communication, social interaction and flexible thinking, play and behaviour. Participants are guided through the different intervention approaches as well as coping strategies. This is ideal for those wishing to learn about ASD.
3. ASD Apps for iPads
Parents and educators are constantly looking for new tools to help children meet their potential. Whilst there are many technological tools available, the iPad offers several applications (apps) some of which are designed to meet the needs of children on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The number of available applications is overwhelming. The training course will highlight a few of the educational applications that are suitable for children presenting with ASD. Ways on keeping up-to-date with new applications will also be addressed.
4. Augmentative and Alternative Means of Communication (AAC)
This course provides a theoretical outline of augmentative and alternative means of communication. It also takes into account issues to consider in assessment and the different types of AAC.
5. Communicating through the Arts
This course provides an insight into the use of different means, mainly the arts, to improve communication skills. Using the arts, mostly drama, art, and movement, can be an alternative, motivating and creative way to clients, through which communication skills are enhanced.
6. Communication Apps for iPads
Parents and educators are constantly looking for new tools to help children meet their potential. Whilst there are many technological tools available, the iPad offers several applications some of which are designed to meet the needs of children with communication difficulties. The number of available applications can be overwhelming and often making the right choice is difficult. The training course will highlight a few applications that are available as communication tools. Ways on keeping up-to-date with new applications will also be addressed.
7. Facilitating Language through Play for parents & teachers
This course looks at the stages of language and play development for children up to 5 years of age. Advice and practical suggestions on how to create a supportive environment and ways to enhance communication through play are given.
8. Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Adults
Eating and
drinking is one of the pleasures of life. The course material recognises
the latter, and goes into what is considered to be a typical swallow and
defines feeding and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) in adults. The
Dos and Don’ts whilst feeding patients with dysphagia will be tackled and an
experiential learning experience included.
9. Key Word Signing (KWS)
The key-word signing course aims to emphasize the importance of manual signing of key words to facilitate language comprehension and use in individuals with speech, language and communication impairment or delay. This is done by underlining the theoretical underpinnings as well as introducing a number of basic key-words from the Maltese Sign language, which are frequently used for activities of daily living. The course is suited to carers, professionals as well as to the general public who would need to communicate with children and adults with speech, language and communication impairment. The participants will learn when, and why, to use key- word signing, as well as a number of key-word signs to be able to communicate basic needs.
10. Literacy Apps for iPads
Parents and educators are constantly looking for new tools to help children meet their potential. Whilst there are many technological tools available, the iPad offers several applications some of which are designed to meet the needs of learning difficulties and beginning readers alike. The training course will highlight a few of the educational applications for students to improve their skills not only in reading, writing, and spelling, but also get a boost in confidence and learn to see school as a fun, engaging activity. Ways on keeping up-to-date with new applications will also be addressed.
11. Social Skills for Children with ASD
This course provides an overview of the social communication skills seen in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and describes the difficulties typically exhibited in social interaction. The participants are shown different techniques to enhance social communication skills.
12. Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers
The course is designed to give teachers and LSAs practical ideas and suggestions to help them better meet the needs of children who stutter. The course delivers vivid, pertinent, useful information to increase the knowledge and responsiveness of teachers and LSAs.
13. Supporting Children with Autism in the Classroom
This course provides tips on how to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cope in the school and classroom environment. Techniques shown can also be used in other environments.
14. The Child who Stutters: To the Healthcare Provider
This course is designed to give Healthcare providers practical ideas and suggestions to help them better meet the needs of children who stutter. The course delivers useful information to increase the knowledge and responsiveness of healthcare providers in the field of stuttering.
15. Total Communication
This training courses will outline the importance of different communication systems including the use of pictures, key word signing, non-verbal gestures, written words and all forms of communication aids incorporated together in order to facilitate both receptive and expressive language of children with speech, language and communication impairment. It is mainly theoretical, but examples and videos will be shown to the participants in order to facilitate their understanding of the topic. It serves as an introduction to other training courses such as ‘Picture Exchange Communication System’, ‘Key-word signing’ and ‘Compiling Communication Boards and Books’ among others. It is therefore more suited to parents and carers of young children who have just been diagnosed with a communication difficulty or who have a language delay.
16. Using communication systems effectively – Introduction to Picture Communication Systems.
This course provides hands-on training on how to use communication systems effectively. Strategies are given for the use of different systems, including communication books/boards, topic boards, eye-gaze frames, partner-assisted scanning, light-technology communication aids and high-technology communication aids. This course also describes the set up and application of a communication system through the use of pictures, and its various stages of development. This system has been shown to be very successful with children with Autism, but also with children with significant language difficulties.
17. Visual Aids & Social Stories
This is a hands-on course which trains the parent / professional how to make visual aids such as timetables / schedules, rule cards etc and how to compile social stories. It provides a theoretical overview of the rationale behind using visual aids and social stories, and how these strategies help to improve communication, and as a result, behaviour.