Anger is a normal feeling that everyone has felt at some point in their life. However, anger is a feeling that has a negative connotation to it. People often think of or relate anger to aggression, violence, or see it as form of rebellion. However, there is nothing wrong with feeling angry. In fact, if […]
I have so many parents asking me about screen time these days and what is and isn’t okay, so I figured I’d share my thoughts with you based on a)research and b)feedback and comments from clients I’ve worked with. Screen time relates to the time spent on a screen – this could be the television, […]
Individuals on the Autism Spectrum often experience differences in the way they process sensory experiences. They typically experience sensory input more intensely than others. There can be a need for extra sensory input, or a need to reduce the sensory input that is being experienced intensely. This is for all types of senses. The pattern of sensory needs varies […]
Anxiety is a normal part of children’s development, but children and teenagers with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can experience anxiety more intensely and more often than other children. Anxiety or autism spectrum disorder? Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) feel many of the same worries and fears as other children. But […]
Starting school is an exciting time for most children. However, for some children, starting school can be a difficult and scary time. Preparing your child for the start of school will not only help them feel more confident about what to expect at their new school, but also ensure that they can successfully transition into […]
Our Speech Pathologist, Fiona Low, has re-written her blog on helping children learn two languages in Mandarin: 如何让孩子学习两种语言 澳大利亚是个多元文化的国家。许多家庭中，会说多种语言的孩子非常多。如今，英语虽仍是澳洲的官方语言，越来越多的家庭都选择让孩子在家里或在学校里学习各种外语；那，孩子从小接触多种语言，会不会影响孩子的语言发展呢？ 关于儿童学习双语的错误观念： 误区1: 学习两种语言会混淆我的孩子的语言发展。 现实：当孩子在同一个句子或谈话中使用两种语言时，一些父母担心这是语言混乱的迹象。 事实上，语言对换 （在一个句子或对话中使用两种语言）是常见的。 其实，一些语言专家认为语言转换是掌握双语能力的现象。 误区2：学习两种语言会延迟语言发展。 现实：虽然一些学习双语的孩子可能在开始说第一句话时，会比同龄学习单语的小孩来得稍慢，但他们仍然会像单语小孩一样达到语言发展的各个目标。 例如，他们仍然会在8-15个月之前说出他们的第一句话。 如果您的小孩无法达到这些指标，这些语言延误可能是由语言学习障碍导致的而不是由学习双语而引起的。 一个专业的言语治疗师可帮有沟通障碍的儿童学习语言交流。 误区3：父母在教孩子说两种语言时应该使用“一亲一语”的方法。 现实：一些家长认为，通过一亲一语治，（例如说，孩子跟妈妈说英语，跟爸爸说中文），孩子将会很均匀地接触两种语言。虽然这是教孩子两种语言的许多方式之一，目前为止，没有科学证据表明这是教孩子两种语言的最佳方式。事实上，我们可以用很多方法去教两种语言。 与孩子交流的最好方式是使用最自然和最舒适的方式去和孩子交流。 误区4: 如果想让孩子说英语，避免与孩子以母语交流。 现实：目前为止，并没有证据表明在家庭环境中使用第二种语言是必要的，以便孩子在其他社会环境（例如在学校）成功地使用这种语言。 父母应继续以母语和孩子交流， 因为根据数据显示，让孩子有坚实的母语基础能够增强孩子的第二语言学习能力。 防止孩子学习家庭语言可反而导致孩子在家庭环境中感到孤立，影响孩子的社交能力。 误区5: 说双语的人在沟通时需要从第一语言翻译到第二语言来沟通。 现实：会说双语的儿童是有能力用两种语言思考的。一些人认为，会说双语的孩子只能用一种语言思考，然后在必要时将其翻译成另一种语言。但是，这是没有科学根据的。 误区6: 年龄越大，掌握第二种语言的能力就越差。 现实：虽然孩子们在越小的时候开始学习第二语言越可能有本土化的发音，年龄较大的孩子和成年人都能与幼儿一样能掌握第二语言的能力。 误区7: 有特殊需要或语言迟缓的儿童不能学习两种语言。 现实：其实，没有证据表明有语言障碍的儿童无法学习两种语言。 […]
Across the world, most individuals are either bilingual (speaking two languages) or multilingual (speaking multiple languages). Today in Australia, many children grow up being exposed to more than one language. While English remains the single community majority language spoken, a sizable proportion of the Australian population reported speaking a language other than English at home. […]
Children with Challenging Behaviours At some point, all parents deal with the frustration of having their children present with some challenging behaviours. Behaviour can be described as challenging when it: interferes with the rights of others causes harm or risk to the child, other children, adults or living things damages the physical environment, equipment or […]