This topic focuses on oral and written communication development/disorders in children from the commencement of school through to adolescence. This topic aims to:

Expose students to empirical data and theoretical issues involved in communication development (including literacy) and disorders in children from 5 years to adolescence in both Australian and international contexts
Explore the impact of communication disorders on academic, personal and social development at school and beyond
Facilitate in students a client, family and school-centred approach to working with families and other professionals
Develop phonological awareness analysis and interpretation skills
Develop basic school-age oral, written and narrative sampling, analysis and interpretation skills
Extend the basic principles of the clinical process as the foundation of professional practice: information gathering, diagnostic decision making, management planning, implementation and evaluation to this age group
Foster assessment "literacy" in relation to both formal and informal forms of communication assessment
Develop in students an evidence-based approach to evaluating approaches to service delivery a