Research and Training

Professional Training
Providing Auditory-Verbal Therapy training for education personnel, parents
and relevant professionals.

Courses are based on the Auditory-Verbal Therapy Curriculum developed by Auditory-Verbal International, Inc®.

The Hear and Say Centre currently offers two Auditory-Verbal Therapy courses
each year, Level I (Introductory) and Level II (Intermediate).

Who are these courses designed for?
Level I is suitable for professionals and parents wishing to take a working
knowledge of Auditory-Verbal Therapy and current hearing technology to a higher level.

Level II would be beneficial to professionals who would like a more in-depth knowledge of Auditory-Verbal Therapy, current hearing technology and the
skills to establish an Auditory-Verbal Therapy program.

What do these courses provide?
Each course provides:

• Forty formal training hours of lectures and informal discussions/networking which may be accrued as a prerequisite for the international certification
  and accreditation as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist. In order to obtain certification it is necessary for candidates to be qualified as a Speech
  Language Pathologists, Teacher of the Deaf, or an Audiologist.

• Practical skills to enable and enhance the clinical and educational application
  of Auditory-Verbal Therapy.

• Provision of a framework for establishing new clinics using Auditory-Verbal Therapy.

• Skills to incorporate listening as a way of life for children/adults who are deaf/hard of hearing as a way of life.

• Information on the multidisciplinary team necessary for the successful outcomes of Auditory-Verbal Therapy.

• Current knowledge of diagnostics, intervention and hearing technology, including newborn hearing screening.

• Information on current surgical techniques and medical intervention for
  cochlear implants.

What are the professional benefits of these courses?
These courses are designed to present a variety of practical and useful
Auditory-Verbal techniques and strategies. The focus of the courses will be integration and educational support within the mainstream.

These techniques will allow teachers, other professionals and parents to
establish listening environments to ensure that children and adults acquire
spoken language and use it meaningfully and effectively.

Sessions are interactive and personalised and participants will be encouraged
to discuss issues of relevance to them in order to implement the suggested techniques in their own working and clinical environment.

Faculty Lecturers
Lecturers will include:-

• Cochlear implant surgeons

• Paediatric audiologists

• Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapists®

• Teachers of the Deaf

• Early childhood and primary teachers

• Psychologists

• Social Workers

• Hear and Say Centre administration/ development team

• Director of Training: Dimity Dornan A.M., Ba.Sp.Th., Cert. A.V.T., FSPAA,CPSP.  Dimity Dornan is currently a Board member of A.G. Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language and an independent Board member of the Cooperative Research Centre for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Innovation.

• Teaching Otologist Surgeon: Professor Bruce Black, M.D., FRACS, FRCS ED, FRCS, Clinical Professor University of Queensland, Chairman of Department of Otolarynology Royal Children's Hospital, Member of Editorial Boards of Current Therapeutics Journal and Australian Journal of Otolarynology

• Audiologist/Habilitationist: Emma Rushbrooke R.N., B.A., Dip.Aud., M.Aud.S.A. Emma is the Clinical Director and coordinator of the Parent/Infant Program at the Hear and Say Centre. With Katye Hives coordinates the Infant Hearing Screening Program.

• Audiologist: Katye Hives B.Mus. (Son), M.Clin.Aud., MASA (cc) Chief Audiologist of the Hear and Say Cochlear Implant program and with Emma co-ordinates the Infant Hearing Screening program. She is also involved in research with the Cooperative Research Centre for Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aid Innovation.

Administration Details
Each course runs for five (5) days and is located at the Hear and Say Centre, Munro Street, Auchenflower, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

The Centre is a short distance from the central business district of Brisbane, and is accessible by public transport (bus or train). For those travelling by car, ample parking is available.

Cost
There is a cost for each course which includes lunch, morning and afternoon tea. Comprehensive supplementary notes are available for each attendee. Every attempt is made to meet the individual professional and personal needs of attendees.

As this course is personalised and interactive, numbers are limited and fees are required prior to course commencement. (A minimum of 15 people is required to conduct this course).

Dates for 2008
Hearing is Believing Workshops:

Level 1 (Introductory) – 12-16 May 2008
Level 2 (Intermediate) – 4-8 August 2008

Contact Details
Jane Thompson – Training Administrator
Hear and Say Centre
PO Box 930, Toowong Qld 4066
Phone: (07) 3870 2221
Fax: (07) 3870 3998
Email: mail@hearandsaycentre.com.au

For those interested in Auditory-Verbal accreditation please refer to the AG Bell website.

Accommodation
Information on accommodation, weather conditions and suitable clothing will be available for international and interstate participants. Limited individual internships are also available to professionals who have participated in a Hear and Say Centre training course.

Past Participants Comments
"Received very practical 'hands-on' information to apply immediately"
- Audiologist

" It is incredible how so much can be taught in a week. I especially appreciated the inclusion of a surgeon, surgical coordinator, psychologist and parents as presenters"
– Parent, Australia

" This workshop went beyond my expectations. The material presented was relevant to my needs as an "oral" teacher of the hearing impaired."
– Teacher, New Zealand

" The precision and team effort in this presentation was really commendable. The organisation of the course was outstanding"
– Speech Pathologist/Audiologist

" Excellent program for parents who have no idea where to go or what to do!"
– Parent, Singapore.

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