speech pathologist castle hill
JOANNE DUNCUM
Certified Practising Speech Pathologist
B. App. Sci. (Speech Pathology), M. A. (Deafness & Communication Studies)
Member of Speech Pathology Australia; Member of Learning Difficulties Coalition
Hanen Certified Speech-Language Pathologist; Sounds-Write Literacy Certified Practitioner
Joanne holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Speech Pathology and a Masters of Arts in Deafness and Communication Studies. Joanne is a Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia and a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP).
Joanne is passionate about communication - the ability to communicate and be understood is so important for every person's quality of life.
Joanne has now worked as a speech and language pathologist with preschool and school-aged children, their families and teachers for over 30 years, offering a variety of services including individual assessment and treatment of speech, language, literacy, listening, attention, voice and fluency difficulties.
Joanne is a Hanen Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and is licensed to deliver a program designed specifically for parents of young children (birth to 5 years of age) who have been identified as having a language delay.
She is also a certified practitioner of Sounds-Write - a highly structured, cumulative, sequential, explicit and code-oriented instructional programme for teaching children to read and spell.
As a consultant, Joanne has developed literacy resources for primary schools, conducted language camps, presented teacher in-services, and trained school personnel.
She regularly attends workshops and conferences to ensure that her services to clients are evidence based, in line with current best practices.
​
Joanne has been a strong advocate for the speech pathology profession - she has been Vice-President of the South Australian Branch of Speech Pathology Australia, a clinical supervisor for speech pathology students, a lecturer in post-graduate studies and coordinator of a Master's degree at Macquarie University. She was also the speech pathology consultant for the Australian Children’s Film and Television Foundation on an Emmy award-winning children’s movie.
Living locally in Castle Hill, Joanne is committed to providing quality, evidence based, clinical and educational speech pathology services to clients.
WHAT IS A SPEECH PATHOLOGIST ?
Speech pathologists are allied health professionals who work with and advocate for people who have communication difficulties. In Australia, qualified speech pathologists hold recognised university degrees at undergraduate or masters level.
Speech pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speech, language, swallowing, fluency and voice.
Using assessment tools, speech pathologists are able to diagnose each person’s specific problem and devise a treatment plan that best suits their needs.
Speech pathologists are specialists who work with people across their entire lifespan. An adult might visit a speech pathologist to help them understand and find the right words to use after a stroke, while a child might need treatment to help their expressive language (putting words together and being understood) or receptive language (understanding instructions and meanings).
Speech pathology is practised in a wide variety of settings – schools, hospitals, aged care homes, universities, kindergartens, rehabilitation centres, community health centres, private practice and mental health services. Some speech pathologists specialise in areas of ‘complex need’, such as autism or cerebral palsy and may work in specialist intervention services for people with these disabilities.
Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body representing speech pathologists, the professionals who work with and advocate for people who have communication difficulties and all Australian consumers of speech pathology services.
