SPA Student News November 2021

the clinic the following week and put it into practice. Obviously this isn’t always the case as the coursework doesn’t always align, however, most of what I am learning has been solidified in some way by my role as an AHA. For example, last semester as we were learning about phonological disorders, I was able to go into the clinic and apply the Minimal Pairs Approach in therapy the week after we learnt about it. Instead of revising my notes, I was able to work with a real client and get feedback from my supervisor as an alternative, a far superior alternative in my opinion. In addition to this, I get to work on skills that can only be learnt in a clinical setting such as; engaging with clients and parents efficiently, dealing with a range of behaviours during the session, time management skills and teamwork skills. I am so pleased with how much I am learning from week to week and how it has impacted how much I enjoy university. The whole experience really has been so ideal and although sometimes it does feel overwhelming, each day I wake up grateful for the opportunity to work with these children and their families as I navigate the world of Speech Language Pathology. I cannot speak highly enough of my experience working as an AHA as I undergo study, and highly recommend the experience to any students out there who want to enhance their learning experience. The most important thing I have learnt in my role as an AHA is that I definitely chose the right career path and am so looking forward to becoming a fully qualified SLP.

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