Speak Out August 2018

Members’ achievements recognised THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WAS EXTREMELY PROUD TO PRESENT AWARDS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES AT THE 2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD IN ADELAIDE. THE BOARD’S APPRECIATION GOES TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO RESEARCH AND PREPARE THE NOMINATIONS THAT ASSIST THE ASSOCIATION IN RECOGNISING SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING COLLEAGUES. Association news Life Membership Life Membership is the highest public professional honour the Association awards to members and is awarded to speech pathologists who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and committed service to the Association and profession over many years. In 2018 the Association was proud to award Life Membership to an exceptional member of the Association, Dr Roslyn Neilson.

Dr Roslyn (Ros) Neilson

There are few people in the profession who have not been inspired by Dr Neilson’s dedication to the profession, and her innovation in the field. Through her extensive clinical service, she has changed the lives, both directly and indirectly, of many thousands of Australian clients and by her professional example has shaped a generation of speech pathologists and teachers across Australia. In 1969, Ros graduated from the University of Melbourne with a first-class honours Arts degree in Psychology and English, Linguistics and Literature. She then completed postgraduate studies in the Department of Human Communication Disorders at McGill University, Montreal, graduating in 1977. Ros’s impressive, 31-year record of volunteerism as a speech pathologist began in 1987 when she was a Research Assistant Volunteer with Dr Maureen Lovett’s literacy research team at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Canada. After years of clinical practice, in 1998 she completed her PhD in the Department of Psychology at the University of Wollongong, pursuing the topic: Phonological awareness and word identification skills in normally developing children and children with reading difficulties. In the early years of her clinical and educational practice in Australia, Ros was employed chiefly within the Illawarra Area Health Service. Ros then focused on growing her private practice, Language, Speech & Literacy Services in Jamberoo, NSW. From her base in Jamberoo, Ros provided clinic and school- based services to countless children, whole-school initiatives, consultancy with Principals, and cooperative partnerships with classroom teachers. Ros engages in self-funded research, under the auspices of Language, Speech & Literacy Services, the effects of which are far-reaching throughout Australia. Research to date includes the development, piloting, norming and publication of three widely- used assessment tools: the Sutherland Phonological Awareness Test, the Astronaut Invented Spelling Tests and the School Entry Alphabetic and Phonological Readiness Test. More recently, Ros developed the Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment and the Foundations of Early Literacy Assessment - Northern Territory. The FELA assessments are companion Phonological Awareness tests, streamlined to meet the needs of educators working with children in remote indigenous communities. Ros is tireless in her determination to raise public awareness of speech pathology and literacy acquisition issues, always stressing the importance of phonological awareness, locally and

nationally; and in her advocacy for all children, and particularly those who are the First Australians. Her dedication to promoting the profession to government, teachers and psychologists, and in championing the roles and responsibilities of speech pathologists broadly, is exemplified through considered and knowledgeable posts to the Developmental Disorders of Language and Literacy Network, where scientists, educators, clinicians and client advocates discuss issues around language-learning-literacy disorders, produce position papers and policy documents and consult with government. Ros represents our profession with exemplary professionalism, originality and candour, often driving discussions back to the main point, and always emphasising theoretical soundness and evidence based practice. During her career, Ros has been a mentor and guide to students, early career speech pathologists, peers, and other professionals. Her gentle counsel and common sense have helped in problem- solving, overcoming difficult ethical, clinical and classroom problems. For many years, admired for her generous collegiality, volunteerism, diligence in research and scholarship, intellect, modesty, wit, and compassion, Dr Roslyn Neilson’s impact as a clinician, teacher, mentor and colleague has been felt and valued around Australia, while her remarkable outreach to remote indigenous communities is truly inspiring for all.

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August 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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