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.