For this assessment task, you will be provided with information for a paediatric case study. You will need to review the information provided, analyse the assessment results, and write an assessment report. 

The case study includes the following information:

• A written case history
• Assessment results
• Observational notes

Assessment Instructions:

• Carefully read all case study documentation supplied to you on Moodle. 
• Review, mark, and analyse the speech and language assessment results.
• Write an assessment report that includes:
  • A summary of the background information provided to you by the parent as part of the case history. 
  • A summary and interpretation of the speech and language results with reference to the literature. Your interpretation should be written using language that the parent/caregiver can understand, and include a differential diagnosis and information regarding the potential impact of the diagnosis on the client’s functioning and day-to-day activities.
  • Recommendations for the client regarding strategies for the family in the home, the need for further assessment and/or treatment and/or referrals to other professionals. Your recommendations must integrate information provided in the case history and assessment results. It must also identify pertinent gaps in the information and explain how to source this information. 

Please refer to the Assessment 1 Task Description for more detailed information on this assessment task.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge. 

You are required to complete the GenAI Declaration Form as part of your assessment even though GenAI is not permitted. Information on how to use GenAI effectively and in line with Academic Integrity expectations is located under the Learning Resources tile.

There are three marking criteria for this assessment task: 

1. The first criterion assesses your ability to accurately interpret, report on, and present case history information and formal speech and language assessment results clearly and appropriately for families. This section is worth 60%.
2. The second criterion assesses your ability to integrate case history information, assessment results, and observations to make an accurate and appropriate differential diagnosis. It also evaluates your insight into the functional impact of speech and/or language difficulties on the child’s participation in daily life, and your ability to make evidence-based recommendations for further assessment, referrals, or strategies, while drawing on relevant literature and understanding holistic child development. This section is worth 30%.
3. The third criterion focuses on writing style and conventions and use of APA 7th referencing. This section is worth 10%.

This is a MUST PASS assessment task. In order to pass this assessment task (and SPCH12007), you must obtain a minimum grade of 50%.

This assessment task comprises five individual tasks that relate to the application of specific professional competencies taught during face-to-face tutorials, online lectures and activities, or through the SPCH12007 Work Integrated Learning experience. The assessment is divided into two parts: Part A and Part B.

Part A

Task 1 Verbal Communication: You are required to describe an example of effective verbal communication you used during your clinical placement and outline factors you considered when interacting with stakeholders in the clinical setting.

Task 2 Submit a short summary reflecting on your experiences with professional written communication during placement (e.g., reports, emails, letters, referrals).
Your summary should:

• Be based on your own experiences and feedback from your practice educator.
• Identify one strength and one area for improvement in your professional written communication.
• Include a specific example to support each point.
• Conclude with a SMART goal to guide your continued development in professional written communication.

Task 3 Data collection: During your clinical placement in SPCH12007 you will be involved in collecting data from your client’s session. Data collection is key to measuring progress and setting goals, it needs to be effective and easy to collect during a session. For this task you are required to outline the data collection for one therapy task e.g., “/s/ in isolation during Sammy the Snake game” (not a whole session).

Please submit:

• The clinical task in which data collection was required.
• Outline the steps you took and factors you considered when determining how to collect the data.
• Reflect on and describe whether the process was effective and what changes you made for future sessions.

Part B

Task 4 Reflection: Submit two written reflections based on your SPCH12007 clinical placement, using the Description–Interpretation–Outcome (DIO) framework.

Each reflection must focus on a different element from Domain 1 of the Speech Pathology Australia Professional Standards:

• One reflection should explore a strength you demonstrated.
• The other should identify an area for improvement (future focus).
• Both reflections must clearly relate to Domain 1, with each addressing a different element of the domain. Be sure to apply the DIO framework in both reflections.

Task 5 SMART Goal: For the area of improvement that you identify in task 4, write a SMART behavioural objective to describe how you will progress your competency. Discuss one strategy you can apply to assist you in meeting that objective.

Level of GenAI use allowed: 

Level 3: You may use AI to assist with specific tasks such as drafting, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any AI-generated content you use.

You are required to outline this usage on the GenAI Declaration Form. Information on how to use GenAI effectively and in line with Academic Integrity expectations is located under the Learning Resources tile.

There are three marking criteria for this assessment task:

• Criterion one will assess your ability to demonstrate understanding of the skills and attributes associated with Speech Pathology Australia’s Professional Standards in the Work Integrated Learning setting. This criterion is worth 40%.
• Criterion two will assess the depth of your reflective practice skills and how you are able to effectively use reflective practice to inform your future performance on clinical placement. This criterion is worth 50%.
• Criterion three will assess the accuracy and effectiveness of your written communication, including word choice, grammar, and punctuation. This criterion will also assess the use of APA 7th edition formatting and referencing. This criterion is worth 10%.

You will be required to attend and actively participate in an 8-day paediatric sessional placement, scheduled for one day per week during Term 2, 2025. Details regarding the specific dates, duration, and nature of the placement will be provided by your Practice Education Coordinator (PEC) and/or Unit Coordinator at least two weeks prior to commencement.

This assessment task is graded on a pass/fail basis, and the criteria outlined in the task description must be met in order to pass this assessment task. Please note that the 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.

Your paediatric sessional placement offers an opportunity to develop clinical competence under the supervision of a Practice Educator (PE) within a workplace-based setting.

The 2025 CB87 Practice Education Handbook—available on Moodle—outlines the expectations of students undertaking placements. It includes important information on dress code, professional conduct, confidentiality, and how to manage various placement-related issues. Please ensure you are familiar with the contents of the 2025 CB87 Practice Education Handbook prior to commencing your placement.

To be eligible to undertake this placement, you must have completed all pre-clinical requirements (e.g., mandatory checks), and these must remain current for the duration of your placement. For further information on pre-clinical requirements, please contact the Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) Office via email at: wil-hmas@cqu.edu.au.

Please note that some workplaces may have additional requirements specific to their setting, such as training in telepractice or infection control procedures. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have met all necessary requirements. Failure to do so may prevent you from attending your placement and completing this assessment task.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

Please note that the 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.

During your placement, your PE, a qualified Speech Pathologist, will assess your competence by use of the assessment rubric provided on Moodle. To pass your professional placement, you must meet each of the following requirements:

• A pass mark on the placement assessment using all the criterion of the SPCH12007 Assessment 3 rubric at the end of placement.
• You must also complete and submit any additional documentation that is required by the PE or placement organisation, such as written reports and information for client files.

You will be assessed under the three domains of Speech Pathology Australia's Professional Standards for Speech Pathologists in Australia (Professional Standards).

• Professional conduct
• Reflective practice and life-long learning
• Speech pathology practice.

Your competence will be assessed by behavioural descriptors that align with the "novice" level in Speech Pathology Australia's Compass (R) assessment tool.

The novice-level student:

• Requires a high degree of supervisory support
• Recalls some aspects of relevant theory

Needs support to:

• Draw conclusions about a client
• Develop a plan for action
• Understand the total clinical situation
• Apply problem-solving strategies, principles and theory
• Spends a high degree of time and effort in meeting clinical responsibilities
• Is highly focused on own performance, rather than on the client

The PEC will determine if the student has met the above criteria.

As part of this unit, you are required to track and record your work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences by logging your placement hours using the "Work-Integrated Learning Log" available on Moodle. Instructions for completing the log can be found in the 2025 Speech Pathology Practice Education Handbook and on Moodle. To help ensure the accuracy of your records, it is strongly recommended that you enter your hours at the end of each clinic day.

Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) does not specify the number of clinical hours students must complete during Australian university speech pathology programs. SPA focuses on the minimum level of competence, skills, and knowledge required for entry into the workforce as a qualified speech pathologist. CQUniversity's approach is consistent with SPA’s approach and therefore does not have a specific requirement regarding the minimum number of clinical hours each student must complete by the end of the CB87 Speech Pathology course.

Submission of the record of WIL hours form for this unit is therefore a pass/fail assessment requirement. You are expected to track this data and keep copies for your own records as evidence of clinical hours completed during the CB87 Speech Pathology course.

Level of GenAI use allowed:

Level 1: You must not use AI at any point during the assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.

Please note that the 72-hour grace period does not apply to this assessment.

In order to pass this assessment task you must:

• Complete and submit an electronic copy of the Speech Pathology Work-Integrated Learning Log, within one week of completing your paediatric clinical sessional placement. Instructions for completion can be found in the 2025 Speech Pathology Practice Education Handbook on Moodle.