This workshop is endorsed by Key Word Sign Australia for delivery by Accredited Presenters. It covers the use of Key Word Sign and natural gesture for individuals who have communication difficulties. It is relevant for parents, carers, teachers, health professionals, child care workers and support workers. It is a fun, practical and informative workshop. No prior sign experience is necessary. 

WHAT IS KEY WORD SIGN?

Key word sign is an intervention approach and communication method to help children and adults with communication difficulties have a say in life. It can be used:

• as a bridge to help speech develop
• as a supplement for speech that is unclear
• as an alternative form of communication when learning to speak is too challenging
• as a tool to help comprehend what others have to say
• to promote an inclusive communication environment that values the many different ways people have to communicate 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE WORKSHOP?

In this interactive workshop participants will learn:

• a vocabulary of signs to use in everyday settings
• how to choose which signs to teach
• principles of key word sign and gesture
• how signing helps communication development

The workshop will include:

• A package of resources
• Official KWSA Workshop certificate
• Getting Started with Key Word Sign Book (Auslan Edition)
• Morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch
• Royalty paid to KWSA (State Branch) for every participant in order to support for the use of Key Word Sign in our community. 

WHO ARE THE PRESENTERS?

The KWSA Accredited Key Word Sign Presenters for this workshop are members of the disability team at Therapy Matters, Tania Teitzel (Principal Speech Pathologist/Director) and Jacqui Sullivan (Clinical Leader Speech Pathologist). Tania and Jacqui have over 50 years combined experience meeting the needs of children with communication difficulties.  They have experience in the use of key word sign for children and adults with a range of disabilities (such as global developmental delay, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and autism spectrum disorders) as well as children who are late talkers and children with severe speech sound disorders (such as childhood apraxia of speech). They are passionate about finding a way for all individuals to communicate and have their say in life. 

WHY ATTEND AN ACCREDITED WORKSHOP?

By attending an Accredited Key Word Sign Basic Workshop, with licensed providers, participants gain the following benefits:

• Training that includes the latest research in key word sign.

• A workshop program that is written by experts in the field.

• Training that is up-to-date and uses Auslan signs from the local community.

• Training that has a ratio of 1 Presenter to up to 15 Workshop participants.

• A mandated training time of at least 6 hours in duration.

• All accredited, licensed presenters will have attended a 4-day KWSA presenter training workshop, done a KWSA supervised workshop and attend KWSA annual sign updates.

• Accredited presenters make a $20 royalty payment for each workshop participant to the Key Word Sign Association in their state. This funding helps promote the use of key word sign in the community.

• ·All workshop participants are given a Getting Started with Key Word Sign book as part of their registration.

• Only participants in Key Word Sign Accredited Workshops can use their certificate of attendance to  apply for Presenter Training and become an Accredited Key Word Sign Presenter in the future.

MORE INFORMATION 

For more information on Key Word Sign see Key Word Sign Australia

For more information on this workshop at Therapy Matters contact Tania Teitzel

PHONE: 07 55207860

EMAIL: workshops@therapymatters.com.au

CAN I USE MY CHILD'S NDIS FUNDING TO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP?

YES, Parents can use their child's NDIS funding to attend this workshop. Parents can build their capacity and skills in key word sign to help achieve their child's NDIS goals. 

Select the following ticket types to either pay or register your interest in attending the workshop under NDIS funding:

NDIS SELF MANAGED: Parent selects and pays for a Parent Registration ticket

NDIS PLAN MANAGED / AGENCY MANAGED :  Select an NDIS Plan Managed / Agency Managed ticket to register your interest in attending the workshop. We will email the NDIS paperwork that needs to be returned to us to finalise your registration and the payment for the workshop. Your place will not be confirmed until this paperwork is received and your Plan Manager has been invoiced.  

AGENCY MANAGED PARTICIPANTS (Children under 7 Years ECEI) : Regrettably we are unable to process claims on the NDIS portal for Agency Managed Participants under 7 although we are able to process claims for participants 7+ Agency Managed that are Full Scheme NDIS participants.