Groups

Groups
A variety of groups (based on demand) are offered by Listen in... aimed at developing children's social skills, play skills and school readiness.
All groups are NDIS  approved

Ready to Talk School (4-6yrs)
This program is designed for children with a language delay or related speech condition or Autism Spectrum Disorder, currently attending a 4yr old preschool with the view of going onto school in the following year. Children should have some verbal skills in order to get the most out of the program . This is a group based program and as a result is not designed to replace individual speech therapy. No formal diagnosis is required.

Each week the group sessions include activities and games addressing the following key areas:

1. Language: both receptive and expressive (listening and talking) and auditory processing skills

2. Pre literacy: phonemic awareness, matching, rhyming, syllabification

3. Social skills: turn taking, games with rules, sharing, initiating conversations, role play

4. Fine and gross motor: pencil grip, cutting, pasting, whole body integration.

The group program is progressive with new skills being taught each term, designed to build on existing strengths and challenge each individual client to improve and reach their specific goals.

The Listen in... programs DO NOT replace your normal preschool sessions, they are designed to supplement your child's education.

Preschool Social Learning (3yrs+)
This group is for 3 or 4yr old preschoolers with Autistic tendencies, social difficulties or a language delay. No formal diagnosis is required. The group focuses on the social learning needed for a successful time at preschool and peer play. Some of the activities include: following group instructions, turn taking in conversation as well as in play, social skills role play, listening and answering questions, asking for help when needed, gross and fine motor activities and general play skills.

We thinkers (5-9 yr olds Grades Prep to 3)

The  'We Thinkers' program is aimed at 5-9 year old (Grades Prep to 3) and is based around the 'Social Thinking" curriculum and vocabulary. During the year we will at the following broad concepts.

     1. Thoughts and feelings

     2. The group plan

     3. Thinking with your eyes

     4. Body in the group

     5. Whole body listening

     6.  Hidden rules-expected and unexpected

     7.  Smart guess

     8.  Flexible and stuck thinking

     9.  Size of the problem

     10.  Sharing an imagination

In general we will do 2-3 weeks on each topic (some may require more time if the concepts are more complex). The first week of each topic involves reading the associated picture book and exploring the concepts through activities, music and games. The second week is building on those concepts through dramatic play. You will receive a parent letter at the start of each new topic so you know what we have covered and can reinforce the concepts and use the vocabulary at home. If we complete the We Thinkers program before the end of the year, we will move on to further development of conversation skills, emotional regulation, friendships etc, dependant on the needs of the group.