Supporting Indigenous children’s language development in the early years S8E37

In this week’s episode, SPA First Nations Lead Nikita and our guests discuss how we can improve speech, language, and communication outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the early years of language development. The panel of researchers and clinicians share practical tips and resources to support and improve culturally safe and responsive practice.

Resources:

Hunt-Madden, C., Lewis, E., Purcell, A., & Macniven, R. (2026). Access to support for children with speech, language, and communication needs in the longitudinal study of Indigenous children. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549507.2026.2661350

Closing the Gap:

https://www.closingthegap.gov.au/

Ezhi-gkendaagziyang

https://wordsetmots.ca/ezhi-gkendaagziyang

SPA resources:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culturally Responsive Capability Framework:

https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/resource?resource=884

Childhood and adolescent literacy position statement

https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/resource?resource=1243