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70
(viii) Speech Therapy.— Miss I. M. S. Knight, the Speech
Therapist, reports as follows :—
"I am pleased to report a good year with regard to speech
therapy, although somewhat disorganised during the last term.
I can say that in every case of withdrawal due to school-leaving
age or removal from the district, each case was showing some degree
of improvement. I found a definite instability on the part of the
children during the last term, which I attributed to the international
situation. This was probably noticeable because so many children
suffering with defect of speech are hypersensitive and nervous, and
the recovery from this was slow.
"A puppet theatre has been added to the apparatus for helping
towards correct and easy articulation. The children love it and
although we cannot attain a 'public performance' standard it is
a great asset and help. Some day it is hoped to invite a small
audience to watch our efforts, but it must be understood that when
a child can speak freely and without self-conscious effort he must
leave the clinic to make room for another child in need of therapeutic
treatment, consequently I feel we cannot attain as a whole
the standard we would like because the speech of each individual
child is at such varying stages of improvement.
"An aquarium was introduced, but, unfortunately, during the
summer holidays most of the fish died from over-feeding. These
fish were watched and talked about so much that several parents
came to see this wonderful aquarium. I am hoping to replace
fish and plants at an early date, so that every-day interests can be
discussed and speech observed and corrected when the children are
off their guard. Without the aid of such interesting devices speech
therapy could be a very dull business; with them the children
learn to love the work, hardly realising that it is such; the confidence
which so many have lost or never had, through their inability
to utter accurate sounds, returns.
"Lastly, parents' meetings were organised inviting the parents
in groups to visit the clinic with the idea of discussing in an informal
way their children's progress. These meetings have been most
helpful to me, and, I trust, the parent too. It has been suggested
that parents be allowed to visit and watch a demonstration lesson.
I think this a very good idea and worth consideration. The cooperation
of the parent in the treatment of speech defects is so
important, and contact in this way has helped to my entire satisfaction.
There are still two groups to meet for discussion.
"I feel I cannot finish without thanking the Head Teachers
for valuable information sent on to me at various times during the
year, but for this helpful co-operation I should many times have
been the loser."