Free Screening Available For New P1 Students
The Minister of Health, Seniors and Environment Jeanne Atherden is reminding parents and guardians of children entering Government Primary One classrooms this September that, even if you participated in the testing of two-year-old children offered by the Department of Education’s Child Development Programme, you should take advantage of the upcoming free speech and language screening available to all incoming P1 students through the Department of Health.
Parents and guardians who have already attended P1 Parent Orientation meetings have been advised of this screening, which will take place from June 30 to July 11, 2014.
A spokesperson said, “Those who still need to register must make an appointment by calling the Coordinator for Speech and Language Services with the Department of Health, Susan Price Barrett, at 278-6429. Appointments will be on a first-come, first-served basis and parents and guardians are encouraged to make their appointment as soon as possible.
“It should be noted that parents or guardians will be required to accompany their child to the brief screening session and that a therapist will be on hand to discuss any concerns.”
“I would like to stress to parents the importance of this screening to ensure that their child’s communication readiness skills are developing at the appropriate level for success in social interactions, classroom activities, and for the development of literacy skills,” said Minister Atherden.
“To experience success in the classroom, it is critical to have strong speech and language skills. If our children are not able to pay attention while others are talking, to follow verbal directions, or if it is a challenge to answer questions or to be able to tell about familiar experiences, they may not be able to apply those skills in the classroom or feel successful at school.
“In the long term, good communication skills are at the heart of education, providing a firm foundation for learning. Not only do these skills support academic success, but they also allow us to achieve our career goals and achieve social success; they provide a set of tools for building a healthy community.”
“The Speech and Language Screenings, carried out by the Speech-Language Pathologists from the Department of Health, may detect communication weaknesses. Early detection allows for early intervention, possibly reducing or preventing a negative impact on a child’s classroom success.
“It should be noted that students who will be entering P1 in September 2014, for whom Speech and Language Services have already been identified, do not need to attend the screening.”
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