Verbal expression and comprehension (understanding)
What do I need to be able to do?
Understand and respond to verbal communication.
In a field education setting, this will assist you with listening, understanding and responding when advocating, mediating and negotiating with and for clients
Verbally communicate clear instructions and explanations in a time responsive way.
In a field education setting, verbal communication is the primary source of communication between you, your clients, supervisors and health professionals and assists with assessing clients and proceeding with intervention
What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?
A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.
Additional time allowances for comprehension and expression may be available to you for on-campus learning activities.
Professional experience placement tasks in a field education setting may require time responsive communication. This should be discussed with your placement coordinator prior to commencement.
Social communication
Social Communication refers to the capacity to understand and use appropriate non-verbal communication such as: eye contact, gestures, facial expression, speaking volume, tone of voice, proximity and verbal turn-taking.
What do I need to be able to do?
Recognise, interpret, use and respond to non-verbal communication appropriately in both on-campus and field education settings to demonstrate understanding, build relationships, establish trust and assess client support needs.
In a field education setting, tasks which require your use of social communication abilities include:
- recognising the social communication used by clients and identifying client’s emotional states through their non-verbal cues
- responding to clients by using your own social communication skills, such as open body language, eye contact and facial expressions to display understanding and empathy
What adjustments to my study conditions can I access?
A range of adjustments can be organised through the Equitable Learning Services (ELS). Contact the ELS to discuss what adjustments may be helpful to you.
Consideration will be given to the use of non-verbal communication appropriate to your disability or condition for example, if you have a vision or hearing impairment, you may rely more on using either auditory or visual means of social communication.