Dr Carolyn Cole Speech Language Pathology

28/11/2025

Still such an important message.

28/11/2025

✅

25/11/2025

This is great information for anyone in education. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, tutor, or support staff, having a shared understanding of these terms can make a big difference. This cheat sheet is from Hansberry Educational Consulting

19/11/2025

I think poetry is a wonderful form of literature to introduce to children.
CJ Dennis’ “Triantiwontigongolope.”
AA Milne’s book of poems “When We Were Very Young.”
Or the James Aitchison poem
“Stop Raining Please!”
We are spoilt for choice.

17/11/2025

Simple but effective! I’m always a fan of craft activities for children as it supports sequencing (first then), interesting vocabulary (twist, wrap around, insert), and opportunities for repeated practice.

16/11/2025

Recently, I attended two Sydney events that have given me pause for (further) thought on the mixed state of play in Australian education. These were the Australian School Improvement Summit on Wednesday October 29, and the researchED Conference at St Catherine’s School on Saturday November 1. For ...

16/11/2025

This is a worthwhile program that uses stories, role play, and group discussions to teach some of the social thinking skills children need when they’re interacting with peers.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TRAINING DAY DATES FOR 2026

Friday 27th February
Friday 22nd May
Friday 21st August
Friday 6th November

📍Fullarton Park Community Centre
🕕9am-3pm

📧registrations@marklemessurier.com.au

16/11/2025

The Parent Forums are an initiative established to inform and engage parents or carers about the services and support available for children and young people with a disability and to provide an opportunity to listen to the voices of their families.

08/11/2025

This also applies to felafal, hummus, custard, and home made popcorn.
Just so you’re all forewarned!

📸 ♥️ MNP

29/09/2025

What a great gift idea!

What a meaningful gift idea from for the book lover in your life! ♥️ MNP

29/09/2025

The Raising Children Network states “Current national and international guidelines recommend that children under 2 years don't have screen time other than video-chatting.”
I understand this is difficult to adhere to when screens are with us constantly.
And yet - it is so important!

Many modern children's shows, even the well-meaning ones, are designed to grab attention through fast visuals, exaggerated movements, bright colors, and nonstop sounds.

This kind of stimulation lights up the brain’s reward system and can make slower, more meaningful activities (e.g. like reading, conversation, or open-ended play, etc.) feel dull in comparison.

This isn’t about blaming parents or pointing fingers at any one show. It’s about understanding how sensitive toddler brains are as they develop. Ideally, toddlers should have little to no screen time. If screens are used, they should be offered with intention - not as background noise, not as a way to keep a child quiet, and not as a replacement for real learning.

If your child can sit for hours watching a screen but struggles to sit with a book for even a few minutes, the problem isn’t with the book. Their brain has simply adapted to expect constant novelty and quick feedback. But those slow, quiet moments with books are what help build attention, regulation, language, and imagination.

To help support a love of books, keep screen time to a minimum and make reading feel calm, cozy, and inviting. Pick stories that truly interest your child, even if that means reading the same one about trucks or animals over and over again. Let them lead! Turn the pages, point to pictures, or wiggle around while you read. Repetition is powerful and helps build understanding. Most of all, focus on connection. Your tone, warmth, and presence are what make books come alive.

Thanks for the important messaging CAN Read

29/09/2025

“Sleep is a modifiable behavior and a key component of the effect of screen time on the brain and depression, underscoring the importance of strategies that encourage a balanced lifestyle to mitigate the negative impact of screen time on sleep.”

More is associated with more depressive symptoms, potentially due to shorter sleep and worse white matter organization during early adolescence. https://ja.ma/4mNmToA