LANGUAGE OUT LOUD

I have been privileged to have worked with many children, young people, and their families. I am an educator with many years’ experience dedicated to working with people who have a diverse array of learning styles and behavioral needs. Interacting in classrooms and as part of  Learning Enhancement teams in State and Private Schools, I have had the opportunity to support students both academically and socially.  These years have been spent developing my skills and continuing to learn informally from the students and their families and formally through tertiary studies.

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During these years of working in the education sector, I have seen many young people struggle to achieve academically and socially. I knew it was time to create something new. I wanted to establish a calm and welcoming space where children and adults could come to build their confidence,  develop an understanding of their triggers, manage and regulate their emotions and learn to organize and communicate their thoughts clearly. A place where they could begin to find their sense of belonging in the world without losing their own uniqueness.

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The years I have spent in education have enabled me to work with a broad range of children, providing learning support and social skill development with all children. I am passionate about teaching people on the Autism Spectrum and helping them to develop strategies that enable them to have more positive social interactions in a neuro-typical world. I have, however, learned that these same strategies can be of great benefit to all children, especially those with additional learning and life challenges.

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I have created the Sensory Studio at Language Out Loud as a place where people can feel relaxed and where it is not necessary to try and fit into a box—there is no box! It is a space where they can begin to understand that being themselves is a superpower, where they learn to interact positively with others and navigate problems in a ‘speakeasy’ environment. Interacting by playing games, creating artworks, telling stories, playing music, and being mad scientists. Building trusting relationships through play enables people to converse freely, giving me information to unlock the causes of social challenges and behaviour struggles.  Building a connection and identifying positive attributes, I then develop a tailor-made program that works with individual strengths and interests, so the young person can learn strategies to minimize the social skill and communication challenges in all areas of their lives.

I am infinitely grateful for the young people I work with and for the parents who entrust me with supporting their children. 

Melissa