Communication board makes playgrounds even more fun
Local parks are now home to four new ‘communication boards’ thanks to Sunshine Coast Libraries and Sunshine Sign and Sing.
A communication board is a display of symbols, pictures or photos that non-verbal children and young people can point to, to help them communicate with those around them.
Young Peoples Services Officer Karen Gawen said speech could be difficult for some young people.
“They may find it difficult to make people understand what they are trying to say. Or might say less than they want to because the words are hard to say,” Ms Gawen said.
The communication boards will act as a tool to help people show their listener what they are trying to say while at the park.
Each board is specific to the park that they are in, featuring things found in the area.
Communication boards can now be found at these parks:
- Brightwater Community Park, Brightwater
- Graeme Stewart Park, Currumundi
- Nelson Park, Alexandra Headlands
- Kevin Asmus Park, Buddina.
Sunshine Sign and Sing, Co-Founder, Elaine said Sunshine Sign and Sing believes all children have a right to communicate utilising as many resources as necessary.
“Sunshine Sign and Sing provides resources and training designed and created with children in mind, and promote teaching Children's Key Word Sign (CKWS) to all children.
“This makes it a truly inclusive tool as children can now communicate more effectively with not only their parents and educators but their peers too.
“CKWS is an effective and simple communication tool that research has shown not only gives children the ability to communicate but can actually assist with learning to speak and enhanced literacy skills.
“We believe that children should have access to as many forms of communication as possible so they can select the one that suits them the most at that present time.
“All children and their parents and carers will be able to benefit from using these communications boards. Children with communication barriers will be able to use the pictures to communicate by pointing at what they need or want. It encourages inclusivity and discussion around disabilities, breaking down barriers and enhancing the community.”
Each park contains three boards with basic keyword signs and symbols from Key Word Sign (KWS). KWS adds signs to common spoken words. While KWS is not a sign language, it borrows some signs from the sign language of the country it is used in. In Australia this is Auslan.
Each board has a QR code to a video playlist for each park featuring Sunshine Sign and Sing staff modelling the actions of all the keyword signs on the boards to aid parents and carers to learn the signs themselves.
Four Communication Boards have been installed so far, with more planned in the future.
This project was made possible by the Queensland Government’s First 5 Forever funding, which aims to provide strong early literacy foundations for all Queensland children aged 0-5 years.
Visit the Sunshine Coast Libraries website for more details. To learn more about Sunshine Sign and Sing visit their website.