Hi Janet,
How are you? I’ve had a look at the Starfish presentation and on the whole, I think it looks really
good and has a common sense approach.
I just have a few suggestions:
• On page 5 and in a few other places, you mention that the Starfish program is being “run
alongside the mainstream SLSA Nippers program”. Could it be said that the program is “integrated
or incorporated within the Nippers program, or that is where you are aiming for, as when it is described as running alongside, it can be interpreted as an add-on extra.
• P6: you mention that Starfish Nippers is valuable for club youth, giving them understanding etc. Could this be highlighted by a few examples, how and what? You also say the club has
benefited from increased community support – is that directly attributable to the Starfish, or
how much has Starfish contributed to the increased support and again – is there an example you
could cite? Also you mention “running the program along with…” Are you able to say, “together
with…”? to kind of build that inclusion process in their minds
• P7: You mention the program is extremely rewarding etc, however it does require a high
level of commitment. It may assist to spell out what that commitment is at that point, so people
know what they are in for, or say you will go into detail with that later on, so in their minds they
are not already ruling out the possibility of being so committed even while you speak.
• P8: You have mentioned the activities – maybe talk a little on how you cater to various
ages and abilities?
• P14: Board Skills – great example of Chris lying on his board in the shallows
• P16: Learning – could you mention the communication board and how that helps as a
visual reminder
• P20: Special Needs students – will you be giving examples around those points? Emphasise the importance of allowing them to think and reply? And also about talking normally to the
kids, not down, or in a baby-like way, being firm when someone is non-compliant and how do you
get around that kind of behaviour?
• P21: Disabilities – terminology could be changed to:
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Intellectual disabilities (NOTE it is Down Syndrome NOT Downs)
Physical disabilities – what are the constraints here?
Learning difficulties and developmental delay
Visual/Auditory/Sensory processing disorders
Hearing impairments
Epilepsy
Don’t put non-verbal as a disorder – it is part of many so just use it as an example as you have
done.
There are some additional explanations of Down Syndrome and Aspberger’s Syndrome below for
you to review in line with your comments. I think your comments are OK as they are and really,
these conditions are better being talked about in a non-clinical way. The explanation below may
just allow you to expand on things, depending on how much you want to say
People with Down syndrome have a higher incidence of respiratory and heart conditions, and may
also have intellectual disability to varying degrees. They can have a wide range of skills and interests—and keep learning throughout their lives
• may live independently, or with limited support, as adults.
• A person with Down syndrome may experience difficulties with their speaking, but they
generally understand more than their speech indicates, and—just like everyone else—value being
listened to and appreciated for who they are as a person.
Aspergers is a neuro-developmental disorder that is classified as an autistic spectrum disorder
(ASD). Research undertaken by the Australian Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders(
http://www.autismadvisoryboard.org.au/index.php?page=research ) shows that there is on average 1 child with an autism spectrum disorder in every 160 children aged 6 to 12 years old.
Not all people that display genius have Aspergers; nor do all people that are diagnosed with Aspergers become recognised as a genius. However, there does seem to be an element of brilliance and
creativity in the realm of Aspergers.
As children, people with Aspergers can be considered a ‘walking encyclopedia’ or ‘little professor’
as they are incredibly knowledgeable about a topic that captures their interest. It is this unique
ability to delve deeply into a particular area of interest that has been credited with playing a crucial
role in bringing about innovation and creativity-often in maths and science, but in many other
fields as well.
With ASDs, three main areas of development are affected.
Social interaction:
• don’t develop friendships appropriate to developmental level
• non-verbal behaviour is impaired; e.g. limited eye contact and facial expressions
• ability to identify social cues and conventions is impaired
• don’t spontaneously seek to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with others.
Behaviour:
• develop special interests that are unusual in their intensity and focus
• prefer routine and consistency.
Communication:
• luent speech although have difficulty with conversation
• misinterpret language; e.g. may take things literally.
I think the photos and video are great. Really good. The presentation is just good common sense,
not too fancy. If you want to be pedantic , you could make sure there is consistency in capital letters at start of each bullet point, or all being small letters. I think that clubs who do not have the
benefit of someone such as yourself with skills and experience in working with special needs children, will need additional help. Maybe mentors (people with relevant knowledge and experience)
in their local area could assist the clubs. You could start a Starfish Nippers blog/group/whatever
for all SLC’s who decide to begin a Starfish Nippers program.
Great job Janet and good luck,
Heather