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Catherine Easton brings a diverse range of experiences and skills to her position as lecturer in speech pathology at CSU. Since completing her undergraduate degrees in Music and Arts (German and Linguistics) at Melbourne University in 1999), she has engaged in community-based work as a linguist in Papua New Guinea and a speech pathologist in Early Childhood Intervention in Australia. She gained her PhD for a thesis entitled ‘Discourses of Orthography Development: community-based practice in Milne Bay (Papua New Guinea)’ based on her experience of supporting remote communities in Papua New Guinea to develop writing systems for their oral languages. Her commitment to working alongside others to achieve their goals was further developed through her Speech Pathology clinical experience in Early Childhood Intervention where her role included family support as well as providing more traditional speech pathology services. Catherine is committed to critically reflecting on her own practice and that of the disciplines she works in, with the aim of facilitating cultural and socially responsive language and speech pathology practice, as is evidenced in her current research into collaborative practice between speech pathologists and early childhood educators. Since joining CSU, Catherine has been coordinating the first year program for Speech Pathology, as well as curriculum development for the Masters of Speech Pathology program.

Positions and Roles

• Lecturer in Speech Pathology, Charles Sturt University, 2012 – present

Teaching

Catherine’s university teaching experience has included teaching a variety of subjects on linguistics, phonetics, sociolinguistics, language development and culture within linguistics, communication studies, early childhood education and speech pathology courses at a number of Universities around Melbourne, and more recently at CSU. She is committed to facilitating learning that is appropriate to the context of the students and their goals. This is evidenced in her commitment to supporting first year students in their transition to university, as well as the training programs in language development that she has developed and facilitated for people from remote parts of Papua New Guinea.
Since beginning at CSU, Catherine has been undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education. Through this, she has engaged with the use of educational technologies for blended and flexible learning, and renewed her interest in multisensory and interactional approaches to teaching and learning. Further, she has developed learning experiences and assessment procedures that reflect her commitment to supporting the transition of first year students to university and the inclusion of indigenous curriculum for language professionals. Catherine is currently involved in the development of the online Graduate Entry Master of Speech Pathology course.

Subjects Delivered

• SPH106: Communication Development and Community Projects (Subject Coordinator and Lecturer 2012-2013)
• SPH202: Audiology and Auditory Processing (Subject Coordinator 2012-2013)
• SPH101: Speech, Language, Learning and Culture (Subject Coordinator and Lecturer 2013)
• SPH211: Language Impairments in Childhood and Adolescence (Subject Coordinators 2013)
• SPH214: Therapeutic Communication Practice commenced (Clinical Educator) 

Innovations in Teaching

• Curriculum mapping leading to course, assessment and subject development for the distance education Master of Speech Pathology course
• Exploration of indigenous curriculum for 1st year Speech Pathology students
• Exploration of blended and flexible learning technologies including apps and website in teaching and learning in phonetics and linguistics

Research and Publications

Catherine’s research interest have grown out of her engagement with individuals, families and communities while working as a linguist, social researcher and speech pathologist in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Catherine’s PhD research critiqued discourses of professional practice and of individuals and communities in remote villages of Papua New Guinea  as they engaged in developing of their own language(s) and literacy practices.
Catherine’s research is grounded on a core commitment to support others to find their own voice and tell their own stories. This has lead to an interest in the sociology and language and language development and critical analysis of professional, community and individual practice.
Current research interests include: the exploration of barriers and facilitators in collaborative practice between speech pathologists and educators, community-based projects in language and early childhood development with indigenous Australians, and the role of language attitudes and beliefs in the delivery of equitable speech pathology services.

List of publications

• Hamilton, B., Bichara, E., Roper, C. & Easton, C. (2012). Gaining strength: Consumers’ experiences of case management with the Strengths Model. Fitzroy, VIC: St Vincent’s Mental Health.
• Easton, C. (2004). Alphabet Design Workshops in Papua New Guinea: a community based approach to orthography development. Presented at the Conference on Language Development, Language Revitalization and Multilingual Education in minority communities in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand. Nov 2003. Published at: http://www.sil.org/asia/ldc/parallel_presentations.html
  

Community Engagement

Community engagement is central to Catherine’s research and professional, supporting professional collaborations as well as community development projects.
Catherine is a member of Speech Pathology Australia, and has served on the Executive Committee of the Victorian Branch, as well as being a member of the Multicultural special interest group.

Memberships and Affiliations

• Speech Pathology Australia – Practicing member (2009 - present)