Speech Science, The University of Auckland

01/10/2026

Congratulation Alison!

Investiture ceremony 1 October 2026 PM

Dr Alison Talmage, of Auckland, MNZM for services to music therapy and seniors

Dr Alison Talmage is a registered music therapist, educator, and academic and co-founded the CeleBRation Choir at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research. The Choir uses singing to restore communication, confidence, and wellbeing for people living with stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or dementia, and has become an exemplar for therapeutic choirs in New Zealand. She founded a second community music therapy choir, Sing Up Rodney and published ‘The VOCCAL Handbook – a Toolkit for Neuro Choirs’. Her research contributes to international understanding of music therapy and ageing. She is a Board member of Music Therapy New Zealand and advocates for equitable access to music therapy.
https://gg.govt.nz/image-galleries/11200/media?page=4

22/09/2026

18/09/2026

What a wonderful way to end a fabulous week with our re-accreditation panel visit - our Applied Psychology programmes 3 minute thesis annual event.

Thank you NZSTA for the opportunity to reflect on our work and challenge us to continue to build our speech-language therapy profession.

Thank you to all our graduates past and present for their work for our communities and for being such a loving family to the Speech Science staff and each other.

17/09/2026

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Who? Where? How?

What does a speech-language therapist do? Where can you work? And how do you become an SLT?

There are many different opportunities within speech-language therapy, and different pathways into the profession.

Our “Who? Where? How?” resource gives you a snapshot of who speech-language therapists work with, where they work and the training pathways available in Aotearoa New Zealand.

📣 Know someone who might be interested in speech-language therapy? Share this with them.

Find out more about becoming an SLT:
https://speechtherapy.org.nz/careers/how-to-become-an-slt

17/09/2026

15/09/2026

Why did you become a speech-language therapist?

Was there a person, experience or moment that sparked your interest in the profession?

This SLT Awareness Week, we’re inviting our members to share their “why”.

Your story could be what helps someone else see speech-language therapy as a career for them.

And once you’ve shared your story, help spread the word about our profession. Our “Talking, Eating, Connecting – That’s Where We Come In” poster is ready to share with schools, community groups, whānau, friends and anyone who might be interested in becoming an SLT.

A conversation, a shared poster or your own story could be the beginning of someone’s journey into speech-language therapy.

💙 What brought you to SLT? Tell us in the comments.

11/09/2026

Calling All NZ Primary School Teachers! 📚👂
Help Shape the Future of Children's Hearing Screening
Kia ora, my name is Ellie Slater, and I am currently completing a Master of Speech and Language Therapy Practice at the University of Auckland. As part of my thesis research, I am conducting a study under the supervision of Professor Suzanne Purdy and Dr Nuzhat Sultana to help improve the early identification of auditory processing difficulties in New Zealand primary schools.
Auditory Processing Disorder occurs when a child has normal or near-normal hearing sensitivity but has difficulty making sense of what they hear.
Have you ever noticed a student who seemed to miss instructions, struggled to follow conversations, or had difficulty hearing in the classroom?
We're looking for New Zealand primary school teachers to take part in an exciting University of Auckland research project exploring how auditory processing difficulties can be identified earlier in schools. As a teacher, your insights are invaluable. You see firsthand how processing challenges can impact learning, participation, and classroom success. By sharing your experiences, you'll help us develop a practical hearing screening tool that could make a real difference for children across Aotearoa.

What's involved?
• Join a one-off online focus group
• Share your experiences and feedback in a relaxed group discussion
• Participate from anywhere in New Zealand – no travel required!

As a thank you...
All participants who complete the focus group will receive a $30 Woolworths voucher in appreciation of their time and expertise.
Who can participate?
We are currently seeking practising New Zealand primary school teachers interested in supporting research aimed at improving the early identification of auditory processing difficulties in children.

Interested?
To find out more or register your interest, please email:
📧 [email protected]

Your experience could help shape a screening tool that supports better learning, communication, and outcomes for tamariki across New Zealand.

Approved by the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee on 10 August 2026 for one year (expiry date 17 July 2027). Reference Number 27142.

07/05/2026