The 32 students enrolled in the 10 month paediatric speech therapy training program at the University of Medicine Pham Ngoc Thach (UPNT), Ho Chi Minh City have almost finished their 3rd Term. At the start of Term 3, students were fortunate to have had Speech Sound Disorders taught by Ms Phạm Thị Bền from Hanoi, who is undertaking a PhD in assessment of speech sound disorders in the Vietnamese language with Prof Sharynne McLeod at Charles Sturt University in Australia. Ms Ben was assisted by Vietnamese speech therapist Mrs Lê Thị Thanh Xuân who is a graduate of the first two year program at UPNT and is also involved in research into speech sounds in Vietnamese.
Other subjects in this term have been taught by a mix of Australian volunteer lecturers and Vietnamese speech therapists who are graduates of the 2 year programs; as follows:

• Language Disorders – Associate Professor Diane Jacobs from Australian Catholic University in Melbourne and Ms Đỗ Thị Bích Thuận from Children’s Hospital No 3 HCMC.
• Analysis of Language Samples – Dr Lê Thị Thanh  (who is now retired)
• Alternative and Augmentive Communication –  Ms Libby Brownlie, a former long term AVI volunteer and program coordinator at UPNT and Mr Hoàng Văn Quyên from Children’s Hospital No 1 in HCMC.
• Autism Spectrum Disorders – Ms Judy Griffiths from Canberra and Mr Hoàng Văn Quyên from Children’s Hospital No 1 in HCMC.
• Paediatric feeding – Mr Damien Roberts from The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne and Ms Đỗ Thị Bích Thuận from Children’s Hospital No 3 HCMC.
• Cleft Lip and Palate – Ms Janella Christie,  a former long term AVI volunteer and clinical coordinator at UPNT and Ms Đỗ Thị Bích Thuận from Children’s Hospital No 3 HCMC and Dr Nguyễn Hoàng Oanh from National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology Hanoi.

The students very much enjoyed learning from the Vietnamese and Australian speech therapists working together. They loved the practical activities built into each subject.