Education Therapist Specialist - Speech and Language

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Speech-Language Therapy that allows for registration with the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
• Current registration as a Speech-Language Therapist with the HPCSA is required, and proof of this registration must be provided.
• Applicants should have at least 5 years of relevant experience as a Speech-Language Therapist following their community service.
• Experience as an Education Therapist will be considered an added advantage.
• A valid driver's license is required.
• Knowledge:
• Inclusive Education (IE) policies (White Paper 6);
• Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) policy;
• Guidelines on the development of Full- service/Inclusive Schools;
• Guidelines on the development of Special Schools as Resource Centres;
• Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL);
• Integrated School Health Policy.
• Skills:
• Therapeutic assessment and techniques; multi-disciplinary teamwork;
• Preventative and developmental approach;
• Development of training programmes;
• Report writing;
• Analysis of data and trends;
• Therapeutic research methodology;
• Communication, consultation and facilitation skills;
• Computer literacy;
• Presentation skills and organising and planning.

Duties

• To provide therapeutic and educational services to Public Ordinary and Public Special Schools within the Education District.
• Implement therapeutic capacity- building programmes for early identification of interventions relating to barriers to learning.
• Train educators, parents and support staff in the early identification of learning barriers particularly barriers to accessing the curriculum.;
• Conduct assessments; provide short term curriculum interventions to learners experiencing barriers to learning.
• Provide specialized therapeutic support to strengthen District and School-based Support Teams (DBSTs/SBSTs).
• Collaborate as multi-disciplinary teams with DBST to support learners experiencing therapeutic barriers to learning.
• Provide therapeutic support advisory services to SBST.
• Provide direct therapeutic support services to learners when necessary.
• Monitor support programmes for learners with high level needs referred and not yet placed in Special Schools or High-Level Support Programmes.
• Conduct discipline specific research (Speech and Language) and gather information to identify trends and address these needs within the district.
• Participate in inter- and intra-sectoral networks and collaborations.
• Collaborate on therapeutic support matters with multi- disciplinary teams at the Special Schools / Resource Centres and Full-Service Schools / Inclusive Schools to include learners who experience curriculum barriers to learning.
• Provide/manage professional supervision of the therapists in Public Special Schools within the District.
• Monitor and support the process of assessment, reporting, referrals and placement of learners according to levels of need.
• Monitor and support the implementation of administration- and record-keeping processes.
• Ensure the compliance of Therapists in the special schools to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) Continuous Professional Development (CPD) policy.
• Report on the implementation of therapeutic support intervention programmes for early identification of barriers to learning, therapeutic participation in and contributions to inter- and intra- sectoral networks, therapeutic interventions.
• Monitor and manage assistive devices.

How to apply

New to the Z83 form? Read the application guide.

Enquiries

Notes from the department

• Applications must be submitted on a duly completed New Z83 form (effective from 01 January 2021), e-Recruitment System automatically generates Z83 immediately you press apply and generate Z83.
• Applicants are not required to submit copies of qualifications and other relevant documents upon application but must submit a fully completed Z83 form and detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• NB:
• Z83 in the e-recruitment system is currently not signable; so, applicants who submitted applications via the e-recruitment system will not be disqualified for an unsigned Z83 instead will be requested to sign on/or before the interview day.
• View the list of the positions you applied for on “My Job Applications” and do note that the system Z83 does not reflect work experience and qualifications, however, every detail of your information does reflect to the Recruitment team.
• Shortlisted candidates will be required to submit certified copies of qualifications, and other relevant documents (like a copy of Permanent Resident Permit for Non-RSA Citizens/Permanent Resident Permit Holders to HR on or before the interview date.
• Failure to submit all the required documents will disqualify the application.
• Correspondence will be limited to short-listed candidates only.
• If you have not been contacted within six (6) months after the closing date of this advertisement, please accept that your application was unsuccessful.
• Selected candidates will be subjected to a personnel suitability check (criminal record check, citizenship verification, financial/asset record check, qualification/ study verification and previous employment verification).
• All shortlisted candidates, including the SMS shall undertake two pre-entry assessments.
• One will be a practical exercise to determine a candidate’s suitability based on the post’s technical and generic requirements, and the other must be an integrity (ethical conduct) assessment.
• The Selection Panel will recommend candidates to attend a generic Managerial Competency Assessment in compliance with the DPSA Directive on the implementation of Competency-based Assessment.
• Successful candidates will also be subjected to security clearance processes.
• Where applicable, candidates will be subjected to a skills/ knowledge test.
• The competency assessment will be testing generic managerial competencies using the mandated DPSA SMS competency assessment tools.
• Successful candidates will be appointed on a probation period of twelve 12/24 months.
• It is the objective to address the Employment Equity Affirmative Action Measures in line with the Employment Equity Plan and to achieve equitable representation across race and gender.
• The EE targets of the recruiting Department will be adhered to although the applications are welcome from all racial groups.
• The Recruiting Department reserves the right to amend/ review/ withdraw the advertised posts if by so doing, the best interest of the department will be well served.
• (Females and People with Disabilities are also requested to apply and indicate such in their applications).
• Misrepresentation in the application documents will result in automatic disqualification and disciplinary action in the event the candidate has already been appointed.
• SMS pre-entry certificate (Nyukela) must be submitted prior appointment.
• Full details can be sourced by following the link: https://www.thensg.gov.za/training-course/sms-pre-entry- programme Note:
• Due to austerity measures, the Department will not carry any related costs (transport, accommodation, and meals) for candidates attending pre-selection assessment/s and interviews.
• Due to austerity measures, the Department will not carry any related costs (transport, accommodation, and meals) for candidates attending pre-selection assessment/s and interviews.