Speech and Language development in Children: The Early Years

Speech and Language development in Children: The Early Years

Ms Vanessa Bezzina is a  Speech & Language Pathologist. She studied Communication Therapy at undergraduate level at the University of Malta. Upon receiving her degree in 2013, she worked as Speech and Language Pathologist with the Speech and Language Department (SLD).

Throughout her work experience a passion grew for working with clients who are exposed to more than one language (bilingual/ multilingual), as they posed new challenges to assessment and therapy practices. She therefore furthered her studies in this area and was awarded an M.Sc in Language and Communication Impairments in Children with the University of Sheffield in 2018. Her research study was entitled ‘Speech-Language Pathologists’ training, practices and perspectives in serving bilingual and multilingual clients’.  

Ms Bezzina has delivered a number of talks to teachers, learning support educators in mainstream schools and parents of children in pre-kindergarten settings. She also delivers workshops to carers and teachers with a particular focus on key word signing as well as the use of literacy applications in the classroom.

Vanessa is trained to administer Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and Lis 'n' Tell: Inclusive Story-Telling.