“BEES Support to D/HH”
Leanne Grillot
Ms. Grillot will provide an overview and examples on how the Florida Department of Education is addressing the education of the deaf and hard of hearing. Learn what resources are available, what educational rule and laws are in place, and what goals are envisioned for continuous improvement of educational services and programs for students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing.
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PowerPoint - Handout
“Langauge of Conflict”
Lynne Price
Summary: This workshop analyzes current crisis intervention knowledge and techniques used with emotionally disturbed students and adapts this instruction for use with students with hearing loss. Workshop attendees will be able to identify reason for behavior and factors that influence it; name 4 types of stress; understand cognitive theory; recognize defense mechanisms; recognize the conflict cycle & how to break it; identify 6 stages of crisis intervention; identify ways to influence student behavior; and recognize the impact of a hearing loss and ways to address it in HI sessions & the classroom.
Target Audience: Teachers, support staff, speech clinicians, audiologists, & others serving students with hearing loss in public and residential schools.
“Keys to Reading Success”
Cindy Hebbeler
Summary: The task of teaching reading to deaf and hard of hearing students can be a daunting one, especially when they say, “I cannot do this!” By using the “keys” and specific activities, they will overcome their fear of reading. A few hands on activities such as “The Artist” and “The Actor” will be demonstrated. The audience will be actively engaged in a few of the activities portrayed in the presentation. Video clips will be shown of students in literacy sessions to strengthen the impact that reading is NOT a tedious task, but an enjoyable one.
Target Audience: Elementary Education Teachers and Parents.
PowerPoint - Slides
PowerPoint - Handout
“Psychology and Deafness”
Dr. Ted Lombardo
Summary: This one-hour presentation is an overview of psychological issues pertaining to deaf people. It is intended for clinicians and other providers who have little of no experience or training in working with deaf people. The goals are to orient evaluators and interventionists to the special issues associated with providing services to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Myths about deafness are explored, as well as trends in education, employment, and mental health issues. The presenter is drawing from experiences primarily in a school for the deaf and with students rather than deaf adults.
Target Audience: Professionals interested in getting a basic orientation about the assessment and intervention issues related to deaf people, with a focus upon children in elementary through high school years.
PowerPoint - Slides
PowerPoint - Handout
“Educational Interpreting: Where Are We Now?
Shannon Simon
Summary: This presentation will compare components of various interpreter evaluations, including the EIPA, EIE, QA and RID systems and share data on the Florida results from the EIPA evaluations. In addition, changes to the national RID evaluation system will be outlined and the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct will be reviewed.
Target Audience: Any school personnel interested in knowing about interpreter evaluation systems, changes in the RID system and results of EIPA testing in Florida.
“Language and Literacy Development in the D/HH Learner: Research & Practice in a Changing Context”
Connie Mayer and Linda Spencer
Summary: With the advent of early identification through newborn hearing screening, and advances in amplification technologies (particularly cochlear implants) come expectations - and the real possibility - that greater numbers of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) learners will achieve age-appropriate language and literacy outcomes. But along with these heightened expectations come new challenges with implications for educational programming and planning particularly as they pertain to the early years. Discussion in this 3-1/2 hour session will include a consideration of how early intervention and communication modality impact on later literacy development, and the role that specific interventions (e.g., visual phonics, cued speech) can play in this changing environment. Relationships among spoken and signed language, and reading and writing will be identified with a focus on what is essential in planning an effective language and literacy programme for DHH students. Data from recent studies on the literacy achievements of learners with cochlear implants will also be presented.
Target Audience: Teachers, Parents, and Speech-Language Pathologists.
“Deaf Kids are Quiet, Right?”
Dr. Ted Lombardo
Summary: This one-hour program is a lecture/discussion on the subject of social-emotional development and the unique behaviors that might be associated with deafness. Myths and realities about working with developmental issues in deaf students are explored.
Target Audience: Professionals interested in learning more about the developmental challenges and norms associated with social behavior and self-development in deaf and hard of hearing children in elementary through high school years.
PowerPoint - Slides
PowerPoint - Handout
“Navigating the IEP Process”
Mark Keith and Anna Brynild
Summary: This workshop explains what the IEP process is, how it works, and the rights and the responsibilities of parents/caregivers in that process. The Do’s and the Don’ts during the IEP process are discussed. The workshop encourages parent involvement and responsibility while emphasizing the need to work as part of the IEP team throughout the IEP process.
Target Audience: Parents; however professionals will gain a better understanding of the IEP process as well.
“Laying the Foundation for Inferencing Through Visual Text”
Alissa Matiya
Summary: In this presentation we will take a look at visual texts and discuss some inferences that are based upon that text. In the beginning participants will be asked to watch a picture projected briefly and then journal based upon what they infer from the picture. We will discuss what we wrote and understand how our background knowledge, life experiences, and size of vocabulary affect each of our perspectives. After the activity, the presentation leads into a lecture about how to implement this activity into the classroom, the benefits, the unique differences for ASL signers, and the transition from a visual text to a written text.
The strategy is easily implemented into the classroom as a ten-minute introductory activity. The written output, collected daily, is not graded according to grammatical errors. Instead, the students understand that this particular activity is intended to allow them to write their personal reflections without being overly concerned with their current grammatical knowledge. The resulting data collected over time provides the classroom teacher with a wealth of information that can be analyzed in a myriad of ways. For example, they can collect data based upon the students’ length of responses, growth in vocabulary, grammar rules that have been internalized, and their sense in geography. The presentation will end with answering the overarching question: “How do we transition this critical skill to reading?” Once students are able to inference using a visual text effectively and accurately, they can begin to read short passages and make educated inferences.
Target Audience: Reading and Language Arts Teachers in elementary, middle school and high school grades.
PowerPoint - Slides
PowerPoint - Handout
“An Introduction to Working with D/HH Students for Speech-Language Pathologists” - Part 1
Mandy Longo
Summary: As a speech-language pathologist you never know who your next client may be. If you have a client with a hearing loss walk through your door, you may be at a loss for what to do with them. This presentation will give you ideas on how to evaluate a client with a hearing loss so you can best plan their therapy goals. Topics covered will include both assessments for oral clients, as well as clients who use sign language.
Target Audience: Speech-Language Pathologists, also beneficial to classroom teachers
“Florida National Deaf Agenda”
Shelley Ardis
Summary: The National Deaf Agenda (NDA) is an initiative which began in 2000. Florida has a statewide leadership team focusing on the NDA components and the impact of federal and state legislation and educational trends on the service provision for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Come learn about the committee’s action plans, proposed products/outcomes, and how you can be informed and involved.
Target Audience: All Deaf Education stakeholders.
“Intentional Instruction of Social Emotional Skills in Early Education Classrooms for Children with Hearing Loss”
Virgi Mills
Summary: Unlocking potential for language gains for students with hearing loss through intentional instruction of social-emotional tools commonly used for typical peers in early childhood will be presented. Intentional instruction of social skills, regardless of communication mode, using tools such as Tucker Turtle Tucks and Thinks and Solution Cards are accessible from websites for easy implementation in the classroom. Case studies demonstrating language gains in students as a result of using these tools will also be presented. Participants will be given the opportunity to discuss various supportive responses that can be used by teachers in response to students’ poor behavioral choices.
Target Audience: Early Childhood educators of the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing (Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade) in Total Communication and/or Auditory-Oral programs.
“Q/A on IEP’s, IDEA and RtI”
Mark Keith and Anna Brynild
Summary: The session will be a Q/A session on IEPs, IDEA, and RtI for parents. Facilitators will answer questions, help problem solve, and help to educate attendees on questions and issues that participants bring to them concerning these areas.
Target Audience: Parents; however professionals will gain a better understanding of these issues as well.
“Deaf-Blind: 1+1=3? 4 or More!
Emily Taylor-Snell
Summary: The impact on learning for students with dual sensory loss is so much more than the sum of the two parts. With the new screening for Usher Syndrome being conducted across districts in Florida, more questions arise as to how to accommodate for the vision loss among students with dual sensory loss. This presentation will address tips and strategies for school and home, ranging from simple accommodations to high tech solutions. The needs of students with multiple challenges will be highlighted, with a special focus on helping educators use practical strategies to meet student needs.
Target Audience: Teachers.
“Deaf Education in a Mainstream Setting”
Brian Newton & Mark Keith
Summary: The goal of this workshop is to explore issues in deaf education, particularly as they relate to the mainstream educational experiences of students, and to synthesize this exploration into an understanding of how to effectively work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the mainstream setting. In particular, the workshop will explore and help attendees develop a wider understanding of the issues surrounding mainstream education and the incorporation of accommodations and support services in that setting for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Target Audience: Teachers and other professionals
“Open Discussion: RtI”
Carmelina Hollingsworth
Summary: This session will provide a forum for discussion about current perspectives and experiences in implementing the RtI: Problem-Solving Process with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The discussion will include the following questions: What is RtI? How does RtI work if the student has an IEP? Is RtI for academics and behavior different? Who supports RtI? And much, much more!
Target Audience: All Deaf Education Stakeholders
“An Introduction to Working with D/HH Students for Speech-Language Pathologists” - Part 2
Mandy Longo
Summary: See Part 1
Target Audience: Speech-Language Pathologists, also beneficial to classroom teachers
“Combining Functional Sign Language with Visual Supports to Increase Communication Skills”
Heather Stanaland & Cara Wilmot
Summary: This workshop is an introduction to the use of signs for building and enhancing communication of students with intellectual disabilities and communication disorders. The use of “pairing of signs” with a picture exchange system or tangible communication system will be presented. Participants will learn how to find signs and how they can be paired with visual supports in order to facilitate communication for students with intellectual disabilities and/or who may be non-verbal. Itinerant teachers can use the materials to present to teachers of their students. Participants will receive a disk with board maker templates for implementing the Functional Sign Language and Visual Supports.
Target Audience: Itinerant teachers of D/HH, SLA, PLA, CSS Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Parents, and other supporting students with Intellectual Disorders and Communication Disorders.
“Not Vanilla but Rainbow Sherbet”
Angie Craft
Summary: This presentation focuses on working with our multi-disabled DHH. Included is an overview of some techniques, curriculums and data collection ideas for parents or teachers who are working with our more “challenging” DHH populations.
Target Audience: Teachers, staff, administrators, and parents who are working with DHH / additional handicapping conditions or Autistic Deaf.
“Have Car, Can Teach—Organizational and Instructional Strategies for Itinerant Services”
Lynne Price
Summary: This workshop analyzes effective practices for an itinerant service model for students with hearing loss including caseload management, assessment, instructional techniques, and content. Workshop attendees will be able to recognize the impact of degree of hearing loss on service delivery; determine the specific needs of students based on multiple performance factors; apply a diagnostic instructional model; identify areas of assessment and appropriate tools; use specific caseload management techniques; and create a yearly calendar for time management.
Target audience: Itinerant teachers.
“Literacy for Those Who Do Not Yet Talk or Sign”
Michelle Pearson
Summary: When we think about literacy as it relates to people who do not yet talk or sign, it is important we expand our conventional notions of reading & writing to include not only emergent literacy experiences, but also to include various modes of literacy. In this workshop we will discuss the use of calendar boxes, pictorial calendar systems, and object symbols, all paired with the use of print, Braille, voice, and/or sign language. By the end of this session participants will be able to identify different approaches to beginning literacy for children who do not yet talk or sign; identify ways to provide opportunities for children to freely explore writing materials; and identify ways in which children can observe other people reading and writing.
Target Audience: Teachers, interpreters/interveners, paraprofessionals, and parents.
“Strategies to Strengthen Schema and Critical Thinking Skills in Reading”
Ilene Horowitz-Ray
Summary: This presentation will review various strategies to begin students in using critical thinking. Playing board games cannot only be good for social skills, communication skills, but also for strengthening children’s critical thinking skills. Using technology engages visual learners while building vocabulary and schema necessary to be able to comprehend complex text, expected for standard diploma students. Becoming aware of various sites that could expedite this can be advantageous to teachers.
Target Audience: Upper elementary school teachers.
“Open Discussion: Itinerant Services”
Cara Wilmot
Summary: Let’s talk! There is a lot going on in the state of Florida in our field: National Deaf Agenda, Communication Plans, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing Expanded Core Curriculum. Come hear what we are working on. Also, do you have a burning question, topic, or concern that you need to brainstorm with other itinerants? This is the place to do it.
Target Audience: Itinerant teachers.
“Technology? Is it Just Fun or Can it REALLY Improve FCAT Scores?”
Krista Phelps-Elliott
Summary: This presentation will be a lecture/demonstration/interactive presentation in which available technology will be demonstrated to show how to effectively use it in the classroom. Actual mini-lessons that have been used in the classroom will be explained and demonstrated. These lessons will show how to teach new vocabulary and inferencing skills, as well as practice FCAT-type questions quickly and effectively. The participants can expect to walk away from this session with a renewed way of thinking about technology in the classroom, changing technology from a “cool tool” to “a tool that I cannot live without”.
Target Audience: This information can be applied to any grade or subject area. However, the demonstrations will be from 3rd and 4th grade reading materials.
“Who’s on First? Answers to Questions About Achieving Optimal Outcomes in Early Intervention”
Gail Strassel
Summary: “What should I do?” ”How do I communicate?” “When can I get started?” All are questions that are commonly asked by parents/caregivers of infants and young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This session will answer those questions and, based on current research and practice, attempt to define the who, what, where, why and how of early intervention with these families.
Target Audience: Early interventionists, teachers, parents/caregivers.
"Direct Text Marking and other Reading Strategies"
Sherry Conrad
Summary: Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing often struggle with language tasks for a myriad of reasons. One way to alleviate some of the frustration that comes with reading is to teach students to use various strategies to make text more accessible to them. Direct Text Marking (in any form) is just one tool that students can use in the reading process that will help them activate background knowledge, break down information printed in the text and answer questions as required by classroom and statewide standards. Some of the other strategies are based on metacognitive approaches to reading. These strategies do not require additional equipment and are able to be utilized in the classroom and on standards-based testing. Using these strategies independently takes time for acquisition and thus should be taught in progressive steps. Itinerant teachers can use 30-minute blocks to their advantage by taking mainstream content and remediating it within the context of these strategies. Strategies included are: UNRAAVEL, SQ3R, DR-TA, Narrative Comprehension Cards, Story Jumble, Predict the Plot, POSSE, CSR and Summarization.
Target Audience: Itinerant and classroom teachers for students in 1st through 12th grade (and beyond)
