15th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 13-15, 2016 • San Diego, CA

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3/15/2016  |   11:30 AM - 12:00 PM   |  Topical Session 5   |  Royal Palm 5/6   |  3 - Language Acquisition and Development

Family Language Policy & Planning: How to Develop a Visible Language Plan for Your Family?

The purpose of this presentation is to share 1) the benefits as well as challenges in family language planning to support young deaf and hard of hearing children for an optimal language acquisition and development in ASL, English (written and/or spoken), and/or their home language and 2) strategies and practices in language planning and using ASL, English, and/or home language through bilingual approaches at home. Family members and caregivers are the key participants who create plans as well as policies on their language practices within their families (Spolsky, 2004; 2012). Therefore, families and caregivers play critical role in facilitating their children’s language development. The presenters will propose specific strategies and approaches to promote successful family language policy and planning for their children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Strategies may include establishing the bilingual or trilingual environment, mediating between ASL, English, and/or family’s home language with their child, and providing multiple sources of input in all languages. References Spolsky, B. (2004). Language policy. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Spolsky, B. (2012). Family language policy—The critical domain. Journal of Multilingual & Multicultural Development, 33, 3–11. doi:10.1080/01434632.2011.638072

  • Participants will learn specific strategies and approaches in family language planning indicated in the literature.
  • Participants will learn about the benefits of developing visible family language plans for their deaf or hard of hearing child.
  • Participants will become familiarized with current resources to support families for a successful family language policy and planning with their deaf/hoh children.

Presentation:
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Presenters/Authors

Christi Batamula (Primary Presenter,Co-Presenter), Gallaudet University, christi.batamula@gallaudet.edu;
Christi Batamula has been working at Gallaudet University since 2005, first as an early childhood educator at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and now as an instructor in the Department of Education. She has earned a Bachelor's degree from Geneva College in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in Deaf Education From Gallaudet University. She is a student at George Mason University taking classes in International Education, Early Childhood Education and Teacher Education. Her area of interest is on working with culturally diverse Deaf learners and their families. She has taught in Deaf schools: Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind and Kendall Demonstration School for the Deaf, a mainstream school: Mantua Elementary in Fairfax County Public Schools, and an oral-based school for children with Cochlear Implants: The River School. Through all of these experiences, Christi developed her passion for bilingual education and language development for diverse learners.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.


Bobbie Jo Kite (Co-Presenter), Gallaudet University, Bobbie.Kite@gallaudet.edu;
Originally from Pennsylvania, Bobbie Jo received her B.A. in Early Childhood Education in 2004 and her M.A. in Deaf Education in 2005 from Gallaudet University. She has taught Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School for 5 years and Kindergarten-First grade at New Mexico School for the Deaf for a year. She is currently working on her Ph.D. from George Mason University, specializing in Early Childhood Education and Multilingual/Multicultural Education. Her dissertation proposal is focused on Family Language Planning in Families with Deaf babies. In addition, Bobbie Jo provides consulting services to ASL & English bimodal bilingual programs nationwide.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.


Julie Mitchiner (Co-Presenter), Gallaudet University, julie.mitchiner@gallaudet.edu;
Julie Mitchiner, Ph.D is an assistant professor in the Education Department at Gallaudet University with a primary focus on Early Childhood Education. She previously taught at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in their bilingual ASL/English Early Childhood Program. Julie completed her Ph.D in Education at George Mason University with a specialization in Early Childhood Education and a secondary concentration in multicultural/multilingual education. Her dissertation focused on exploring the beliefs of deaf families who have young children with cochlear implants related to language development in ASL and English.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.


Cara Keith (Co-Presenter), Gallaudet University, cara.keith@gallaudet.edu;
Cara Keith is a west coast transplant, she was born in raised in California and moved to Washington, DC in 2006 to pursue her graduate degree from Gallaudet University. She holds a Bachelor's degree from California State University Northridge in Deaf Studies, a second Bachelor's degree from Gallaudet in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in ASL/English Bilingual Education also from Gallaudet. She taught young children in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten at Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, Maryland for most of her teaching experience. Currently she is a second year PhD student at Gallaudet University in their Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners program. Her research interests are on language and cultural capital for the empowerment of educators and families of young Deaf and hard of hearing children.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.