EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
MARCH 2-5, 2021
(Virtually the same conference, without elevators, airplane tickets, or hotel room keys)
3/15/2022 | 10:35 AM - 11:00 AM | Statewide Campaign for Language & Literacy Excellence in Young Deaf/ Deafblind Children | Room 8
Statewide Campaign for Language & Literacy Excellence in Young Deaf/ Deafblind Children
Considering the professional literature is replete with research that indicates that many deaf and deafblind children are deprived of early language acquisition especially during the developmental phase when the plasticity of the human brain is more available to learning and language development. Early access to language; and augmentative approaches to enhance standard language acquisition is critical to prevent language deprivation and its negative effects (issues of identity and mental health).
This session will describe a statewide initiative entitled The Campaign for Language & Literacy Excellence (CLLE) that focuses on the promotion of early language development and the prevention of language deprivation in deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind infants and young children. The CLLE is a partnership between a state agency and a public institution of higher education: The NJ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and The College of New Jersey / Center for Sensory & Complex Disabilities. The CLLE project addresses the issue of language deprivation through four related activities:
Family Language Immersion Opportunities – To provide opportunities for families to better understand Deaf Culture, learn/practice American Sign Language and pre-linguistic communicative behaviors, and have access to language /literacy development resources.
Statewide Educational Campaign for Language Equality – To establish a statewide initiative to increase knowledge and understanding of linguistic and cultural resources regarding New Jersey’s deaf and hard of population; and to promote the early language development of young deaf/HOH children through visual language systems such as American Sign Language.
Early Literacy Project for Families with D/HOH Children – To develop the capacity of parents to support visual communication through literacy development opportunities.
Statewide Symposium on Language Deprivation in Deaf/HOH Young Children – To conduct an annual conference that address research and practice; and a forum to foster Common Ground.
- To provide the components of a statewide initiative to promote awareness of the prevalence of language deprivation in deaf / deafblind young children;
- To provide information, training and technical assistance to families of deaf/deafblind young children through the efforts deaf adults and professional
- To report the initial research outcomes of the project and its coordinated initiatives.
Presentation:
3353554_14834Jerry GPetroff.pdf
3353554_14834MatthewHall.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Jerry G Petroff
(Virtual), Center for Sensory and Complex Disabilities, petroff@tcnj.edu;
Dr. Petroff is a Professor at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), School of Education in the Department of Special Education, Language and Literacy. His experience working on behalf of students, youth and adults with disabilities and their families spans several decades. Holding a doctorate in psychological studies in special education, and a master’s degree in speech pathology and audiology, he has developed expertise in inclusive education, early communication, social network development, assistive technology (augmentative and alternative communication), and the transition of students with disabilities from school to adult life. In addition, Dr. Petroff is the Executive Director of TCNJ's Center for Sensory & Complex Disabilities and Faculty Director of the Career & Community Studies Program at TCNJ. He is a trained and experienced facilitator that has conducted hundreds of successful person-centered plans, systems-based strategic planning (e.g. schools, government agencies, etc.) as well as other group processes. Lastly, As a father of two boys, Jerry has a particular interest dad’s role in child development and the education of their children.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Elizabeth Hill
(InPerson), NJ Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Elizabeth.Hill@dhs.nj.gov;
Elizabeth Hill is a Pennsylvania native who has over 20 years of experience as a direct service provider, administrator, and an advocate for a better quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing children and adults.
Ms. Hill most recently worked as a school social worker at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Philadelphia. Previously, she served as Coordinator of Deaf Services with the Alabama Department of Mental Health, where she coordinated adult mental health services for deaf and hard of hearing people across a 24-county region. She initiated partnerships with multiple agencies to establish mental health services for deaf and hard of hearing children, particularly those in the child welfare system.
Ms. Hill also served as Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In this role, she collaborated with the Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs to pass a law standardizing infant hearing screenings.
As President of the Pennsylvania Society for the Advancement of the Deaf (PSAD), Ms. Hill oversaw development of policy initiatives that affected deaf and hard of hearing Pennsylvanians that included early intervention, education, sign language interpreting, and mental health/intellectual disabilities. Governor Tom Wolf appointed her to the Governor’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities, where she served on the budget subcommittee. She also participated in Pennsylvania’s Disability Budget Coalition. She was appointed for two terms on the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission for People with Disabilities, where she served as vice-chair of the behavioral health subcommittee and consistently advocated for the office’s increased funding with the City Council. She was a member of the mental health advisory council for Disability Rights Pennsylvania.
Ms. Hill has also served on committees for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and ADARA, formerly known as the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Government and a Master of Social Work degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Nonfinancial -
Steve Singer
(), Department of Special Education, Language and Literacy, singers@tcnj.edu;
Dr. Singer is an Associate Professor at The College of New Jersey and serves as the Coordinator of the Education of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program. He is a Family and Consumer Sciences Educator and Teacher of the Deaf. He serves on the national American Sign Language Honors Society board. He is presently editing a special series for Critical Education titled “Ableism in the Academy: A Series about Disability Oppression and Resistance in Higher Education.” Steve enjoys mentoring students and conducts ongoing research involving student researchers.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
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Matthew Hall
(Virtual), Department of Special Education, Language and Literacy, hallm@tcnj.edu;
Dr. Hall received his Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a focus on Literacy from New York University in 2013. His research examines how youth make meaning when interacting with multimodal texts, shifting relationships between writers and audiences in digital, networked spaces, and how to best integrate these new practices in educational settings.
He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses focused on literacy instruction with a particular emphasis on elementary and middle school. He also coordinates and teaches courses in the Literacy graduate programs at TCNJ.
Prior to pursuing his doctorate, Dr. Hall worked as a literacy coach and a public school teacher in New Jersey. He holds certifications in General Education, Special Education, and Education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -