2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
3/15/2022 | 1:50 PM - 2:15 PM | Beyond the Classroom: Interdisciplinary Preparation for Preservice EHDI Professionals | Room 10
Beyond the Classroom: Interdisciplinary Preparation for Preservice EHDI Professionals
Graduate programs in deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) education have historically focused on preparing preservice teachers to work with school-age children at schools for the deaf. However, teachers of the deaf (TODs) increasingly play a pivotal role in EHDI systems from identification to provision of family-centered services (Jackson et al., 2015; Lenihan, 2010). Similarly, speech-language pathologists are increasingly expected to counsel and guide families through EHDI programs, but many report feeling unprepared to address the specific needs of newly identified DHH infants and their families. Through an interdisciplinary, grant-funded collaboration, the programs in DHH Education and Communication Sciences and Disorders at Teachers College, Columbia University are working to prepare EHDI professionals who have expertise in hearing loss in early childhood. Our preservice TODs and SLPs share coursework in pediatric and educational audiology, family-centered practice, and early language development and take part in conferences and workshops with early interventionists and EHDI administrators. To build the specific skill-set required of EHDI practitioners, we expanded our student-teaching and internship placement options beyond traditional school-based programs. Through placements with hospital-based cochlear implant programs, pediatric audiology clinics, and early intervention agencies, our students gain hands-on experience guiding families of newly identified infants through the EHDI system. Graduates of our programs report greater knowledge of hearing loss and early language development and, more importantly, increased confidence in their ability to work as part of an effective multidisciplinary EHDI team.
This presentation will equip participants with practical information they can use to improve their own preparation of preservice EHDI professionals, including tips for expanding practicum opportunities beyond schools. Perspectives of alumni of our program will be shared through videos. Opportunities for participants to share their own successes and challenges in developing the future EHDI workforce will also be provided.
- Analyze challenges and successes in professional preparation of EHDI professionals through traditional DHH education and speech-language pathology graduate programs.
- Identify effective collaborative practices in EHDI workforce preparation.
- Discuss strategies for hands-on experience with EHDI through nontraditional student-teaching and internship placements.
Presentation:
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Handouts:
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Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Elaine Smolen
(Primary Presenter), Teachers College, Columbia University, elaine.smolen@gmail.com;
Elaine Smolen, PhD, CED, LSLS Cert. AVEd, is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Special Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research work centers around language and literacy development for young deaf and hard of hearing children who use listening and spoken language. Smolen received her PhD in deaf and hard of hearing education from Columbia as a National Leadership Consortium in Sensory Disabilities scholar. An experienced teacher of the deaf and certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialist, Smolen has served young children with hearing loss and their families as a head classroom teacher and in an itinerant role. She holds teaching certification in the areas of deaf education, elementary education, and English.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Teachers College, Columbia University.
• Receives Salary for Employment from University of Connecticut.
Nonfinancial -
• Has a Personal (hard of hearing, wears hearing aids)
relationship for Other volunteer activities.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Teachers College, Columbia University
University of Connecticut.
Nature: hard of hearing, wears hearing aids.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Maria Hartman
(Co-Presenter), Teachers College, Columbia University, mch33@columbia.edu;
Maria Hartman, Ph.D., is a NYS certified Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing with many years of classroom teaching experience. She is currently a lecturer and the director of the the Program of Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Teachers College, Columbia University.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Brynne Powell
(Co-Presenter), Teachers College, Columbia University, bp2628@tc.columbia.edu;
Brynne Powell is currently pursuing her PhD in deaf education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she worked as a teacher of the deaf in both public school and OPTION school settings, mostly with preschool-age deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. Brynne received a master’s degree in deaf education from Smith College as well as a Master of Public Health degree from Loyola University Chicago, specializing in public policy and management. Her research interests include theory of mind and social emotional development in deaf and hard of hearing children, spoken language acquisition, caregiver involvement in education, and federal and state policy regarding deaf and hard of hearing education.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.