2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
3/15/2022 | 12:35 PM - 1:00 PM | Engaging with Diverse Families with Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children | Room 12
Engaging with Diverse Families with Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children
Family engagement is critical in early intervention and early education. Family engagement means schools or programs are committed to maintain reciprocal, respectful, and meaningful relationships with families. The goal for family engagement is to recognize and foster families' strengths and funds of knowledge that will support their children’s learning and development. Family engagement is a strong predictor of student academic success.
Traditional definitions of family engagement do not allow for the inclusion of diverse families.
For Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, this is no different. Families want what is best for their child. When their child is born Deaf, there is an additional complexity as families need to navigate providing accessible language and early intervention resources for their child. For racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse families, the role of the school, teachers, and other professionals can have a different meaning that can actually hinder, instead of help, their ability to advocate and engage meaningfully in their child’s education. Unconscious bias often prevents professionals from changing their practice to be inclusive. Teachers, speech language pathologists, and other professionals need the tools necessary to engage families in their child’s learning and development in a way that is meaningful to the diverse family. This session will provide attendees with tools to begin to form accessible and meaningful engagement opportunities with diverse families.
- Participants will become familiar with an inclusive definition of family engagement.
- Participants will learn the importance of family engagement of each family on the successful development of the deaf and/or hard of hearing child.
- Participants will create opportunities for engaging diverse families in their practice to apply immediately following the session.
Presentation:
3353554_14954ChristiBatamula.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Christi Batamula
(Virtual), 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 then as an assistant professor in the Department of Education. She has earned a Bachelor's degree from Geneva College and a Master's degree in Deaf Education from Gallaudet University. And a Ph.D. from George Mason University with a specialization in International Education and a secondary, interdisciplinary focus on Early Childhood Education and Teacher Education. Her dissertation focused on family engagement among immigrant families with young deaf children. Her area of research interest is working with culturally and linguistically diverse Deaf young children and their families. She has presented her research and knowledge at various national and international conferences. She also has published based on her research and work teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Julie Mitchiner
(), Gallaudet University, julie.mitchiner@gallaudet.edu;
Julie Mitchiner, a professor in the Education Department at Gallaudet University, focuses primarily on Early Childhood Education. She directs the Master's program in Deaf Education. Mitchiner taught at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in the bilingual ASL/English Early Childhood Program for six years. She received her BA in Early Childhood Education and MA in Deaf Education with a specialization in Family Centered Early Education at Gallaudet University. She received 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 research interests include bilingual education in ASL and English and using the Reggio Emilia approach in teaching deaf and hard of hearing children. Mitchiner has presented at many national and international conferences and made several publications related to deaf families with children who have cochlear implants and on family language planning and policy with deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Bobbie Jo Kite
(Virtual), Gallaudet University- Dept of Education, 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 received her Ph.D. from George Mason University, specializing in Early Childhood Education and Multilingual/Multicultural Education, in 2017. Her dissertation examined Family Language Planning in American Sign Language and English Families. Currently, Bobbie Jo directs the Bachelor’s program in Undergraduate Education at Gallaudet University. 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.