Overview
Expanding from our original Ask Abbey series, this multi-part learning series is designed to provide practical, easy-to-use strategies on how to increase word recognition skills for learners who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH). Reading research highlights the importance of phonological awareness, and more specifically phonemic awareness, as an integral component of successful literacy instruction. Students whose primary language is visual still need access to this set of skills to fully unlock the English code and become proficient readers.
Estimated Time to Complete: 1 1/2 hours
Learning Objectives:
- Define the terms fingerspelling and handshapes as they relate to American Sign Language.
- List three ways fingerspelling and/or handshape instruction can be used to build phonological awareness for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
- Explain what visual phonics is and who can benefit from this system.
- List three ways visual phonics can be used to build phonological awareness for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
- Explain what cued speech is and who can benefit from this system.
- List three ways cued speech can be used to build word recognition skills for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
Presenters:
- Abbey Weaver, Itinerant Teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Southern Ohio Educational Service Center/Hopewell Center Region 14. Abbey Weaver began working with Southern Ohio Educational Service Center/Hopewell Center Region 14 in 2003 as an itinerant teacher for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She is also the Team Leader for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing department. She supervises itinerant teachers, educational interpreters, language facilitators, and an audiologist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Education from Kent State University. In addition, she has a master’s degree in reading from Xavier University. She works with a variety of individuals in various schools located in Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, and Highland Counties.
- Abby White, Teacher for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Abby White is a teacher for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. She has a Master's of Deaf Education from The Ohio State University and a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences. In addition, she has an Advanced Plus rating on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview, is a trainer for Visual Phonics, and has over 15 years of experience teaching. She serves as secretary for Ohio Hands & Voices, is a member of the State Literacy Team for ODE and a founding member of Deaf Education Ohio.
- Dr. Jennifer Montgomery, Adjunct Associate Professor, Teachers College, Columbia University in the Program in the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Dr. Jennifer Montgomery, Ph.D., is an adjunct associate professor at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Program in the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She has taught Cued Speech and Multisensory Reading, in addition to courses in assessment, hearing science, and teaching speech and language, since 2005. She has been a teacher of the d/Deaf and hard of hearing for 18 years and a certified Cued Speech/Language instructor since 2004. She has presented at various local, regional, and national conferences.
- Dr. Cathy Rasmussen, Interim Dean, School of Health & Human Services and Director, York Wellness & Rehabilitation Institute, Nazareth College. Cathy Rasmussen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is Interim Dean in the School of Health & Human Services and Director of the York Wellness & Rehabilitation Institute at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY. She was formerly co-director of the Deafness Specialty Preparation program conducted jointly by Nazareth and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. A former president of the National Cued Speech Association, she is a certified instructor and trainer of instructors, with more than 30 years of experience using and teaching Cued Speech. She has presented to many local, regional, and national audiences.
Various organizations have approved modules and webinars in the Learning Hub for continuing education credit.