2018_winter_nl_fndc : simplebooklet.com

Family Network for Deaf Children and our deaf program WINTER Deaf Youth Today Deaf Youth Today Winter January 2018 FNDC values sharing information to deaf children families professionals and the communities that support them These events advertisements and or articles do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of FNDC or offer an endorsement Deaf Youth Today celebrates 20 years of Scott Jeffery that s A LOT of summers Scott A new year begins with changes We ve had the pleasure of working with Scott Jeffery as our Deaf Youth Today DYT Coordinator but sadly he has resigned as he is now working full time year round with Family Community Services FCS at Provincial Deaf Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS We are excited for Scott in his new position at FCS but he will be deeply missed in our DYT summer program Scott will be doing some contracted behind the scenes tech work with FNDC so we are thankful to still benefit from his support Scott began with the Deaf Youth Program previous name of our DYT program as a camper 20 years ago a young hard of hearing boy learning sign language socializing and attending day and overnight camps and YES he was mischievous After several years as a camper Scott grew up and began working as DYT staff as we didn t have a Counsellor in Training Program in those days Scott jumped in with enthusiasm and a spirit for learning and eventually became a DYT Team Leader DYT Hornby Assistant Coordinator and then the DYT Coordinator During the school year Scott attended Douglas College taking courses towards his degree in the area of Youth and Childcare work while working night shifts at the dorm Victory Hill Residential Program With Scott s education and work experience he kept building on his knowledge and experience during the school year and he brought this to the DYT program each summer along with his great sense of humour and enduring patience As with so many deaf hard of hearing children that go through the DYT program watching them grow from young mischievous campers into confident young adults is such a joy and that is how we measure our success Scott is living proof of that Scott thank you for dedicating so many years to the Deaf Youth Today Program Scott s story is an example of WHY parents do what we do When I look back over the years and reflect on all our DYT Coordinators there is a common thread these young deaf adults came from families that communicated and were involved with their children from birth all the way through to their young adult lives These parents rolled up their sleeves and got involved WITH and FOR their kids Twitter FNDCandDYT Facebook www facebook com fndc ca

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While the phrase goes it takes a village to raise a child I ve always thought it takes tenacious committed parents to raise a deaf child Actually the real phrase I use with humour is behind every successful deaf child is a mother that is a b ch I coined the phrase after being exhausted from attending sign classes and workshops driving my child to appointments filling in background knowledge reading helping with homework and being a constant nagging advocate All of our DYT Coordinators over the years have been fabulous examples of being raised by parents that were committed to ensuring their deaf child would grow up to be confident language filled young adults AND an added bonus these young deaf adults have wonderful relationships with their families Every child is unique and may not be a leader but every child regardless of their abilities should be encouraged to reach their highest potential and have great communication Don t leave the work to someone else to do Parents keep being involved with your child and continue learning I share this with you to encourage you and offer hope Yes it s a ton of work Yes I know that signing up for yet another workshop is a loss of a Saturday that you could clean your house or go shopping but you are showing your child that you value them and you are investing in their future not just for your child but for yourself Your deaf child will become a deaf adult one day and having them thank you for your hard work will be your reward I promise you it will be worth it Cecelia Klassen FNDC 2 Winter 2018

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SATURDAY MARCH 3 2018 9 30m to 3 30pm Douglas College New Westminster Campus Lecture Theatre N2201 A workshop for all of us that play a role in the language development of D deaf hard of hearing Deaf Blind children What responsibility do we have to ensure they don t suffer from language deprivation OR do we just accept the consequences This workshop is for professionals and those working with D deaf hard of hearing and Deaf Blind children and adults in our community Parents are also encouraged to attend This is a great opportunity for professional development Letters will be provided upon request outlying hours and workshop outline to submit to your employer Email fndc fndc ca to request a letter About the guest speaker Sanjay Gulati is a child psychiatrist who grew up hard of hearing and then became deaf He specializes in caring for deaf and hard of hearing children and adults mainly through two clinics at Harvard Medical School the Deaf Service at Cambridge Hospital and the Deaf Hard of Hearing Program at Children s Hospital Boston He is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard where he teaches medical students psychiatry and ENT residents He consults to a variety of deaf schools and programs His area of research interest is the wideranging effects of early language deprivation a constellation of symptoms he terms Language Deprivation Syndrome Register www fndc ca workshop registration Cost 25 00 includes lunch Contact Info fndc fndc ca FNDC 6 Winter 2018

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SEEKING DYT 2018 COORDINATOR SEEKING DYT 2018 COORDINATOR Family Network for Deaf Children is seeking a Deaf Youth Today Coordinator This is a contract position and requires the following experience and skills from qualified applicants Fluent in ASL and comfortable in reading writing English Pass criminal record check Respectful and open minded to all deaf children youth their families and their choices Educational background in youth and childcare work or teaching Extensive experience working with children youth in a variety of capacities Management skills and experience managing staff report writing recordkeeping budget time management policy procedure manual revisions Excellent communication skills person to person and written including social media management Program planning and booking for all program weeks including Immersion Week busiest week Working with an Executive Director and DYT Team Great organization skills follow through and follow up ability to work independently meeting deadlines and commitments Interviewing hiring managing all staff and personal support workers Trustworthy good common sense fast paced decision maker energetic flexible team player passionate and dedicated to making a difference Open to working unique hours in addition to day work ie Hornby overnight camp answering emails and preparing in the evenings handling all emergencies a car is a necessity Time Commitment Feb 1 to March 31 for pre summer planning emails evening weekend work April 1 to June 29 for program planning staff training emails evening weekend work June 26 to to August 17 FULL TIME commitment to DYT report writing in September This is not hourly employment It is a contract position Contract will be paid 10 000 00 for all of the above Please send an email or letter of interest ASAP detailing your education and experience to fndc shaw ca Deadline is January 20 2018 All applicants will receive a response but only qualified applicants will be interviewed Interviews will take place Monday January 22 to Wednesday January 24th FNDC 7 Winter 2018

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connections Week SPREAD OUR WINGS April 19 2018 9 30 am to 2 30 pm BC School for the Deaf Burnaby South Secondary Open to DHH students from the BCSD and the out of town students competing in the Optimist Competition Join us for a variety of cultural activities and workshops presented by Deaf Indigenous presenters Drum making Carving Hoop dancing Cooking Story telling For more information and to register go to www popdhh ca dhhcw 14th Annual PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Jan 16 Feb 4 2018 Theatre Dance Multimedia Music Film www pushfestival ca The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is Vancouver s mid winter festival featuring acclaimed local national and international artists The PuSh Festival presents ground breaking work in the live performing arts theatre dance music and various forms of multimedia and hybrid performance This year s Festival includes works by artists and companies from Australia Belgium Canada England Germany Ireland Italy Mexico Taiwan USA At PuSh we strive to make the festival accessible to all That is why we Provide ASL interpretation for at least one performance Provide captions or surtitles for two performances Create written introductions to visual shows that use little or no spoken language Provide ASL interpretation for the Youth Assembly on January 20th ASL interpretation can be requested to other events such as artist talks Train volunteers in basic ASL enabling them to better assist the Deaf community If we can support you in any other way please don t hesitate to get in touch There is the selection of shows accessible to the Deaf and hard of hearing community Check out the group booking info they are the most affordable tickets we have available Check out the access page on our website www puSHfestival ca for more information Vlogs with info on the show will be available We have great offers available for group bookings saving up to 30 For full details and to discuss accessibility needs contact Accessible PuSh Coordinator Anika Vervecken access pushfestival ca 604 605 8284 ext 20 FNDC 8 Winter 2018

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connections Week FRIENDSHIP DAY April 18 2018 at Edmonds Community Centre 9 30 am to 2 30 pm Join us for a fun filled day at the Edmonds Community Centre in Burnaby partake in dry land activities and games jump into the swimming pool enjoy water slides the lazy river and the hot tub Free for all students and staff Interpreters will be available Lunch will be provided for out of town guests For more information and to register go to www popdhh ca dhhcw DEAF DEAF WORLD Vancouver Community College May 26 2018 Save the date Did you know that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and youth under the age of majority can register for a Video Relay Service VRS number in Canada Yes in fact a Deaf child under the age of majority can register to use SRV Canada VRS with the written authorization of their Parent or Legal Guardian Registration occurs in the SRV Canada VRS app so you must download the app first To get started go to srvcanadavrs ca and scroll to bottom of page and click on the icon of the app you d like to install Then as part of the registration process you must indicate you are registering a Deaf child who is under the age of majority By doing so we will automatically email a Parental Consent form to the email address provided in the registration form If you have any questions the Customer Service can help you and your child learn how to enjoy using VRS support srvcanadavrs ca Also come and join our FB Group to keep up with Canada VRS news English https www facebook com groups 1719180181442010 FNDC 9 Winter 2018

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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Connections Week EDUCATION DAY April 17 2018 at Surrey School District 9 30 am to 2 30 pm Workshop offered by The Provincial Outreach Program Deaf Hard of Hearing in partnership with the Surrey School District Out of town students Grades 6 to 12 are welcome Lunch will be provided Interpreters will be available Bring students FM Inspiro receivers for FM DM access For more information and to register go to www popdhh ca dhhcw Richmond School District Seeking Hearing Resource Teacher School District No 38 Richmond requires a part full time Hearing Resource teacher to join our Learning Services Department effective February 2018 on a continuing contract The immediate teaching assignment for the Hearing Resource teacher will be working 0 6 FTE 3 days per week with students and if interested TTOC ing 2 days a week for the remainder of the 2017 2018 school year to be paid as a full time teacher Effective September 1 2018 the position will be full time 1 0 FTE The Hearing Resource Teacher will provide direct or consultative services to support deaf and hard of hearing students development of speech language cognition audition advocacy and social and academic development including directly teaching students with a hearing loss assessing the need for and troubleshooting equipment and providing initial and ongoing support in the development and implementation of IEP s In addition the Hearing Resource Teacher will liaise with advise and in service school staff and parents on educational needs related to students with a hearing loss regarding alternate teaching classroom management strategies language development acoustics amplifications and assistive listening devices Furthermore the Hearing Resource Teacher will provide habilitation services to students with cochlear implants The successful applicant must be certified by the Ministry of Education Teacher Regulation Branch have a diploma in Deaf Education or a Masters Degree in Deaf Education be certified or be eligible for certification by the Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing CAEDHH and demonstrated successful and current teaching experience working with students who have hearing losses and cochlear implants The deadline for applications is Friday February 2nd 18 To apply please visit http www makeafuture ca richmond FNDC 10 Winter 2018

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Supporting Reading Skills at Home Jessica W Trussell Ph D FNDC editor s note FNDC had an awesome reading workshop in the October We all learned so much and had many questions answered yet left wanting so much more Thank you Jessica Trussell for an informative workshop A big thank you to BC Family Hearing Resource Centre for opening their centre for the FNDC workshop When parents of young children who are deaf and hard of hearing DHH are asked about their concerns most of them mention the development of reading and writing skills With this in mind parents can teach strategies and engage their children in activities to support reading at home The strategies or activities will be in the areas of phonemic awareness decoding vocabulary and reading comprehension For very young children who are DHH parents can encourage reading readiness with pre reading and awareness skills Many of these strategies or skills are based on language play One of the first activities parents can engage in with young children who are DHH is phonemic awareness activities Phonemes are the smallest part of a language Phonemic awareness activities simply bring the child s attention to the sounds within the language or the smallest part of a sign language An example for English would be a game called Slap It To play Slap It the parent says two words One word is said correctly and one word is said incorrectly For example the parent might say running and wabbit The child listens to the words and tries to decide which word has been said wrong When word is said wrong the child slaps the table to indicate that the word was said wrong An example for American Sign Language would be using the features of two made up signs to create a real sign For example you could take the movement and the handshape from a sign such as I DON T KNOW and make up two signs The child watches the two made up signs to tries to determine a real sign using one part of each of the make up signs Other ideas for phonemic awareness and early reading skills development are Visual Phonics http seethesound org Labeling items and objects in the home Reading stories with your child and pointing out the words on the page Sorting words and letters to determine what is similar or different about them Fingerspelling words and connecting them to pictures or the word in print Bring attention to word endings ed ing and s in English or American Sign Language Decoding is another reading skill In general decoding is the ability to read a word and pull the correct meaning of that word from your brain When children are little decoding is more about connecting the letter sound to the actual letter in print or the fingerspelled representation to the actual letter As mentioned before Visual Phonics is a tool to help children who are DHH sound out words As these children get older sounding out words becomes less important Parents with older children who are DHH would consider teaching word parts http www readingrockets org article root words roots and affixes Parents can teach older children who are DHH how do break words apart into their word parts define those word part and put the word back together to determine the word s meaning within the sentence FNDC 15 Winter 2018

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Another critical skill of reading is vocabulary Vocabulary is the storehouse of words and their meaning that children use to communicate and understand what they are reading Parents who want to teach vocabulary to young children who are DHH might consider interactive storybook reading or dialogic reading During interactive storybook reading the parent uses the book as a shared experience The parent asks questions during the story and requires a response from the child Please check out the following resources to see how to do interactive storybook reading or dialogic reading with your child http www readingrockets org article dialogic reading effective way read preschoolers http www getreadytoread org early learning childhood basics early literacy dialogic reading video series Interactive storybook reading or dialogic reading would look very different with older children who are DHH One idea is to pull passages from www newsela com or www readwords org and add questions along the margins for your child to answer about the words they are reading Other ideas for learning new vocabulary are Reading books with your child over and over again Repeated viewing of signed material Accessible Materials Project on YouTube Peter s Picture educational children s show www peterspicture com Center for Accessible Technology in Sign http www cats gatech edu Chaining connecting the sign to the picture of the word printed word and fingerspelling word Sandwiching adding new information to old information This is a furry dog It has a lot of hair It is a furry dog For reading comprehension parents can engage older readers who are DHH in the Comprehension Check and Repair strategy First break up the reading passage At the end of the passage I ask myself Did I understand what I read If I answer Yes then I write a I knew or I understood statement If I answer No then I write a question about what I read I read the next section I ask myself Did I understand what I read and or Can I answer my question Other strategies for reading comprehension are Adding comprehension questions to the margin of what child is reading Teaching story elements like characters setting and plot http www katiekazoo com pdf KK_FiveEssentialElements pdf https k12teacherstaffdevelopment com tlb understanding the language experience approach lea Language Experience Approach Chunky Monkey or Sentence Parsing Visualizing https www teachervision com visualizing In summary talking with children who are DHH and not at them is the most critical key to their future success in rearing Make sure you are labeling objects ideas and feelings Expand on their language and engage in discussion Also read with children who are DHH Point out letters words and sentences Ask many many questions Last reach out to others You can always email me jwtnmp rit edu and I will work diligently to get your question answered Also check out these free resources available for parents and teachers Raising and Educating Deaf Children publishes e bulletins on various topics four times a year http www raisingandeducatingdeafchildren org Educating Deaf Children answers questions from parents or teachers http www rit edu ntid educatingdeafchildren Jessica W Trussell Ph D Assistant Professor National Technical Institute for the Deaf jwtnmp rit edu 585 475 6777 FNDC 16 Winter 2018

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UBC introduces first universally accessible American Sign Language course FROM https www ubyssey ca news ubc introduces first universally accessible asl course Jan 4 2018 Following months of organization UBC is set to introduce its first universally accessible American Sign Language ASL course Intended as an introduction to sign languages it will be available under the temporary course code LING 447H The course was developed by a team of faculty working with Nigel Howard a deaf interpreter and instructor of sign languages at the University of Victoria UVIC We have here in the form of Nigel a world leader among deaf interpreters among ASL instructors who is in demand around the world said Dr Janet Jamieson a UBC education professor who worked directly on preparing LING 447H He s a natural leader to lead this venture With Howard s input LING 447H has been designed as a pilot course to introduce the language on campus with the eventual goal of integrating sign languages into the curriculum of the linguistics department and UBC as a whole For years we have wanted to have tight ASL prerequisite for students coming into the program of linguistics said Jamieson These courses should be available on a campus like UBC Prior to this semester the only way UBC students could take ASL or any other sign language was via a bridge program with Vancouver Community College VCC but that bridge program isn t always accessible VCC s classes run on an entirely different schedule than UBC s and can overlap with exams during final s seasons There was also confusion regarding whether credits from the ASL bridge program were equivalent to other foreign language credits FNDC 17 Winter 2018

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It s all about language LING 447H also intends to not just make ASL available but to specifically teach it under the heading of linguistics emphasizing its unique cultural and linguistic elements that are often misunderstood or simply unknown Co president of UBC Signs the campus sign languages association Jacqueline Wax believes that offering ASL via the linguistics department demonstrates that it s a distinct language and not just a tool It s important that it s perceived as a full language because it is a full language Wax said Teaching it as a special education course makes it a special education tool it stores it from the world because only a special group of people need it Jamieson said the decision to introduce the course via the linguistics department was only natural If we positioned this course in special education it would be an issue of accessibility and accommodation not a good first for a language she said We re talking about a course in language and culture that s linguistics Debunking misconceptions The placement of the course in the linguistics department also serves to debunk misconceptions about sign languages as well as the deaf communities at large Howard explained that sign languages struggle to be recognized because deaf people are often typified solely as people with a disability a definition that most deaf people reject The medicalized view for example the term hearing impaired and the connotations of that are very negative he said The term hearing impaired brings to mind someone who is impaired as in impaired driver We see ourselves people that acquire a language and are visually oriented but otherwise we live our lives just like other people Instead the deaf communities and speakers of sign languages place much more important on their shared language and not their ability to hear according to Howard We re trying to encourage society to shift their mindset from a pathological to a sociological view a cultural and linguistic view he said UVIC has offered it now for 10 years affiliated with the department of linguistics It s all about language and studying ASL and deaf culture actually opened up student s world to seeing all cultural groups with more sensitivity This article has corrected the errors regarding sign languages American Sign Language and communities FNDC 18 Winter 2018

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University from the world s trouble spots they arrive in our classrooms Pamela Wright Moers MEd received her bachelor s degree in English and theater arts from Gallaudet University in 1998 her master s degree in deaf education from the University of Minnesota and is pursuing her doctorate in educational linguistics She has worked with American Sign Language ASL and English language instruction for over 25 years and both her work and her studies have focused on the various uses of language Her research has been on language endangerment diversity in sign language thirdworld sign languages and the phonological and semantic structures found in ASL She is currently developing an advocacy program to serve deaf refugees Moers welcomes questions and comments about this article at pamelakmoers gmail com Working with Deaf Refugees and Immigrants By Pamela Wright Moers Watching my sixth graders make their cards drawing cutting and gluing flowers on folded cardstock I realized that I had a dilemma The words I d inscribed on the board Happy Mother s Day would mean little to the women who were my students mothers It dawned on me that my students were writing in a language that their mothers probably did not speak or read This did not feel right Fortunately a receptionist in the next room knew Spanish and I asked her to come to my classroom Within minutes she entered and wrote Feliz D a de las Madres on my board My students eyes widened a few of them smiled broadly and they copied the phrase onto their cards Over the next few days I was peppered with questions What is Spanish for brother For sister For family My students at the Arizona School for the Deaf in Tucson could recognize the difference between English and Spanish but they did not know the discrete words of their own family s language A new list was called for and I posted an additional word wall in our classroom with English words and their Spanish translations This happened back in 2004 Since then I ve worked with deaf and hard of hearing refugees and immigrants from Cambodia Ethiopia Kenya Myanmar and the Karen State and Nepal Their families moved here with their own history heritage culture and language and ever since I saw my students faces brighten as they saw words that their families would recognize I ve tried to put myself in their place and see the world through their eyes as well as my own Photos courtesy of Pamela Wright Moers 44 ODYSSEY 2017 FNDC 19 Winter 2018

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University The more I taught the more I learned just how acutely different our worlds can be During a Halloween activity Seana 17 a refugee from Cambodia asked me to explain cartoon images of a smiling witch and a zombie Imagine her face when I told her that witches are not real they are scary creatures who fly around in the air on brooms Zombies are not real either and they are worse dead bodies that rise up to haunt those who are still living I somehow tried to justify the connection between my description the cartoon and our zeal for celebrating Halloween This felt foolish but I realized that I could not successfully teach international students if I clung to my own worldview Teaching started with understanding where my students came from 2017 FNDC 20 Winter 2018 My refugee students fall on a wide spectrum Some have no discernible language some are fluent in the spoken written and signed languages of their own countries Some have lived in a refugee camp with no education a few have grown up in thriving deaf centered programs Some have seen their family members killed in war a few fled in helicopters or lived in caves Some got on a plane to the United States with no idea where they were headed Many have loved ones back home that they might never see again Some have had their own names changed for protection Some have strong social connections to their community regardless of language access others are completely isolated Some have expectations for behavior based on gender that are vastly different from those they above Deaf refugees in Denver enjoy an evening of education and interaction during an association of deaf internationals meeting Countries represented in this group Somalia Ethiopia Myanmar and the Karen State Cambodia Thailand Iran and the United States encounter here Many of my students have a very different view of time and may not understand how to make appointments Some are offended by things that wouldn t cross our minds Students from the Middle East for example may be offended when shown the soles of our shoes Some have food restrictions and are forbidden to touch that pepperoni pizza everyone else is scrambling to get on their plates Susan Lane ODYSSEY 45

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University left Taw describes how he hunted for food in Myanmar and was able to sell that batch of food for a good profit how inaccurate this evaluation had been As he learned to trust his teachers and interpreters he demonstrated a fluent use of his own sign language He discussed the solar system how to hunt for food and defuse land mines and he completed algebraic equations This was in no way a cognitive improvement it was simply the result of Taw being able to show his capabilities because of his increased security and trust His educational team completed a new evaluation with very different results Further notes Lane Outlaw evaluations sometimes have a cultural bias Dogs for example beloved by so many in the United States are considered dangerous or Outlaw executive director of the Metro Deaf School in St Paul Minnesota where 30 percent of the students are refugees noted that some students might hoard food Others will not know their own names or the names of family members personal conversation 2017 The students bring a set of needs completely different from those of their U S counterparts Their learning depends on responses to the following questions Where did they come from What have they experienced What did they leave behind How did they get here What happened during their move For students who are deaf or hard of hearing an even more important question may be Do they have a language All of these factors affect the student s transition and should shape how the educational team addresses the student s needs Lane Outlaw noted that schools 46 should not rush to evaluate students as results may change as students become more comfortable in their new environment This happened to Taw one of my students who is part of the Karen ethnic minority that relocated to escape murder rape and forced labor When he lived in Myanmar Taw first attended a program for silent people which means deaf people in Karen culture and learned both sign language and speech Unfortunately this did not continue The people of his village were moved to a refugee camp where Taw became an easy target for the overseers impatience For self preservation Taw learned to remain in the background his affect flat and minimally responsive He wanted to be left alone When Taw first arrived at his new school in the United States he was evaluated by the school psychologists They concluded he had an IQ of 63 and no functional language A few months later Taw now adjusted to his new home and knowing he was safe showed Language instruction must extend from the word level all the way to linguistic and cultural expectations only the full breadth of language instruction will help them get and keep jobs ODYSSEY 2017 FNDC 21 Winter 2018

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University dirty in some parts of the world Escalators and cotton candy so familiar to American children may be new for refugees Nevertheless schools may be instrumental in bringing families into the American experience and this allows them to support their children s education Lane Outlaw noted that hiring spoken language interpreters did not bring parents to Parent Teacher Nights at the Metro Deaf School but when the focus of the meetings changed to that of parents culture of origin when parents were invited to Latinx Hmong or African Nights and shared food attendance reached 70 percent Working with language instruction in American Sign Language and English I am often reminded that young people including the refugees will not understand the need for English language competency until the day they cross the threshold into adulthood and 2017 FNDC 22 Winter 2018 need to support themselves Doors will open or close for them depending on their range of ability Deaf and hard of hearing refugees and immigrants don t have the same starting line as their native born peers Their time is far more limited with sometimes just a year or two of schoolage eligibility and they have much to accomplish School isn t just about education it may be the only place where they have the communication they need to help them make sense of their new world It may be the only access they have to vital information needed to navigate the changes in their lives Language instruction must extend from the word level all the way to linguistic and cultural expectations only the full breadth of language instruction will help them get and keep jobs Communication must become a collaborative process with explicit tracking of feedback and comprehension Understanding can t be assumed Conversations require intensive focus but the rewards can be enormous Four years after learning about Halloween Seana graduated from the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf During the graduation ceremony she crossed a room with a love letter in her hand as a part of a graduation activity led by Kathleen and Chris Cornils the parents of Eric Plunkett a former Gallaudet student The Cornils want families to have one moment where they stop connect and share cherished thoughts During this activity students and their families exchange letters of love and gratitude As valedictorian Seana placed her love letter in her parents hands It was written in the flowing script of Khmer ODYSSEY 47

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University Dispelling Myths Related to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students W H O A R E N E W TO T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S By Pamela Wright Moers MYTH 1 A deaf or hard of hearing refugee or immigrant can easily benefit from mainstream English as a Second Language ESL classes or programs ESL teachers are excellent educators who recognize the importance of teaching English while respecting a child s home language and culture but the typical ESL program assumes that the student already has a foundational spoken language This may not be true for deaf or hard of hearing children The ESL curriculum often develops language acquisition through first receptive and expressive skills which means in most instances listening and speaking and then reading and writing Cummins McNeely 1987 Cummins 2000 For hearing students new sounds are often difficult to speak process and even hear and for deaf and hard of hearing students speaking processing and hearing may be even more challenging or impossible When Seana a student from Cambodia tried to take ESL at a nearby public high school the classes focused primarily on hearing and speaking while reading simultaneously requiring Seana a visually dominant student to watch the interpreter or teacher seek out unfamiliar words on a page sometimes in an unfamiliar alphabet while also watching an unfamiliar sign language and make sense of the input She became deeply discouraged Instead of ESL classes direct language instruction by a language instructor familiar with multilingual needs would benefit most deaf or hard of hearing immigrant students This can happen with the use of a deaf language model or one onone language instruction with the student in the classroom A high school in the Denver area of Colorado provides its deaf international students with deaf language models working alongside the regular classroom interpreter This is written into the student s Individualized Education Program making fluent language access a legal requirement MYTH 2 An interpreter either oral or sign language is sufficient to provide the student with access to the curriculum It may seem obvious that using ASL can t magically produce understanding for someone who only knows the sign language of another country Unfortunately people use ASL with immigrants and assume that comprehension occurs Some deaf 48 interpreters are fluent in International Sign Language but few international students understand International Sign Language If a refugee already knows some sign language he or she will have a head start in learning ASL but still need a starting point The service provider and the student need to find common ground linguistically before progress can occur While a deaf mentor worked with Taw she learned his sign language before attempting to teach him ASL or English One day Taw told a story about catching a softball sized hopping animal for dinner after rainstorms After struggling to put those concepts together to identify which animal Taw was talking about the mentor searched online for images of hopping animal Taw pointed to an image of a frog and laughed The mentor realized her cultural understanding of frogs did not include the size rainstorms or dinner but images online helped them establish understanding and continue their conversation Using images on the Internet can prompt language production and give teachers insight as to the strength of the student s first language base If the student is hard of hearing and can speak and partially hear language it doesn t mean that he or she can hear enough to use a spoken language interpreter If the spoken language interpreter has a different accent the student may not understand the interpreter at all Mariposa moved to Arizona from Equatorial Guinea where she interacted easily with her family and peers as an oral aural student Spanish is the language of her country and during her transition she was given a Spanish interpreter However the pronunciation of Spanish varies and she could not understand the interpreter Furthermore almost all the other Spanish speakers around her were of Mexican descent and she could not understand them either Learning the phonemic differences unique to a language is difficult enough for hearing people Expecting hard of hearing students to accomplish the same with less aural access and no additional support is setting them up for failure For Mariposa her transition became an isolating struggle Using a Spanish language dictionary as a reference Spanish speech therapy and pull out sessions helped She was able to use support to build on her pre existing knowledge base ODYSSEY 2017 FNDC 23 Winter 2018

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Reprinted with Permission Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University MYTH 3 MYTH 4 A refugee or immigrant who uses sign language will immediately prefer deaf programs or center based schools Art and gym classes require no accommodations Hands on learning encourages student involvement and precludes the need for assistance Haweeyo is a Somali girl with a perky personality and infectious smile Fluent in Ethiopian Sign Language from the camp in which she grew up she uses an interpreter in mainstream classes Presented with the option to attend a deaf residential school she declined The school did not offer Halal food and there were no other Muslim students In the mainstream Haweeyo doesn t have many deaf friends but she has other Muslim girls who cherish her She interacts through gestures with these girls then connects with other deaf Somalis worldwide signing in ASL and Ethiopian Sign Language through her phone several times a day Just because a student prefers to use sign language does not mean he or she would prefer to be away from his or her culture A student s religious and cultural community should receive the same respect as his or her communicative needs and the student should have the opportunity to make an informed choice concerning his or her placement and program It s easy to assume that art and gym classes with more hands on activities would be the perfect learning opportunity for deaf and hard of hearing students who are immigrants or refugees This isn t always true In Taw s mainstreamed photography class the teacher spoke quickly in a stream of precise and sometimes technical English Go to file make a new check the inches make sure its 8x10 300 dpi For Taw it was impossible to watch his interpreter and locate the English words on his screen much less follow the sequence quickly Pointing to the icons and words on the screen did not work either he couldn t retain the steps After he experienced several days of a growing hate for the class his deaf mentor came up with an idea With two computers set up side by side and the same programs open the deaf mentor demonstrated the steps on her screen and then explained the purpose for each step while Taw followed on his own computer using his own mouse After a couple of demonstrations Taw was able to finish his photography projects independently and he easily memorized the steps References Cummins J 2000 Language power and pedagogy Bilingual children in the crossfire Clevedon England Multilingual Matters Cummins J McNeely S 1987 Language development academic learning and empowering minority students In K Tikunoff Ed Bilingual education and bilingual special education A guide for administrators Boston College Hill FNDC 24 Winter 2018

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From http blog ai media tv blog assistance dog etiquette A dog is a best friend and a companion but for some people a dog can be so much more There are many types of assistance dogs and each one is incredibly important to their owner Make sure to keep these assistance dog etiquette tips in mind when you see an assistance dog and its owner 1 Speak to the owner handler not the dog The assistance dog and its handler are a team Speaking directly to the dog may distract it from its work and the handler may be offended if you only speak to their dog Also many assistance dog handlers will be happy to answer any questions you may have as long as they are respectful 2 Ask permission before patting the dog Touching or petting an assistance dog while it is working distracts the dog from assisting it s owner Some handlers may allow you to pat their dog if you ask first but it has to be on their terms Don t be offended if the handler says no as some dogs have strict no petting rules as it interferes with their work too much A distracted assistance dog can mean its handler is put in a life threatening situation FNDC 26 Winter 2018

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3 Do not feed the dog While an assistance dog is trained to ignore food on the ground and not to beg food can still be a distraction Also a dog may not be able to eat certain foods if the dog becomes sick from something it ate it won t be able to work until it is better 4 Don t try to get the dog s attention If an assistance dog is distracted it could slip up on an important part of its job and put itself or its partner in danger Make sure to avoid calling to the dog making funny noises and ensure young children do not interfere with the service team 5 Never grab the dog s harness You may offer to assist the handler and their dog but do not insist You may see an assistance dog team that look like they need help but ask the handler before acting Never attempt to grab the dog s harness This will greatly affect the dog s ability to assist it s handler and it won t be able to do its job effectively Trying to help the handler and their dog may actually end up making things more difficult for them so make sure to be careful and respectful FNDC 27 Winter 2018

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Winter 2018 Family and Community Services Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services PDHHS For families who have school aged deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children FCS offers a full range of programs and services Family and Parent Support Children and Youth Services and Language Development We provide services in individualized or group settings Our programs vary every season however if any of the programs below do not work for you and your family please contact Linda Ramsey gov bc ca or 604 775 4008 Families with deaf hard of hearing and deafblind children aged 0 5 can register for some of the events programs below if there is space available Summer Immersion 2018 for D HH DB children age 5 13 and their families This is a week long experience for families to come together to share learn and connect with one another During this week we will offer sign language classes educational workshops activities and outings that will maximize both parent and child learning Dates Outreach Families can stay at PDHHS July 22 27 2017 Sunday to Friday Location PDHHS 4334 Victory Street Burnaby Dates Local Families attending classes workshops July 23 26 Monday to Thursday Location South Slope Elementary School 4446 Watling Street Burnaby If you would like further information or would like to register for this event please contact Kathy Glover gov bc ca Save the Dates Prince George Internet Safety Workshop Please watch out for upcoming flyers for Saturday January 20 2018 from 10 00am to 3 00pm College of New Caledonia Room TBA 3330 22 Ave Prince George Internet Safety Workshop Prince George Home Alone Program Teen Immersion Deaf Community Events If you are interested in attending deaf community events with your family please check www deafbc ca or www fndc ca for information on events If you would like FCS staff to accompany your family let us know ahead of time and we would be happy to attend with you P 604 775 4008 E Linda Ramsey gov bc ca Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services www gov bc ca deafandhardofhearing FNDC 29 Winter 2018

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Deadline to register for ASL Class and Children Program January 8 2018 Introduction Beginner Levels with Children Program Mondays at 6 30pm to 7 30pm January 15 22 29 February 5 19 26 March 5 12 Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services 4334 Victory Street Burnaby SURREY Beginner Intermediate Levels with Children Program Topic Based Conversation N VANCOUVER BURNABY BURNABY ASL CLASSES Wednesdays at 9 30am to 10 30am January 24 31 February 7 14 21 28 March 7 14 Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services 4334 Victory Street Burnaby Tuesdays at 4 30pm to 5 30pm January 23 30 February 6 13 20 27 March 6 13 Bear Creek Elementary School 13780 80 Avenue Surrey Beginner Level with Children Program Thursdays at 6 30pm to 7 30pm January 18 25 February 1 8 22 March 1 8 15 Carson Graham Secondary School 2145 Jones Road North Vancouver ONLINE Beginner Level Tuesdays at 1 00pm to 2 00pm January 23 30 February 6 13 20 27 March 6 13 To be Determined Based on Registration Requests Thursdays at 2 00pm to 3 00pm January 18 25 February 1 8 22 March 1 8 15 Intermediate Level Thursday at 7 30pm to 8 30pm January 18 25 February 1 8 15 March 1 8 15 ONLINE Mondays at 1 00pm to 2 00pm January 15 22 29 February 5 19 26 March 5 12 ONLINE Intermediate Level ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ASL CLASSES Beginner Level Mondays at 8 00pm to 9 00pm January 15 22 29 February 5 19 26 March 5 12 Intermediate Level Tuesdays at 7 30pm to 8 30pm January 23 30 February 6 13 20 27 March 6 13 Beginner Level Thursdays at 6 00pm to 7 00pm January 18 25 February 1 8 15 March 1 8 15 TO REGISTER FOR ASL CLASS PLEASE CONTACT LINDA RAMSEY 604 775 4008 or Linda Ramsey gov bc ca P 604 775 4008 E Linda Ramsey gov bc ca Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services FNDC 30 Winter 2018 www gov bc ca deafandhardofhearing

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Profoundly deaf British girl Maisie aged 6 makes Oscars shortlist with sign language film January 5th 2018 Film Deafness Oscars 2018 From https inews co uk culture film profoundly deaf british girl maisie aged 6 makes oscars shortlist signlanguage film amp The Silent Child a film about deafness starring 6 year old Maisie Sly is up for an Oscar A profoundly deaf six yearold girl from Swindon is heading for Hollywood after a film she starred in designed to promote awareness around hearing impairment was shortlisted for the Oscars When we tell Maisie about the message of the film she simply says of course I can do anything Father Gilson Sly Maisie Sly plays a deaf girl struggling in a world of silence until a caring social worker teaches her the gift of communication via sign language in The Silent Child The 20 minute short has already won critical acclaim and awards at international film festivals Now it has made the shortlist of ten contenders for Best Live Action Short at this year s Academy Awards The final five will be revealed later this month The Silent Child was written by Rachel Shenton a former Hollyoaks actress who was inspired by her experience of coping with her deaf father Maisie was cast after the producers auditioned 100 deaf and hard of hearing children for the part Short won Rhode Island festival award Maisie travelled with her parents who are also deaf to the Rhode Island International Film Festival where the film won the Best Live Action Short award Her father Gilson said Maisie is extremely excited about the potential Oscar nomination its amazing the journey we have been on as a family She s hoping for another trip to America FNDC 31 Winter 2018

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Rachel Shenton with Maisie Sly in The Silent Child In The Silent Child Maisie plays Libby whose feelings of isolation lead to behavioural problems When she learns to communicate via sign language her middle class family realise that Maisie is not a broken daughter who needs fixing Gilson said Simply putting British Sign Language into the National Curriculum can change the life experiences of everyone involved not just the Deaf community but the whole wider community Shenton starred in pioneering US drama Switched At Birth Ms Shenton said Because you can t see deafness and you it s not life threatening it s hard for people to understand that deafness is not a learning disability We contacted every deaf association to find an actress and as soon as little Maisie walked into the room we knew it had to be her She is so confident in her deafness The actress who also appeared in US drama series Switched At Birth the first to feature regular deaf and hard of hearing characters is now hoping to turn her short into a full length feature Ms Shenton said I m working on the script now People want see what happens next I m sure we ll all go to the Oscars if we get the nomination British TV needs a series like Switched At Birth too Maybe I ll have to write it Maisie attended a surprise screening of The Silent Child for her classmates and teachers at her primary school Might Maisie pursue a career in acting Gilson said Maisie changes her mind with this sometimes she would like to do more and show people Deaf people can do anything I love it when we tell her about the message of the film and she simply says of course I can do anything FNDC 32 Winter 2018

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Parents of children Great opportunity for a volunteer available in Victoria I am a recently retired sign language interpreter now living in the Victoria area I m interested in volunteering with a Deaf child or children perhaps as a signing granny I imagine taking a child out for activities and or babysitting I don t have children of my own or nieces and nephews and would enjoy having more contact with children Also I really appreciate the Deaf community and ASL and want to keep a connection I live in James Bay and have a car I m willing to get a Criminal Record Check and can also provide references from professionals in the Deaf community in Vancouver If you d like to discuss this more please contact me at kmalcolm shaw ca Many thanks Karen Malcolm KELOWNA Qualified Sign Language Interpreter and Support Worker If you are a qualified Sign Language Interpreter or an individual with excellent signing skills we are seeking an employee to provide interpreting services and support for a Deaf and intellectually challenged young man You will support his successful part time employment at Home Depot in Kelowna B C In addition to providing employment support you will have additional opportunities to provide interpreting services for his physiotherapy program Special Olympics activities and employment staff meetings Your client is a very friendly and personable individual who presents himself well and has been very successful at his job He is highly dedicated to his role as a Lot Attendant at Home Depot and has received regional awards and accolades from fellow employees for his work ethic He is very well liked by all Home Depot staff and by previous and current sign language interpreters and support workers Your client is a pleasure and joy to work with and you will enable him to continue to thrive be successful and contribute to his workplace and his community You will be employed by the BFF Society a person centred micro board funded by Community Living BC and managed by his extended family and long term friends For Job Outline Requirements and information regarding wages and benefits or for full details or to apply contact Jeanette French by email at jeanettefrench shaw ca telephone 250 860 1635 Kelowna PROVINCIAL OUTREACH PROGRAM DEAF HARD OF HEARING POPDHH LENDING LIBRARY IS OPEN We are pleased to announce that our POPDHH Library is now open for business The Library is located at the BC School for the Deaf within the South Slope Elementary 4446 Watling Street in Burnaby Materials may be borrowed by Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing SLPs and parents in B C To become a patron please email our Office Support Staff Ivana at office popdhh ca and include your name mailing address name and number of your school district and your job title As a patron you will be able to search for and request resources including books videos journal articles and assessments Local patrons are welcome to visit us and collect the resources on school days between 9 am and 3 pm We will be happy to ship the resources to our out of town patrons You can find out more and browse our catalogue as a guest by visiting our website www popdhh ca educators provincial lending library VIDEO acknowledging the Traditional Territories in British Columbia from the Provincial Outreach Program DHH and BC School for the Deaf We are pleased to announce that the Provincial Outreach Program Deaf Hard of Hearing and British Columbia School for the Deaf co produced a video acknowledging the traditional territories in British Columbia Canada We are grateful to the indigenous students of BCSD who participated in the filming of this video Click on the YouTube link to view https youtu be t2tnLWU3fM8 FNDC 33 Winter 2018

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The SouthWest Collegiate Institute for the Deaf is a small vocational program located in Big Spring Texas and has an average attendance of 150 students annually This is a good alternative for some who may not fit into some liberal arts programs like Gallaudet University and still would rather have direct instruction in American Sign Language rather through interpreters The program itself is fully self contained and is located within the larger Howard College The Program offers the following Associate of Applied Science Degree Interpreter Training Program ASL Deaf Support Specialist Then there are certificates in the following Automotive Maintenance Technician Building Construction Technology Dental Lab Technology Graphic Arts Technology Office Technology ASL Deaf Support Specialist Welding Technology Computer Information Systems www howardcollege edu swcid swcidoofficeadmission howardcollege edu Family Seeking Signing Mentor We are looking for a signing deaf hh mentor for our seven year old son Preferably male but open to female as well We will pay minimum wage hours are flexible Approximately 3hrs every other week We are in the Metrotown area Contact Michelle at 778 899 4842 FNDC 34 Winter 2018

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35 00 includes newsletters by MAIL updates by Email 10 00 includes newsletters updates by Email ONLY You may use this form or pay for your membership online at www fndc ca membership Voting Member Parent guardian of deaf hh child Non Voting Member Individual or organization Note voting members are parents legal guardians of a deaf hh child One vote per family Birth year of your deaf hh child __________ If you are unable to pay at this time please just let us know NAME ADDRESS CITY PROVINCE EMAIL POSTAL CODE TEL CELL Check if text only Note Please add fndc fndc ca and fndc shaw ca to your safe sender s list You will receive our email information via MAILCHIMP Please add Mailchimp to your safe sender s list too You may donate using this form and mail to FNDC or you may also donate directly at www fndc ca donation I would like to make a charitable donation of ______________ income tax receipts will be issued for donations over 10 00 Thank you for your continued support Charitable Registration No 88622 5655 RR 0001 You may pay your membership using this form and mail to FNDC or you may also renew your membership online at www fndc ca Mastercard Visa PayPal Cheque CHARGE CARD EXPIRY DATE MM DD YY SIGNATURE TOTAL AUTHORIZED PAYMENT Please make your cheque payable to FNDC Family Network for Deaf Children FNDC Family Network for Deaf Children PO Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 Phone 604 684 1860 voice text message Email fndc fndc ca Website www fndc ca FNDC 35 Winter 2018

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FNDC is a non profit society S 33351 that was founded in March 1995 to bring together families of deaf children in British Columbia who share common concerns Federal Registered Charity Number 88622 5655 RR0001 Deaf Youth Today DYT is a program administered by FNDC D Y T What is FNDC all about Family Network for Deaf Children FNDC is a parent run non profit charitable organization supporting families with deaf and hard of hearing children that use sign language or are interested in learning sign language Even though technology and methodology have changed over the years we seek the wisdom of parents professionals and Deaf HH adults so that common themes of access equity and a sense of belonging continue to be highlighted in areas such as social recreation leadership education employment general services and community involvement What is Deaf Youth Today Deaf Youth Today DYT is FNDC s summer social recreational program and is committed to providing recreational experience and leadership opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing youth in British Columbia that use sign language for all or part of their communication or who are interested in learning sign language FNDC Board of Directors Hester Hussey Mentor Advisor Colleen Peterson President Nicki Horton Director Karen Jackson Director Charlie Coyle Director Joy Santos Director Gwen Wong Director Laura Batista Director Leigh Chan Director The Board of Directors are parents of deaf children FNDC Staff Cecelia Klassen Executive Director cecelia fndc ca Bella Poato Executive Assistant accounting fndc ca Jason Berube Website Designer Developer webmaster fndc ca FNDC General Inquiry fndc fndc ca DYT Staff Deaf Youth Today Our summer program DYT is now closed until Spring 2018 Our email addresses will continue to be checked throughout the year DYT Coordinator dyt fndc ca DYT Registrations andrea fndc ca DYT Hornby Island Coordinator terry fndc ca Membership Paid Membership is open to those who support the goals of our Organization Our membership is open to individuals schools and organizations Parents guardians of deaf and hard of hearing children are eligible to vote Join Our E Mail List for free Join our email list for free and receive Our newsletter which is published four times a year Email Updates regarding upcoming workshops and courses children youth programs as well as community updates Contact Us Contact us below and be added to our email list or to request a membership form Family Network for Deaf Children P O Box 50075 South Slope RPO Burnaby BC V5J 5G3 604 684 1860 voice text message www fndc ca website fndc fndc ca e mail