Friday, November 22 | 1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Choose two workshops to attend on a variety of topics, including working with parents of preschool children, literacy, theory of mind, cochlear implant connectivity, and using automatic speech recognition for captioning in the classroom.

1:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Welcome

1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Workshop # 1 (choose one from the following four workshops)

• Using Mentor Texts to Enhance Vocabulary Development
  Presenter: Dr. Beverly Trezek, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  This session will provide participants with an overview of using mentor texts to enhance vocabulary instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. As part of the session, participants will have the opportunity to practice identifying words and selecting appropriate teaching techniques based on the learning context, instructional content, and needs of students. Strategies for implementing this approach in a variety of instructional settings will also be discussed.
• Accuracy of Speech-to-text technology for real time captioning in the classroom
  Presenter: Dr. Pam Millett, York University
  There is a great deal of interest in the potential for speech-to-text, technology to provide real time captioning for individuals with hearing loss, particularly for students in classrooms. The results of a research study evaluating the accuracy of a number of apps and software to provide real time captioning in a classroom will be presented. Three learning situations were included: real time captioning for lecture (Interact Streamer, Ava, Google Slides). for post production video (Youtube, Stream, Google Slides, Interact Streamer, Camtasia Studio) and for small group work (Microsoft Translator, Ava). There will be opportunities for participants to experiment with captioning technologies as well, and discuss current use of captioning in Ontario schools.
• Literacy, Theory of Mind and Deaf Learners
  Presenter: Dr. Connie Mayer, York University
  The focus in this workshop will be on Theory of Mind (ToM), the nature and importance of this construct, and its relationship to language development. Building on the research evidence from two recent studies on ToM and deaf students, we will look at the ways in which ToM can be both identified and developed through reading and writing instruction. Examples from deaf students will be used as the basis for our discussion. Practical strategies, approaches, and resources from the primary years through high school will be presented and described.
• Wireless connectivity for cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing devices
  Presenter: Greg Bergen, Cochlear Canada
  Greg Bergen, audiologist and assistant clinical territory manager at Cochlear Canada will discuss wireless connectivity options that are available for individuals with cochlear implants or bone anchored hearing devices, for home, school and community use.

2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Break

3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Workshop # 2 (choose one from the following four workshops)

Note: These are repeats from the morning session.

• Using Mentor Texts to Enhance Vocabulary Development
  Presenter: Dr. Beverly Trezek, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  This session will provide participants with an overview of using mentor texts to enhance vocabulary instruction for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. As part of the session, participants will have the opportunity to practice identifying words and selecting appropriate teaching techniques based on the learning context, instructional content, and needs of students. Strategies for implementing this approach in a variety of instructional settings will also be discussed.
• Accuracy of Speech-to-text technology for real time captioning in the classroom
  Presenter: Dr. Pam Millett, York University
  There is a great deal of interest in the potential for speech-to-text, technology to provide real time captioning for individuals with hearing loss, particularly for students in classrooms. The results of a research study evaluating the accuracy of a number of apps and software to provide real time captioning in a classroom will be presented. Three learning situations were included: real time captioning for lecture (Interact Streamer, Ava, Google Slides). for post production video (Youtube, Stream, Google Slides, Interact Streamer, Camtasia Studio) and for small group work (Microsoft Translator, Ava). There will be opportunities for participants to experiment with captioning technologies as well, and discuss current use of captioning in Ontario schools.
• Literacy, Theory of Mind and Deaf Learners
  Presenter: Dr. Connie Mayer, York University
  The focus in this workshop will be on Theory of Mind (ToM), the nature and importance of this construct, and its relationship to language development. Building on the research evidence from two recent studies on ToM and deaf students, we will look at the ways in which ToM can be both identified and developed through reading and writing instruction. Examples from deaf students will be used as the basis for our discussion. Practical strategies, approaches, and resources from the primary years through high school will be presented and described.
• Wireless connectivity for cochlear implants and bone anchored hearing devices
  Presenter: Greg Bergen, Cochlear Canada
  Greg Bergen, audiologist and assistant clinical territory manager at Cochlear Canada will discuss wireless connectivity options that are available for individuals with cochlear implants or bone anchored hearing devices, for home, school and community use.

5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wine and cheese reception(additional cost payable by November 12th, 2019)

Saturday, November 23 | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Welcome

10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

• Keynote speaker: Dr. Susan Stanton
  Genomics and Hearing Research in Canada: A Multidisciplinary Approach
  Over a 100 different hearing loss genes have now been identified, with several hundred more predicted. Most of you will be familiar with genomics, but may be unaware of unprecedented advances in genomic technologies that are changing the healthcare landscape. Progress has been so rapid in fields like cancer and pharmacogenomics that the recently unimaginable is now routine clinical practice.In this presentation, we will review advances in genomic hearing loss research, and then focus on the genes discovered in Newfoundland families by our interdisciplinary team. A large number of diverse genetic disorders, in addition to hearing loss, have been identified in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The high incidence in the Newfoundland population is due to the founder effect, where genetic changes were brought to a geographically-isolated community many generations ago, and inherited by families with large numbers of offspring. Distinct forms of genetic hearing loss have been identified, including a CLDN14 autosomal recessive mutation which produces precipitous mid/high frequency hearing loss, and a WFS1 autosomal dominant mutation which gives rise to a nonsyndromic low-frequency hearing loss. The first stage of this research project is focusing on the detailed auditory profile, or phenotype, of individuals and families affected by different genetic forms of hearing loss. Working with a collaborative team, with expertise in molecular genetics and biomedical engineering, the goal of this research program is to better understand the underlying mechanisms and etiology of auditory system dysfunction, and ultimately facilitate the development of new forms of treatment.

11:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Morning Break

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

• Keynote speaker: Dr. Janet Jamieson
  Supporting a Smooth Transition from Early Intervention to Kindergarten for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
  As deaf or hard-of-hearing children who have been served through early intervention programs develop, the transition from early intervention to school is an important milestone, with strong implications for academic and social learning. It is a time of potential stress and challenge for the child and family, as they negotiate new schedules, environments, peers and teachers, and expectations. How can early intervention programs prepare children and parents for the transition? How can receiving teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing support children, families, and classroom teachers? What are the main concerns and challenges expressed by receiving kindergarten teachers?This presentation will review what we know about challenges and opportunities of the transition to school for all children, and especially for children who are deaf of hard of hearing and the adults who support them. It will touch upon research findings from a study conducted in British Columbia that examined the transition experience from the perspective of parents, early interventionists, receiving classroom teachers, receiving specialist teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, and program administrators. Recommendations aimed at smoothing the transition to school will be described, with a particular focus on the importance of communication among stakeholders; preparing parents for the transition, particularly for parents who do not speak English or who are unfamiliar with their child’s school system; and preparing teachers in inclusive classrooms who will receive deaf or hard-of-hearing students.

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. – LUNCH BREAK

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

• Keynote speaker: Dr. Maria Hartman
  Read Up: Reading Achievement in Children with Hearing Loss in a Listening and Spoken Language Program
  Researchers partnered with a school for children with hearing loss in the southwestern United States to assess reading achievement over a three year period. Sixty students, ages 4 through 10 years participated. Over 60% of participants’ families identified as Latinx or Hispanic and spoke primarily Spanish in the home. Reading skills were assessed using eight subtests of the Woodcock- Johnson IV Tests of Achievement (WJ IV).Most participants (above 80%) performed within or above the average range (defined as a standard score of 85 or higher) based on the WJ IV’s norms for children with typical hearing. These children generally capitalize on their auditory access to excel at spelling, vocabulary, letter-word identification, and other skills requiring phonological awareness. More children in pre-k and kindergarten demonstrated reading delays than did those in later grades, suggesting that an intensive elementary program can help close the reading gap with hearing peers. Many older students experienced challenges with an often-overlooked area of reading instruction: fluency at both the single-word and the sentence level. Implications for practice and preliminary results of a longitudinal analysis of predictors of reading success will be discussed.

2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. – Afternoon Break

2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

• Panel discussion
  Dr. Maria Hartman, Dr. Janet Jamieson, Dr. Beverly Trezek, Dr. Susan Stanton, Dr. Connie Mayer and Dr. Pam Millett will engage with the audience about current issues in deaf and hard of hearing education, and how research is shaping the future for deaf and hard of hearing children, families and professionals.

3:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Wrap-up

Dr. Maria Hartman

Maria Hartman, PhD, is a Lecturer in the Program in the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Teachers College, Columbia University, teaching courses in language and literacy development as well as assessment and methods courses. Additionally she serves as Practicum Coordinator supervising pre-service teachers in a variety of schools and programs in the New York City area. Maria participates in a number of ongoing research projects at Teachers College all related to deaf children and their language and literacy growth and publishes and presents frequently on these projects.

Dr. Janet Jamieson

Janet Jamieson, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, & Special Education at The University of British Columbia. She is Co-Director of the UBC Program in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Director of the UBC Centre for Early Childhood Education and Research. She is also a member of the Intervention Advisory Group of the B.C. Early Hearing Program.

Janet has a longstanding interest in the social-emotional wellbeing of deaf and hard of hearing children and their families. In one way or another, her research interests and publications have focused on understanding and promoting factors contributing to the positive psycho-social development and welfare of deaf and hard of hearing children, their parents, and the professionals who support them. Currently Janet is investigating the transition to school for children with special needs (including those who are deaf or hard of hearing), as well as family experiences and support needs when children become deaf or hard of hearing through cancer treatment.

Dr. Susan Stanton

Dr. Susan Stanton is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and a member of the National Centre of Audiology at Western University in London, Ontario. As a clinical audiologist and neuroscientist, Dr. Stanton became interested in how genes can affect the inner ear and central auditory system, and the ability to perceive sound. Her current research focuses on developing a detailed auditory profile, or phenotype, of individuals and families affected by genetic forms of hearing loss.

Dr. Stanton received her BSc in Psychology from the University of Toronto and her MClSc in Audiology from the University of Western Ontario. After practicing as an audiologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for 5 years, she went on to earn her MSc and PhD in Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of Toronto where she studied how ototoxic hearing loss causes deprivation-induced changes in the auditory midbrain and auditory cortex.

Dr. Beverly Trezek

Dr. Trezek is an Associate Professor and the Tashia F. Morgridge Chair in Reading in the Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on reading instruction for beginning and struggling readers, with a particular emphasis on investigating the role that phonemic awareness and phonics play in the development of literacy skills for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Dr. Trezek has published numerous manuscripts on the topic of literacy and deafness and is the co-author of two books, Reading and Deafness: Theory, Research, and Practice (Trezek, Wang, & Paul, 2010) and Early Literacy Development in Deaf Children (Mayer & Trezek, 2015). Prior to becoming a university professor, Dr. Trezek spent more than 12 years working as a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing and cross-categorical special education teacher in a K-12 public school setting. Given this background, she is highly dedicated to sharing research findings and instructional strategies with practicing teachers through professional development workshops and classroom coaching. She especially appreciates the opportunity this work has offered her to travel and collaborate with educators across the United States, and in Canada, Australia, and Ireland.

Greg Bergen
Audiologist, Assistant Clinical Territory Manager, Cochlear Canada

Greg Bergen is the newest addition to the Cochlear Canada Team. Moving back to his roots in southern Ontario, Greg joins us after several years in Vancouver, BC where he completed his masters at UBC and practiced audiology in the greater Vancouver area. Greg considers himself something of a legacy audiologist; he grew up with a hard of hearing brother who was eventually implanted with a cochlear device and his parents were very active in creating a VOICE for hearing impaired children chapter in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. Some of his earliest memories are of trips to North York General Hospital for his brother’s AVT sessions and the prized trip to the IKEA ballroom after! He is excited by the opportunity to work for Cochlear and support recipients like his brother in any capacity he can.

Dr. Connie Mayer, OCT
Professor, York University, Toronto Honorary Professor, HCD/Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester

Dr. Mayer is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at York University in Toronto and co-academic co-ordinator of the Teacher Preparation Program in the Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students. She is an Associate Editor for the Volta Review, a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, the American Annals of the Deaf and the Reading Research Quarterly, and the Advisory Council of the Central Institute for the Deaf. Her research focuses on language and literacy development in deaf learners, early literacy and early intervention, cochlear implantation, bilingualism, and models of teacher education. In 2016 she was awarded the Sister Mary Delaney Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her work in teaching, research and service in the preparation of teachers of DHH students by the American College Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. In 2017 she was recognized as a Research Leader at York University, and most recently was awarded an Honorary Professorship in the Division of Human Communication, Development and Hearing at the University of Manchester in the UK. Current projects include investigations of Theory of Mind in the written language of deaf learners, and a 3-year SSHRC funded study to update the evidence base with respect to the literacy outcomes of deaf students.

Dr. Pam Millett, Reg. CASLPO

Dr. Millett is an Associate Professor and Academic Coordinator in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Program at York University. She has been an educational audiologist in school boards and schools for the deaf in Ontario and Alberta for over 30 years, and now coordinates, and teaches in, the teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing education program at York. Her areas of research are in educational audiology, deaf and hard of hearing education, auditory learning in the classroom and accommodations for students with hearing loss at the post secondary level. She chaired the Canadian Interorganization Steering Group for the development of the Canadian Guidelines for Auditory Processing Disorder in Children and Adults: Assessment and Intervention, and writes a monthly column for Canadian Audiologist, the journal of the Canadian Academy of Audiology, entitled Audiology in the Classroom.

Location

York University, Keele Campus
Second Student Centre – Conference Room (2nd Floor)
4700 Keele Street, 15 Library Lane
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3

Transportation

We recommend taking the subway to the campus if at all possible. The subway station is right on the York University campus and is a short walk to the Second Student Centre where the conference is being held.

Keele Campus interactive and printable campus maps

• Visitor parking lots
• Bus Information
• York University Subway information

Hotel

If you are in need of hotel reservations, the Executive Learning Centre is a hotel located on campus. Reservations can be made by visiting: acc-schulichexecutiveconferencecentre.com

Standard Registration Fee: $120.00

Optional Additional Fees (paid when paying registration fee)

Wine & Cheese Social Evening (Friday November 22nd)
$20.00
(includes a glass of wine and then a cash bar
will be available)

Boxed Lunch (Saturday November 23rd)
$15.00

Note: all fees charged are non-refundable and are subject to HST

Step 1: Complete and submit the Registration Form at
https://eduforms.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=148638

Step 2: Click the Registration Fee link at
https://pd.edu.yorku.ca/#/reg/course/12888

Step 3: Create an account

Step 4: Once you have created an account copy and paste the “Registration Fee Link” into your browser and proceed with your registration payment.

• Registration Deadline: The last day to register for the conference is November 12^th, 2019.
• Accommodations: To ensure that your requested accommodations will be in place, please let us know by November 1^st, 2019 if you require an accommodation as these arrangements will need to be made in advance.
• Attendees interested in applying for AG Bell Academy CEU credits will be provided with a certificate of attendance and detailed agenda upon request