This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Sunday, August 23, 2026 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Kim is the owner of Language First and is receiving payment for presenting.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Kim is a member of ASHA, ABCLLD, and ABDHHS.

Course Description:

Language deprivation is not solved by simply surrounding a child with ASL. It requires intentional, structured, and experiential teaching that bridges conceptual gaps and builds true linguistic competence. This session unpacks what purposeful ASL immersion might look like for students who do not yet have a complete first language (L1). Participants will explore intentional language instruction, including concept anchoring, experiential learning, structured repetition, and explicit language modeling. Through lesson plan examples and practical demonstrations, attendees will gain strategies for designing purposeful immersion environments that actively build language. Practical tools will be shared so participants leave ready to implement immediately.

Agenda

4:00-4:15: Immersion framework and possible year-long structure

4:15-4:45: Foundational concepts behind ASL immersion for students with language deprivation

4:45-5:30: Sample case studies and lesson plans

5:30-5:50: Teamwork: making a lesson plan together!

5:50-6:00: Discussion, Q&A

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. State the difference between ASL exposure and intentional language instruction

2. Identify instructional shifts necessary for students with language deprivation

3. Design at least one lesson that intentionally builds conceptual understanding and linguistic structure

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Monday, June 15, 2026 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Elisa has no relevant financial disclosures.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Elisa is an independent contractor for TRUE+WAY ASL Textbook / TWA Dictionary.

Course Description:

This presentation explores how an online ASL–English dictionary can support Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students’ language development across a variety of educational and clinical settings. Participants will first examine the rationale for using an ASL–English dictionary as a tool for strengthening language access, vocabulary development, and bilingual language learning. The session will then introduce TWA Dictionary and highlight practical, evidence-informed strategies for integrating it into professional practice. Rather than focusing solely on classroom instruction, the presentation expands to include use cases relevant to educators, speech-language pathologists, educational interpreters, and other professionals supporting DHH students in diverse environments such as classrooms, therapy sessions, small group instruction, and intervention settings. Participants will leave with five actionable strategies for incorporating the dictionary into their work to enhance communication, support comprehension, and promote meaningful language learning for DHH students.

Agenda

6:00-6:10 pm: Introduction and overview of language access challenges for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students across educational and clinical settings

6:10-6:25: Rationale for using an ASL–English dictionary to support bilingual language development, comprehension, and vocabulary growth

6:25-6:40: Introduction to TWA Dictionary and key features for professional use

6:40-6:50: Supporting language learning across settings (classrooms, speech-language therapy, educational interpreting, and intervention contexts) as a framework for professional use

6:50-7:30: Five practical strategies for integrating TWA Dictionary into professional practice, with examples and guided explanation

7:30-7:45: Participant discussion and reflection on applying strategies within individual professional settings

7:45-8:00: Q & A 

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. Explain the role of an ASL–English dictionary in supporting bilingual language development for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students across educational and clinical settings

2. Identify barriers to language access for DHH students and describe how digital dictionary tools can support more equitable communication and learning

3. Apply at least three instructional or intervention strategies using an ASL–English dictionary to support language learning in their professional setting

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Dr. Harrison is Deaf Education Faculty at NTID and Deaf Education adjunct faculty at the University of Utah.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Dr. Harrison is faculty in an ASL/English Deaf Education program and a CEASD Member.

Course Description:

Literacy is a paramount concern for parents, teachers, pupil personnel service providers, administrators, and everyone else in the Deaf Education world. This presentation will discuss the foundations of a literacy focus in Deaf Education that requires different individuals to work together in supporting the language and literacy development of students who are deaf/hard of hearing. We will talk about the roles of ASL and English with students and providers in building language and literacy and share ideas of how collaboration can bring us outside of our silos.

Agenda

5:00-5:15: What is literacy?

5:15-5:45: The Deaf Reading Rope as a framework for literacy

5:45-6:00: Other Deaf literacy frameworks, such as LAAWs

6:00-6:15: What can teachers do?

6:15-6:30: What can providers do?

6:30-6:45: Collaboration and Unity for Literacy Instruction

6:45-7:00: Q&A

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. Explain frameworks for literacy that apply to DHH students

2. Adjust their personal approach to literacy instruction given the frameworks and perspectives of this workshop

3. Develop plans for collaborating with other educational professionals to build greater literacy systems for DHH students

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

Course Description:

This is an intensive course running from June 28 - August 9, 2026. It is intended for speech-language pathologists (SLPs), deaf educators, or American Sign Language (ASL) specialists to learn about intervention for Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children in ASL. Students will earn American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) continuing education units (CEUs) as well as a certificate of completion indicating total course hours. At the conclusion of this course, students will have knowledge of linguistic analysis and intervention techniques in ASL that they can directly implement with their DHH students. This course is designed to be applicable to SLPs working with DHH students of all ages (birth-21). All students receive a copy of the ASL at Home curriculum as well as any intervention activity from the Language First intervention page.

This is a 6-week course that consists of two 3-week subcourses which build on each other. Coursework is primarily asynchronous, via Canvas, with 2-3 weekly synchronous sessions via Zoom.

ASL Linguistics:

This subcourse involves studying the linguistics of ASL. This requires an intermediate to intermediate-high level of ASL proficiency, so it’s important to take our self-assessment to ensure it is right for you. Students will learn about morphology and MLU, phonology, syntax, language analysis, and glossing in ASL. Take a look at a sample syllabus for this subcourse here.

Language Therapy in ASL:

In this subcourse, students will learn how to implement everything they learned in the previous subcourse in their language therapy in ASL. Students will learn about intervention techniques, language choice and code-switching, collaborating with Deaf professionals, modifying language level, and articulation. The final project allows participants to create their own intervention activity that they can use with their DHH students. Take a look at a sample syllabus for this subcourse here.

Language Fluency:

This course is taught in ASL. Only the very first and very last synchronous sessions will have interpreters, although many of the recorded lectures have voiced English interpretation. However, we still recommend that students have at least ASL level 3 abilities in order to enroll. You can check if the ASL level is right for you by watching this lecture and then taking this self-assessment.

Please ensure you review subcourse syllabi linked above as well as FAQs below before enrolling.

Instructor Disclosures:

Financial disclosure: Leah and Kim are both receiving payment for teaching this course.

Nonfinancial disclosure: Leah is a co-author of the ASL at Home curriculum, which is offered as part of this course. Kim is the owner and founder of Language First.

Learner Outcomes:

ASL Linguistics

Participants will be able to:

1. Recognize and describe ASL formational parameters (phonemes): construct examples of minimal pairs

2. Discuss relationship of formational parameters to markedness

3. Implement principles of markedness and phonemic awareness to language intervention

4. Demonstrate (emerging) master of glossing conventions as they pertain to clinical practice

5. Diagram the morphological structure of lexical signs and classifiers

6. Apply morphological analysis to assess students, evaluate progress, and/or write goals for clinical practice

7. Recognize and describe various ASL syntactic structures and features

8. Examine natural data to identify syntactic structures and patterns

9. Apply syntactic analysis to assess students, evaluate progress, and/or write goals for clinical practice

Language Therapy in ASL

Participants will be able to:

1. Utilize skills leans in the previous modules of the course for direct application in therapy

2. Demonstrate ability to create a therapeutic plan that addresses a student’s individual needs in ASL

3. Implement knowledge of ASL and ASL linguistics to plan purposeful, targeted interventions

4. Apply knowledge of ASL linguistics to goal writing and diagnostic intervention

5. Demonstrate (emerging) ability to differentiate between an articulation error and a phonological error

6. Utilize diagnostic intervention data to inform goal writing and therapy plans

7. Explain how to use therapeutic strategies for intervention in ASL with DHH children

8. Determine a DHH child’s language level in ASL

9. Demonstrate ability to modify intervention to meet the child’s linguistic needs

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email confirmation of your payment as well as instructions on how to participate a few days prior to the event. Registration ends one week prior to the start of the course. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Monday, July 27, 2026 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: The presenters receive salaries from CCCBSD.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Dr. Hopkins is Board president of Hands & Voices HQ. The other presenters have no relevant non financial disclosures.

Course Description:

The Children’s Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf is recognized for its expertise in educating deaf and hard of hearing children with additional needs. Building on this foundation, the school developed an innovative, inclusive bilingual, multimodal early childhood program grounded in evidence-based practices, family-centered principles, and expertise in ASL, spoken language development, and multimodal approaches to language learning. The program is guided by the understanding that language development is not linear and that each child’s language journey is unique. The program features three interconnected classrooms offering ASL, spoken language, and multimodal learning environments. Families identify their child’s initial placement, while children are encouraged to move between classrooms and language environments based on interest and engagement. This flexible structure supports agency, confidence, and individualized language exploration. Ongoing assessment and data collection are used to monitor progress, inform instruction, and support collaborative decision-making with families. This presentation will examine the design and implementation of the program, including language planning, family engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, classroom structure, and assessment practices. Presenters will share lessons learned, examples of student growth, and parent perspectives through video testimonials. Participants will gain practical strategies for creating flexible, inclusive early childhood environments that support individualized language development, social-emotional growth, and Kindergarten readiness.

Agenda

6:00-6:20: Introduction and historical and parent perspectives

6:20-7:00: Bilingual multimodal classroom structure

7:00-7:20: Morning Meeting and Center Time

7:20-7:30: Assessments -

7:30-7:35: Parent Perspective

7:35-7:45: Closing

7:45-8:00: Q&A

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. Describe the core components of a bilingual-bimodal or multimodal early childhood program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children, including the integration of ASL, spoken language, Deaf Culture, and inclusive practices

2. Identify strategies for creating family-centered programming that honors family choice, child choice, and individualized communication pathways

3. Examine how interdisciplinary Deaf/hearing teams can collaborate to design classroom environments, staffing models, curriculum, and assessment systems that support language, developmental, and social-emotional growth

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Sunday, October 4, 2026 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Amanda is receiving payment from Language First for presenting.

Nonfinancial disclosures: Amanda is a member of RID and NAIE. In collaboration with Dr. Laura Polhemus (Bethel University), she is researching neurodiversity in the interpreting profession and runs @SLINeurodiversity on FB/IG.

Course Description:

Neurodiversity has become a hot topic on social media, however, research and discussions have been limited within the interpreting field despite many neurodivergent interpreters and consumers regularly experiencing stigma due to their perceived differences. Systemic barriers within the medical, mental health, and education systems have a profound impact on hard of hearing, d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled consumers. Specifically, BIPOC students are significantly less likely to receive a diagnosis and more likely to be referred for disciplinary action compared to white students. For Deaf students, access to diagnoses and accommodations is further complicated by the fact that assessments are standardized towards the hearing norm and administered in English. In addition to embracing their intersectional identities, it is critical to gain a better understanding of neurodiversity as a whole in order to address the unconscious bias, stigma, and discrimination.

Drawing from lived experience, professional practice, and research, Amanda will introduce participants to the behavioral, socio-emotional, linguistic, and ethical considerations interpreters encounter while working with neurodivergent hard of hearing, d/Deaf, DeafBlind, and DeafDisabled students in educational settings. As participants examine these considerations and the stigma surrounding neurodiversity, they will also integrate research and best practices to develop strategies for ethical, effective, and neuro-affirming interpreting services as part of the educational team.

Although this workshop is presented from an interpreter’s perspective, teachers, related service providers, and other educational team members are welcome to attend.

Agenda

1:00-1:05: Introduction & Educational Objectives

1:05-1:50: Stigma & Stereotypes

1:50-2:30: Behavioral & Social-Emotional Considerations

2:30-3:00: Linguistic Considerations

3:00-3:45: Ethical Considerations

3:45-4:00: Wrap-Up: Q&A, References & Resources

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. Provide at least two examples of how students are impacted by the intersectionality of race, deafness, neurodivergence, and/or other identities.

2. Describe at least one consideration from each of the following categories: behavioral, socio-emotional, linguistic, and ethical.

3. Integrate research in order to formulate interpreting strategies to utilize while working with neurodivergent students, including atypical language users, such as teaming, technological resources, and props.

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.

This webinar will be hosted via Zoom for national and international attendees on Sunday, August 16, 2026 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm ET.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial disclosures: The presenters are receiving honorariums from Language First for presenting. Dr. Farmer is the owner of DeafEd Dynamics.

Nonfinancial disclosures: The presenters have no relevant nonfinancial disclosures.

Course Description:

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals experience Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) at twice the rate of the general population (NCTSN, 2006; Anderson et al, 2016). Compounding risk factors contribute to the relational trauma experienced by DHH individuals, including language development, caregiver grief, access to care and community, timeliness of diagnosis, multiple transitions, and overall family stress (NCTSN, 2006; Rosenzwieg, 2023; Anderson et al, 2016). Additionally, DHH individuals have other intersectionalities that increase the risk of experiencing early relational trauma, such as low socio-economic status, being minorities, being in foster care, being adopted, and being immigrants (Anderson et al, 2016). Toxic stress caused by relational trauma impacts the 5 Bs: Brain, Body, Biology, Behavior, and Beliefs (KPICD, 2023). Research has shown that language deprivation has similar effects (Anderson et al, 2017; Hall, 2017; Rosenzweig, 2023; Signs for Hope, 2025). As professionals working with DHH children, it is imperative to act as investigators to determine the needs behind the behavior and to establish an environment in which children impacted by trauma and language deprivation gain a voice.

Felt-safety is established through implementing environmental changes and using engagement strategies such as predictable routines with visuals, transition warnings, connected rituals, eye contact, nurturing touch, and playful engagement. Maintaining connection and attunement to the child’s needs helps professionals meet needs, preventing challenging behaviors. Regulation is mitigated through sensory-integrative activities and explicitly taught for mental well-being. TBRI® is a trauma-informed, attachment-based practice that is effective with children who have experienced severe and chronic trauma in early childhood. The practices are grounded in years of experience, neuroscience research, and attachment science, which have a profound impact on all individuals. This presentation will specifically discuss the practice of TBRI® with DHH children. In conclusion, we will review available resources to gain a deeper understanding of trauma-informed, attachment-based practices, facilitating further learning.

Agenda

4:00-4:15: Introduction & why we do this work

4:15-4:30: Prevalence of Trauma among DHH populations

4:30-4:45: Impacts of trauma on the brain, body, biology, behavior, and beliefs

4:45-5:00: Intro to TBRI® and Three Pillars of Trauma-Wise Care

5:5:45: Overview & Applications of TBRI® Principles

5:45-6:00: Q&A

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

1. State the intersection of trauma and deafness.

2. Explain the impact of trauma experienced by abused and language-deprived Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) children.

3. Apply trauma-informed strategies to support children throughout their healing process and language development

Registration information:

This is a digital purchase only; no physical ticket is provided. A form will populate for you to complete your registration and then your purchase will be added to your cart in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. You will receive an email with instructions on how to participate as well as a Google Calendar invite with the Zoom link one week prior to the event. Registration ends one day prior to the webinar. All registrants will receive a copy of the presenter’s PowerPoint and the presentation recording. Please email info@language1st.org with any questions.