June 13-14, 2022 (8:30 am - 4:30 pm both days)

IN-PERSON

Adams 12 Conference Center

1500 E. 128th Avenue

Thornton, CO 80241              

Presenter: Maurice Belote has worked exclusively in the field of deafblindness for 41 years. Most recently, Maurice served as Project Coordinator of California Deafblind Services from 1992 until his retirement in 2021. He is currently adjunct faculty with two university teacher training programs and serves as Co-Chair of the National Coalition on Deafblindness, which advocates for federal legislation and policies that promote equitable access for children and youth who are deafblind. He is a frequent speaker at national and international meetings and in 2021 was awarded the Anne Sullivan Macy Medal for his contributions to the field of deafblindness.          

Audience: First priority will be teams working with Colorado children and youth with deaf-blindness in public school districts. The second priority will be participants who can attend both full days of the training. We have the capacity to accept up to 100 participants. All accepted participants will be asked to share implementation information with parents and paraeducators.

It is our expectation that each accepted participant complete a follow-up survey to determine the implementation status of the training content.

Title and Description of Day One: June 13, 2022

Communication Fundamentals and a Few Extra Tidbits for Good Measure

Communication is at the core of everything we do with children and youth who are deafblind. And supporting students who are deafblind to become proficient communicators can challenge family members and even the most skilled and experienced educators. But there is rarely anything as thrilling as watching a child successfully communicate for the first time, whether it is to name an object or action or whether it is to express an emotion or describe an abstract concept. This first day of a two-day training will include a focus on the features of communication that are unique to children who are deafblind and/or who have significant support needs and offer evidence-based strategies that address the needs of emerging communicators. The session will also cover the use of authentic assessment data to drive decision making, how to manage large transdisciplinary teams, the impact of stress and anxiety on communication, and will debunk the myth that it is ever too late to become a competent communicator.

Title and Description of Day Two: June 14, 2022

Teaching Social Skills, Facilitating Friendships, and Preparing Students to Have Wonderful, Self-Determined Lives

There may never have been a more important time to focus on social skills, friendships, and self-esteem. Children and young adults are growing up in what public health experts are calling the loneliest generation in recorded history. What can families and educators do to ensure that these students have the skills they need to live rich, self-determined lives that include meaningful engagement and lasting friendships? This session will include strategies that can be implemented right away to address these critical issues, including strategies for facilitating and maintaining natural peer relationships, and the development of communication systems that support making and keeping friends. The session will also cover independence and interdependence and how they are influenced by familial cultural factors, the ways in which social relationships change throughout children’s lives, and the importance of maintaining a presence on social media in the 21st century.

Costs: There is no registration cost for this training. The course will be offered for one graduate semester hour and there will be tuition costs for this credit per the established rate with the University of Northern Colorado. It is expected to be approximately $65 for the university credit.

Registration will close on May 31, 2022

**Training is for Colorado personnel only