- Statewide Outreach Center at Texas School for the Deaf
- Professional Development
Professional Development
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Looking to sharpen your professional knowledge? Take advantage of SOC’s specialized workshops and training, or browse other online opportunities by topic.
We often partner with other educational or professional agencies and organizations for specially-designed training.
Have an idea or a special request, contact us to learn how we can bring professional development to you.
Workshop or Training Topics offered by SOC
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Interpreters in K-12 Settings
- Birth to Three
- Lesson Plan development
- Mental Health for Youth
- ASL video production
- Robotics
- STEM
- Student Enrichment
- Math
- SEE
- K-12 deaf education
- Parent to parent support
- Classroom Management
- English literacy
- Classroom Tools
- Language Assessment
- ASL Storytelling
Early Intervention / Birth To Three
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Parent Advisors Virtual Network Meetings
These meetings focus on Parent Advisor services to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing under the age of 3; however, anyone who is providing early intervention services are welcome to attend. Each meeting begins with a brief presentation on a specific topic. The remainder of the meeting is for Q&A, problem solving, and networking.
These meetings are for professionals only.
If you would like to attend any or all of these offerings, please fill out this form. Zoom registration links will be emailed to you.
Day Date Time Monday October 18, 2021 1:00 - 3:00 PM Thursday November 18, 2021 10:00 - 12:00 PM Wednesday December 15, 2021 8:00 - 10:00 AM Tuesday February 22, 2022 12:00 - 2:00 PM Friday April 8, 2022 8:00 - 10:00 AM Tuesday May 17, 2022 1:00 - 3:00 PM -
Best Practices in Early Intervention for Parent Advisors
These trainings are designed for Parent Advisors who are new to birth to 3 services, but all Parent Advisors and early intervention providers are welcome to attend. You do not have to attend all 4 training days - choose the one(s) that are right for you.
These meetings are for professionals only.
If you would like to attend any or all of these offerings, please fill out this form. Zoom registration links will be emailed to you.
Topic Day Date Time Coaching Monday September 20, 2021 12:00 - 4:00 PM ECI & Eligibility Wednesday September 29, 2021 12:00 - 4:00 PM Goals & Strategies Thursday October 7, 2021 8:00 - 12:00 PM Communicating with Families / SKI-HI Overview Tuesday October 12, 2021 8:00 - 12:00 PM -
Setting Language in Motion
Setting Language in Motion: Family Supports and Early Intervention for Babies who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing is a free, web-based resource developed as a collaborative effort between the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program of Boston Children's Hospital.
Language Acquisition and Communication
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Communication Skills Workshops (CSW)
Registration opens in January!
Communication Skills Workshop provides professional training for Interpreters Certified & Non-Certified Interpreters working in a K-12 setting in Texas, Interpreter-Aides, ASL Teachers, Deaf Education Teachers, and Parents of deaf or hard of hearing children in Texas. -
Signing Exact English Skillshops
The Signing Exact English Skillshop is a week-long workshop for adult learners and is designed to meet the needs of beginning as well as advanced users of Signing Exact English. Participants will improve their expressive and receptive signing skills, sign vocabulary, visual features of sign language, and song and storytelling techniques. All skill levels will be addressed through intensive work in level-matched small groups. Recent research finding on the effectiveness of Signing Exact English will also be presented.
These Skillshops are designed for
- parents
- teachers,
- interpreters
- aides, and
- others
who want to learn SEE or to improve their expressive and receptive SEE skills.
Future SEE Skillshops
STEM in the Classroom
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VEX Robotics
SOC offers both onsite workshops and individualized professional development to teachers or team coaches of VEX robotics teams. Workshops explore the VEX robotics curriculum and its application of academic skills to robotics.
STEM Related Trainings offered through NRSC
Enrich your STEM knowledge and create a STEM rich environment in your school with STEM-related training. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s Regional STEM Center (NRSC), in Alabama, offers teacher-focused workshops. Educational professionals can request specific STEM- topics for workshops.
Other Online Professional Development
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Texas Sensory Support Network Project (TSSN)
The Texas Sensory Support Network Project (TXSSN) is a collection of resources for youth with sensory impairments, as well as their families and the professionals that work with them. Specially for professionals, the Community of Practice creates an online space for information-sharing and guidance.
Education Service Center Region 11 offers many eLearning opportunities in a variety of topics related to working with students who are deaf/hard of hearing, have visual or additional needs. -
Challenges in Assessing Bilinguals
From the Office of the Chief Bilingual Officer at Gallaudet University:
In ASL and English Bilingual Education, there has been controversy about whether to assess bilinguals appropriately and accurately. For instance, most assessments are English based yet professionals use them for those individuals who do not acquire English in the early period. They also use English-based assessment tools to evaluate the bilinguals' visual languages. A panel of bilingual assessors will share their challenges and practical assessment tools.