Resources and Strategies for Supporting Multilingual Children in Early Intervention Settings

Overview:

This 3-hour presentation will explain how to implement best practices in assessing and treating multilingual children in early intervention (0-3 years) settings. SLPs and SLPAs who attend will learn about multilingual language and speech development, cultural and linguistic considerations when interviewing and coaching families from a variety of backgrounds, and a myriad of resources that can immediately be implemented in EI settings to support multilingual children with language and speech deficits.

This training also focuses on cultural humility and cultural competence. Participants will learn about culture and how it relates to family values, as well as how culture impacts language socialization and language development in children from multilingual/multicultural families. Participants will learn that all fields with a basis in behavioral psychology research are skewed toward a Mainstream Middle Class Western bias, and learn to use a Skilled Dialogue Framework with families of all backgrounds in order to rectify these biases. Non-biased assessment will be covered. Ethnographic interviewing is explained, as well as authentic assessment measures, and information about biases in current EI assessments. The slides were included with my submission and can be further reviewed so you may see the content.

Learning Objectives:

Learner Objective 1: As a result of this presentation, the participant will be able to compare and contrast simultaneous and sequential bilingual language development including important bilingual language milestones.

Learner Objective 2: As a result of this presentation, the participant will be able to define cultural humility, cultural competence, and identify their own cultural biases which may impact their practices.

Learner Objective 3: As a result of this presentation, the participant will be able to identify resources that assist in completing evidence-based assessments for culturally and linguistically diverse populations in early intervention settings.

Outline:

• Demographics

• Culture and Language in EI Settings

• Laws and Regulations:

  • IDEA Part C, CA Early Intervention Services Act, Title 17

• Working with Interpreters

• Bilingualism Information

• Assessments and Resources

• Treatment Considerations