Learning Tracks
The AG Bell 2012 Convention education program features eight tracks that emphasize the convention theme of Connect • Discover • Inspire. Sessions will help participants create Connections throughout the journey of living with hearing loss, raising a child with hearing loss, or supporting families; make Discoveries through research that advances listening and spoken language; and provide Inspiration through sharing stories of success. Learning tracks follow the ages and stages of living with hearing loss.
- Infants or Young Children with Newly Identified Hearing Loss
- Toddler and Preschool Years
- Early School Years
- Middle School and High school
- Transitions to College, Careers or Life
- Professional Preparation
- Roads Less Traveled
- Partners in Hearing
1) Infants or young children with newly identified hearing loss
including, but not limited to:
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
- Family response and needs surrounding diagnosis
- Genetic testing or discoveries
- Audiological assessment and management
- Early auditory development
- Early vocal and communicative development
- Early indicators and management of challenges beyond hearing loss
- Family experiences and words of advice
- Cultural and linguistic competence when working with families
2) Toddler and preschool years
including, but not limited to:
- Strategies for listening and spoken language development
- Family coaching
- Audiological assessment and management
- Hearing technology, including assistive technology
- Listening and spoken language development
- Indicators and management of challenges beyond hearing loss
- Preschool classrooms, including inclusion settings
- Early literacy and phonological awareness
- Cultural and linguistic competence when working with families
- Behavior management and keeping the hearing
- Navigating social and family events
- Sharing time and attention with siblings with typical hearing
- Advice from adults with hearing loss
3) Early school years
including, but not limited to:
- Parents advocating for the most appropriate education program
- Participation, support, and collaboration in regular educational settings
- Literacy development
- Strategies for listening and spoken language development
- Audiological assessment and management
- Hearing technology, including assistive technology
- Effective communication between school and families
- Managing additional disabilities
- Perspectives on mainstreaming from adults with hearing loss
- Including parents in an educational setting
- Cultural and linguistic competence when working with families
4) Middle school and high school
including, but not limited to:
- Educational strategies
- Participation and support in regular educational settings
- Self-advocacy and developing independence
- Socializing in the teen years
- Audiological assessment and management
- Cultural and linguistic competence when working with families
- Hearing technology, including assistive technology
- Participation, support, and collaboration in regular educational settings
- Involvement in sports and extracurricular activities
- Tips from parents and from adults with hearing loss
5) Transitions to college, careers and life
including, but not limited to:
- Applying and choosing a college/university
- Job interviews and career advancement
- Social transitions
- Parenting children who do or do not have hearing loss
- Assistive listening technology and other communication technologies
- Self advocacy
- Tips from parents and from adults with hearing loss
6) Professional Preparation
including, but not limited to:
- Best practices for mentoring
- Preparing for certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist
- Peer to peer training
- College and university training programs
- Cultural and linguistic competence when working with peers and students
- Models for professional development
7) Roads Less Traveled
Topics that do not fit neatly into the above tracks.
8) Partners in Hearing
A new addition to the AG Bell Convention. These educational sessions will be presented by manufacturers of hearing technology, programs and organizations to highlight their latest developments and offerings.