The Silent Garden
Past Lectures
The 13th annual Silent Garden Lecture "58-In-Mind: Multilingual Teaching Strategies for Diverse Deaf Students" featured keynote presentations by a team of selected researchers and P-12 teachers.
Speakers and presentations included:
Hooking Them Into The Book
Debbie Golos, Marlon Kuntze, Kimberly Wolbers and Chris Kurz
58-In-Mind: Writing Instruction
Kimberly Wolbers and Sarah McGaughey
58-In-Mind: Reading
Marlon Kuntze
58-In-Mind: Incorporating the Arts Across Curriculum
Fred Beam and Debbie Golos
Interview of Gallaudet University Press Editors
Angela Leppig and Katie Lee, Moderator: Dr. Paul Ogden
Hooking Them Into The Book
(Speakers: Debbie Golos, Marlon Kuntze, Kimberly Wolbers and Chris Kurz)
This presentation shared tips for getting started using the book. Viewers learned
the
Road Map of the structure each chapter follows, the “Intentional 8”, the legend item
icons and how to find what you are looking for within and across chapters. We will
also share how each chapter expands on core recommendations introduced early in the
chapter, how lesson and unit plan examples reflect the core recommendations and where
you can find suggestions to practice developing your own lessons. We will also play
a game to give you opportunities to practice finding content in the book!
58-In-Mind: Writing Instruction
(Speaker: Kimberly Wolbers and Sarah McGaughey)
Writing instruction can be motivating for your students, effective, and fun! In this presentation we share motivating and research-based approaches to writing instruction that can be used with multilingual Deaf students across the grade span. We will introduce principles from a framework called Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI), which provides guidance for planning sign-multilingual instruction and making instructional decisions during writing. SIWI is built upon years of evidence-based research of what is effective writing instruction addressing the unique language needs of Deaf students.
58-In-Mind: Reading
(Speaker: Marlon Kuntze)
In this presentation we share two assumptions about reading. Learning reading through eyes works, and it is driven by meaningful engagement with reading. Our claim is that communication that is rich, socially satisfying, and intellectually nourishing is key to the success of reading instruction. Deaf children will learn to read if reading is enjoyable, comprehensible, and cognitively engaging. Reading development is facilitated when students get support during the process of thinking about the content and responding to it. Dialogic reading is an example of giving students the scaffolded support that will help them experience what reading has in store for them.
58-In-Mind: Incorporating the Arts Across Curriculum
(Speakers: Fred Beam and Debbie Golos)
In this presentation, we share motivating strategies for integrating the arts into content areas across the curriculum. We emphasize the importance of providing role models from diverse backgrounds and embedding opportunities for creative expression to engage, motivate and learn. Participants will learn ways to bring the arts into everything they do.
Interview of Gallaudet University Press Editors
(Speakers: Angela Leppig and Katie Lee, Moderator: Dr. Paul Ogden)
The editors of Gallaudet University Press are to be congratulated for selecting the 58-in-Mind project for publication. We will start our interview by discussing their history and roles as editors at Gallaudet University Press and then will get their thoughts on their first look at the proposal to publish 58-in-Mind. Looking at this textbook, how did they come to the decision that it is the perfect book for teachers? We also will compare this textbook with others they have seen or reviewed to determine its uniqueness. We will be sure to learn the best way to order a copy of the textbook
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The 12th annual Silent Garden Lecture on Feb. 24, 2024, "Building a Bridge to My Deaf Child's Success. ¡Vamos, sí se puede!” focused on Spanish-speaking families of deaf and hard of hearing children and was presented by Dr. Robert R. Davila and co-chaired by Dr. Omar Ruiz.
Presenters included:
Dr. Omar Ruiz, ASL professor, presented on "¡Aun Se Puede! My Road to Success"
Description: What is success? How can we better define it? In this presentation, we will explore how a successful family can be formed through unity, understanding, and love, and how the bond between siblings will help Deaf and Hard of Hearing children succeed academically and professionally.
Evelyn Pena, advocate for the deaf and hard of hearing, presented "Siblings: The Unbreakable Bond" / "Hermanos: El vínculo inquebrantable"
Description: In most families, hearing siblings provide communication between the Deaf siblings and their hearing parents, but sometimes it is the opposite. There are ways to create that bond. Evelyn Peña will share her experiences and insight on making a stronger bond between siblings as they advocate for their deaf siblings.
Mark Apodaca, director of finance and chief procurement officer at the New Mexico School for the Deaf, presented “Parenting in Multicultural Families / La Crianza de los Hijos en Familias Multiculturales.”
Description: Latino families take great pride in their unity, parenting with love, culture, and traditions. A Deaf or Hard of Hearing child brings a new culture that threatens family dynamics. Mark Apodaca will discuss how to be strong members of Latino and Deaf communities while raising deaf and hard of hearing children.
Panelists included: Francisca Malcos, Lorena Alvarez, Roberto Marin, Brandon Marin, Giovanni Vazquez, Michael Davis and others.
About Dr. Robert Davila:
Dr. Davila has been a wonderful supporter of Fresno State's Silent Garden Program and his visionary leadership and dedicated support is what led to the establishment of the Robert R. and Donna E. Davila Endowment in the Silent Garden, which brings together world-class speakers and experts in raising and educating Hispanic children with hearing loss.
Among Dr. Davila’s many esteemed accomplishments, include having once served as president of Gallaudet University, which is the premier higher education institution in the U.S. for the deaf and hard of hearing, making him the first person of color to serve in this role. Prior to his presidency, he became the first deaf and Hispanic individual appointed by a U.S. sitting president to serve as the assistant secretary of education overseeing the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. And most recently, he was chosen to be among a group of remarkable Latinos and Latinas recognized as part of a permanent Smithsonian display in Washington, D.C. Read more about Dr. Davila
Pictured: the three keynote speakers present their powerpoints and Dr. Robert Davila (top)
Pictured: Participants from each of the three panels, moderated by Dr. Ruiz
Pictured: the three presenters, and Dr. Robert Davila, are presented plaques by Dr. Paul Ogden, founder of the Silent Garden, and Dr. Kara Zografos, interim dean of the College of Health and Human Services.
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The 11th annual Silent Garden Lecture on Feb. 25, 2023, focused on hearing technology and tinnitus. Presenters included:
Ethan Emmett Castro, Hard of Hearing music producer, songwriter, engineer and inventor, presented on
"Embodied Sound for Music Appreciation".
Description: Sonic experiences have become disembodied--embracing purely acoustic pathways--limiting who can engage with content. I propose a method of embodied sound reproduction that engages both hearing and tactile sensations by enhancing the microvibrations that naturally exist when reproducing higher-frequency sounds via vibrotactile and vibroacoustic methods.
Panelists:
- Martha Rodriguez
- Rober Simpson
- Justin Toca
Dr. Sheri Mello, owner of an audiology private practice in Raleigh, North Carolina, presented on
"What Is That Noise In My Head?".
Description: What is that noise in my head and where did it come from? Who do I go to for help Is there any cure? These are the questions we will explore the answers to in an informal discussion as well as a formal presentation on the topic of TINNITUS.
Panelists:
- Ken Arcia
- Ellen Bowman
- Anthony Davis
- Ruthie McLeod
- Roger Simpson
The 10th annual Silent Garden Lecture on Feb. 26, 2022, focused on interpreting was exciting and inspirational for all professionals, interns, and students. Many expressed how pleased they were with so much relevant information presented – refreshing perspectives for the role of interpreters, both Deaf and hearing.
Almost "Dr." Sharon Hill's panel and presentation on the topic of “Finding What Is lost – The Challenge of Creating Human Connection in the Interpretive Experience” was outstanding. Everyone appreciated the new and enhanced "point of view of an interpreter." Dr. Christopher Tester's “Deaf Interpreters of Today” was absolutely cutting-edge material for the entire field of interpretation and translation.
Everyone valued highly the comments, thoughts, and insights of the six panelists: Lori Breslow, Dr. Joseph Hill, Omar Ruiz, Carla Shird, Steven Stubbs, and Rosemary Wanis. All in all, a terrific event! We also thanked Russ Kane and the Laurence W. Levine Foundation, the Silent Garden Education Fund, and College of Health and Human Services at Fresno State for sponsoring the 10th annual Silent Garden Lecture.
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This lecture featured guest speaker, Jennifer White, who spoke on the topic of "School to Work Transition Planning with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students."
Because Deaf and Hard of Hearing students are often deprived of full language access throughout childhood, they can experience gaps in world information and require specialized help to find jobs. The lecture provideed current and much-needed guidance for teachers, educators and professionals working with high-risk students seeking to enter the workforce.
Gael Hannan was our guest lecturer and discussed the impact of hearing loss on relationships, raising children, work issues, and the things we love to do. There was also a panel of individuals who shared how they deal with their hearing losses. Additionally, we held a support group in the afternoon for attendees to share their experiences with others.
Two Silent Garden Lectures were held this year.
First was a two-day summit, a collaborative partnership between The Silent Garden program and the California Department of Education, brought 200 administrators and educational interpreters from throughout the state to campus. Participants discussed roles and responsibilities of educators and interpreters of the deaf and hard of hearing, learned new state standards and curriculum goals and received information about required assessments and certifications in the field. (Read more about summit on educational interpreting)
The second event involved president of Gallaudet University Roberta Cordano as the keynote speaker. was hosted alongside Fresno State’s Celebration of Diversity event recognizing the 200th anniversary of Deaf Education in the United States (hosted in the morning). This afternoon lecture was attended by many Fresno State students, local teachers, and families. Irma Sanchez was the invited back: Working with Latino Families with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. Her earlier lecture done in Spanish was primarily for Latino Families with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.
2013