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Bank Street Family Center and Beth Israel Medical Center
The Use of Language in Social & Multilingual Environments

Presented by

Catherine J. Crowley, MA, CCC-SLP, JD & Daina Cernauskas, MEd, CCC-SLP

Friday, January 29, 2010, Evelyn Rome Tabas and Daniel Tabas Auditorium

Catherine J. Crowley, MA, CCC-SLP, JD

Cate is a Distinguished Lecturer in the graduate program of speech language pathology at Teachers College Columbia University, where she founded and directs the bilingual/bicultural program and the Bilingual Extension Institute. Cate established and leads annual clinical opportunities in Bolivia and Ghana for her graduate students. As part of that work, she developed an aural habilitation telepractice program which provides "real time¡Ö therapy from the TC on-campus clinic in New York to students in a school for the deaf in La Paz, Bolivia.

Cate is an experienced attorney with significant experience at the federal, state, and local level in developing policy and guidelines, especially regarding appropriate assessment of bilingual and minority students. In her work at the national level, Cate was the primary author of the ASHA's 2004 policy statement that identifies the knowledge and skills needed to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services which is cited extensively in the literature. Cate is the recipient of a number of honors and awards, and is quite active in ASHA. At the state level, she is currently Vice-chair and immediate past Chair of the New York State Board for SLP and Audiology.

Daina Cernauskas, MEd, CCC-SLP

Daina has been practicing in the metropolitan area for over 10 years. Daina has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona and a Master of Education from the University of Georgia. She has experience working in a variety of preschool settings, ranging from classrooms to personalized individual sessions. In her Upper West Side practice, SAGE for Children, she utilizes a trans-disciplinary approach, which extends beyond the traditional speech-language scope and incorporates all aspects of global development. In addition to speech-language therapy sessions, Daina also runs small, supportive social groups which integrate philosophies from other disciplines. Currently, she is an independent provider working with Early Intervention, Department of Education as well as private programs. She is a member of American Speech Language Association and has received her Clinical Certificate of Competence.

Presentation Overview

We live in an interactive world, acquiring experiences from small, intimate settings to larger scaled group interactions. As children develop and learn the necessary life skills, they also begin to develop sophisticated, multi-faceted social language. Dialogue is what connects individuals into the circle of communication. It is a negotiating tool, a form of connection, a way of engaging with others in a variety of contexts. It is an essential part of a dynamic social situation. Participants will explore evidenced-based research that supports expressive, receptive and pragmatic language skills, in conjunction with social-emotional skills, necessary to facilitate children's effective use of language in social settings.

Children who enter into social interactions come from diverse backgrounds. The research on working with bilingual youngsters continues to evolve in ways that can inform our evaluations and our educational approaches. Participants will learn about current research in areas related to language choice in classrooms and homes and the effect of bilingualism on school achievement. A particular focus is on recent research in bilingualism and disabilities especially with children birth through 5 years of age. Participants will acquire evidence-based knowledge and skills that they can immediately apply in their work particularly in center-based programs, therapy sessions, and evaluations.