Facilitating Conversational Competence

Dr. Diane Klein with Michelle Andros

All students MUST have a way to converse because let’s face it, they ALL have something to say! Therefore, the importance of addressing needs in all forms of expressive and receptive languages and communication styles is paramount. Whether the student uses speech, signed, or augmentative communication systems, there HAS to be a way to converse and something to talk about, but some students need assistance facilitating communication. Join Dr. Diane Heller Klein, a Speech/Language Pathologist and trained Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, who has worked in the field of deaf education for over 40+ years, talk about identifying students who are in need of conversational competency skills and how you can help model appropriate skills through facilitating compromised situations to create appropriate communication skills and eliminate counterproductive behaviors to communication.

Course curriculum

    1. Course Handouts

    2. Facilitating Conversational Competence - Module 1

    3. Facilitating Conversational Competence - Module 2

    4. Facilitating Conversational Competence - Module 3

    5. Quiz- Facilitating Conversational Competence

    6. Course Evaluation - Facilitating Conversational Competence

    7. ASHA-Directions on How to Use the ASHA Form

    8. ASHA Verification Form - Facilitating Conversational Competence

    9. LSLS CEU Letter - Facilitating Conversational Competence

    10. ISBE Professional Development Hours

    11. Completion of Approved Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) Hour(s) Certificate

    12. RID Professional Development Hours

Learner Outcomes

  • 1. Participants will be able to define conversational competence and identify skills that make up conversational competence.
  • 2. Participants will determine which informal assessments to use to help determine competency in conversational skills.
  • 3. Participants will be able to identify behaviors during classroom observations which could indicate needs for conversational competency development.

Meet your Instructor

Diane Klein

Dr. Klein has worked in the fields of Speech-Language Pathology and Deaf Education for over 45 years. From working with adults with multiple disabilities in sheltered work settings to supervising doctoral candidates in their final dissertation activities, she has worked with virtually every age and grade level student with and without hearing loss. Dr. Klein received a BSHSS degree from Ohio University and an MEd and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. She holds Speech Pathology, Deaf Education, and Supervision credentials and worked for the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Carlow College, University of New Orleans, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and Flagler College. She was also invited by the University of British Columbia to serve as a Noted Scholar during their 2006 academic year. In each of these settings, she was highly regarded as a specialist SLP working with D/HH individuals. In addition to her teaching, Dr. Klein was active in a number of professional organizations, serving in leadership roles. She has consulted and presented nationally and internationally on topics ranging from incorporating technology into curriculum, enhancing the communicative opportunities for DHH in the classroom, utilizing and integrating your State Common Core Standards in daily instruction, and working as a collaborative team to maximize student learning. Dr. Klein authored or co-authored three text books for the field of Deaf Education, published by Butte Publications. Currently, much to her grandchildren’s delight, Dr. Klein is writing a middle grade mystery-adventure series (The Orb Adventures) and early chapter books with characters and locations based on her own traveling adventures.

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