This course is offered in partnership with the Deaf Family Language Planning research team.

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Scholarships

To help increase access, a limited number of scholarships are available for this course. This scholarship covers the full cost of the $50 training and will be awarded while funds remain available.

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Course curriculum

  • 1

    Module 1 | Introduction to Family Language Policy and Planning

    • Family Language Planning Toolkit

    • PowerPoint slides

    • Introduction to Family Language Policy and Planning

    • Quiz
  • 2

    Module 2 | Research Findings: FLP with Deaf Children in North America

    • PowerPoint slides

    • Research Findings: FLP with Deaf Children in North America
  • 3

    Module 3 | Steps in Family Language Planning

    • PowerPoint slides

    • Steps in Family Language Planning | Part 1

    • Steps in Family Language Planning | Part 2

    • Quiz
  • 4

    Module 4 | Collaboration with Diverse Families

    • PowerPoint slides

    • Collaboration with Diverse Families

    • Quiz
  • 5

    Module 5 | Connecting Families to Resources

    • PowerPoint slides

    • Connecting Families to Resources

    • Quiz

    • Evaluation

Course information

Course description: 

The Deaf Family Language Planning (FLP) Training Modules are designed for professionals who work with families with deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) children to support them in navigating and maintaining multiple languages within the home and community. Many families of D/HH children aim to use two or more languages, often including sign language, written language, and spoken language when appropriate, but face significant challenges in maintaining multilingualism.

Effective planning can help families align their language practices with their values and goals. The training modules will begin by introducing the FLP framework and sharing key research findings from our work with families of D/HH children in the United States and Canada. Participants will discuss the various factors that influence family language planning, including access, identity, and community support.

We share an overview of Family Language Planning and Policy, practical strategies and steps for creating a family language plan, and guidance for identifying relevant resources that support multilingual language use at home and in broader social contexts. Participants will explore the toolkit, practice using its planning tools, and reflect on how they can adapt them to their own or others’ contexts, and complete quizzes. 


Agenda:

10 minutes: What Is Family Language Policy and Planning (FLP)? Definition and key concepts related to FLP. 

10 minutes: Research findings: FLP with Deaf children in North America

15 minutes: Steps in family language planning  

10 minutes: Strategies for collaboration with diverse families 

10 minutes: Connecting families to resources 


Learner outcomes:

Participants will be able to:

  1. Identify key factors (e.g., access, identity, community support) that influence family language planning for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
  2. State how the FLP Tool can be adapted to diverse family and community contexts to support multilingual language use.
  3. Apply the Family Language Planning (FLP) framework and toolkit to develop strategies that align language practices with families’ values and goals. 

Instructor(s)

Julie Mitchiner

Dr. Julie Mitchiner, a professor and researcher in the Education Department at Gallaudet University, focuses primarily on Early Childhood Education. Mitchiner taught at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School at the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in the bilingual ASL/English Early Childhood Program for six years. She received her BA in Early Childhood Education and her MA in Deaf Education, specializing in Family-Centered Early Education, from Gallaudet University. She received her Ph.D. in Education at George Mason University with a specialization in Early Childhood Education and a secondary concentration in multicultural/multilingual education. Her research interests include family language policy and planning, bilingual education in ASL and English, and the Reggio Emilia approach in teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Mitchiner has presented at numerous national and international conferences and published several papers on deaf families with children who have cochlear implants, as well as on family language planning and policy for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Candace Jones

Candace Jones is a certified BlackDeaf educator and first-generation college graduate currently pursuing her PhD at Gallaudet University in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, graduating with honors as a member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, from Gallaudet University, and her Master’s degree in Deaf and Special Education from Valdosta State University. She currently serves as an educator in the School of Language, Education, and Culture at Gallaudet University, supporting the Deaf Education and ASL departments. In this role, she supervises undergraduate student-teachers during their internships at selected schools. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Lamar University, teaching Bilingual Theories in Deaf Education. With nearly 20 years of experience across K–12 and higher education, her work centers on language, identity, and equity in Deaf education. Candace leads the Family Learning Vacation, a community-centered initiative supporting families through language and cultural empowerment with love and joy.

Bobbie Jo Kite

Bobbie Jo Kite, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University. She earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education and M.A. in Deaf Education from Gallaudet, and her Ph.D. in Early Childhood Education and Multilingual/Multicultural Education from George Mason University. Her research centers on Family Language Planning & Policy and Multilingual Education, with a focus on supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families through inclusive language practices. A second-generation Deaf scholar, she is deeply committed to fostering equitable, accessible opportunities for all children. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and a dog.

Christi Batamula

Dr. Christi Batamula is a professor in the Department of Education at Gallaudet University. She has experience teaching deaf children in a variety of schools and settings. Dr. Batamula received her PhD in Education from George Mason University specializing in International Education, Early Childhood Education, and Teacher Education. Her research interests are international education, including immigrant education and multilingual education and family collaboration with deaf and hard of hearing children.

Speaker disclosures:

Financial disclosures: Christi Batamula, Bobbie Jo Kite, Candace Jones, and Julie MItchiner are receiving royalties for this course. All royalties will go toward supporting ongoing research. 

Nonfinancial disclosures: Christi Batamula, Bobbie Jo Kite, Candace Jones, and Julie MItchiner are owners of the DFLP Training Modules and Toolkit. 

The content creators and presenters for this training module are employees of Gallaudet University. This training was developed as part of a research study funded by Canadian Hearing Services. The presenters and content developers have no relevant non-financial or financial relationships to disclose beyond their employment affiliations and the funding support noted above. 

Continuing Education

This course is offered for 0.10 ASHA CEUs.
This course is available as a PINRA through WisRID. Please reach out to WisRID BEFORE taking this course for more information about receiving CEUs. There is an additional $40 fee associated with RID CEUs.
PINRA form

This course is licensed for individual use only. Group viewing, sharing access, or distributing course materials is strictly prohibited. Each participant must have their own registration to attend or view.

© 2026 Christi Batamula, Bobbie Jo Kite, Candace Jones, and Julie Mitchiner. All rights reserved.