A caregiver smiling and communicating face-to-face with a young child while sitting together on a sofa.

A caregiver smiling and communicating face-to-face with a young child while sitting together on a sofa.

Language & Child Development

Course Provider:

APSEA

Course Type:

closed

This course is included in Educational Deaf Interpreter – PD Series, also available for purchase.

A caregiver smiling and communicating face-to-face with a young child while sitting together on a sofa.

This course introduces the foundations of language and child development with a focus on Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and deafblind (DHHDB) learners. It explores how language is acquired, the importance of accessible language exposure, and the impact of early experiences on development. Learners will examine bilingualism, developmental milestones, and key frameworks such as BICS and CALP, while building an understanding of how language, social, emotional, and cognitive development are interconnected.

ELIGIBILITY: If you are an APSEA staff member or an eligible educator within Atlantic Canada, this course will be automatically added to your account when you sign in with a recognized email address. If you are not eligible for automatic enrollment, you are welcome to purchase the course through 258HUB.

Course Content

Unit 1 – Foundations of Language and Communication
Introduction
What is Language
Language vs Communication
Understanding Visual Communication Models
Unit 2 – Language Acquisition Fundamentals
What is Language Acquisition?
Where does Language Acquisition Happen?
Language Exposure vs. Access
Why is it Important to Have Language Exposure and Access?
Where do Language Exposure and Access Happen?
Unit 3 – Language, Access, and Risk Factors
Status of Sign Languges in Canada
Impacts of Missing or Delayed Language (1 of 2)
Impacts of Missing or Delayed Language (2 of 2)
The Importance of Strong Language Foundation
Introducing Bilingualism
Unit 4 – Bilingualism and Multilingual Development
Benefits of ASL-English Bilingualism
Bilingualism: Considerations and Strategies
Multilingualism
Unit 5 – Developmental Milestones
Development Milestones
Social Development Milestones
Cognitive Development Milestones