AEBPDASL/English Bilingual Professional Development

The Children's Center for Communication/ Beverly School for the Deaf is committed to providing teaching approaches that reflect best practices in Deaf Education today. AEBPD is a curriculum program based on research, which furthers the education of teachers in the field of deaf education. AEBPD is a part of the Center for ASL/English Bilingual Education and Research (CAEBER) department, based out of Gallaudet University. CCC/BSD administrative staff have completed the following trainings at Gallaudet University:

• CAEBER Language Planning
• AEBPD mentor training

A variety of staff have participated in AEBPD trainings, including administration, classroom teachers, parent infant program teachers, classroom paraprofessionals, speech and language pathologists, school psychologist, school outreach coordinator and the school interpreter.

Since 1997, CAEBER has been the only center in the United States devoted to fostering educational leadership by supporting the ASL/English bilingual professional development of K-12 teachers/mentors and universities' deaf education program instructors. CAEBER's main mission is to foster educational leadership, as well as provide collaborative opportunities for educators that implement and administer ASL/English bilingual professional (AEBPD)development utilizing effective language planning strategies. CCC/BSD staff are empowered to better support deaf and hard-of-hearing learners through:

• Professional development opportunities for educational staff and administrators.
• Promotion of the acquisition, development, and use of both ASL and English for academic purposes for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners and their educational staff and parents.
• Educational staff trainings in the effective use of ASL and English as languages of instruction in educational settings.
• Development of appropriate bilingual instructional design integrating innovative technology.
• Promotion of an understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.

In addition to engaging in ongoing research and development of ASL/English bilingual education, a key component of CAEBER's mission is to provide professional development opportunities for program participants. CCC/BSD has participated in the following CAEBER opportunities to train teachers:

• A two-year professional development program designed for schools for the deaf that imparts knowledge and skills in ASL/English bilingual teaching   theories and practices.
• A two-year, four-level professional development curriculum designed for schools for the deaf that imparts knowledge and skills in ASL/English bilingual teaching theories and practices.
• Two-week summer intensive mentor training sessions that prepare mentors (over two summers) to facilitate and impart the ASL/English Bilingual Professional Development package at their own school site.
• Fall and winter mentor meetings to review progress and support the mentors in their delivery and dissemination of the professional development package.