Saturday, May 11
10am-4pm
SignFest 2024
a space for researchers & practitioners invested in signed languages to gather and share ideas
University of Connecticut
UConn Hartford Campus
Graduate Business Learning Center
100 Constitution Plaza, Hartford
Let us know if you will be attending.
Click below to register for FREE.
Presenters
Anna Lim
Dr. Lim is a lecturer at Boston University where she teaches the dynamics of diversity, oppression, and social justice in deaf communities. Her research interests encompass multilingualism of deaf people of color, raciolinguistics, and cognitive linguistics in Tagalog heritage language acquisition and learning.
Octavian Robinson
Dr. Robinson, Associate Professor of Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, is a trained historian who has emerged as a leading scholar in disability studies. His research focuses on language attitudes towards signed languages within academia and linguistic protectionism among deaf communities.
Gloshanda Lawyer
Dr. Lawyer is a community-based Disability+Language Justice practitioner. She is founder of COCOA Language, Advocacy and Consulting LLC and co-founder/co-researcher at Myers & Lawyer, a Black multilingual researcher/ interpreter duo that engages in research, consultation, training and resource development for BIPOC interpreters.
Jeff Bravin
Mr. Bravin is the Executive Director of American School for the Deaf In Hartford. Jeff Is the President of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf and the Connecticut Council on Organizations Serving the Deaf.
JOhn Pirone
Dr. Pirone teaches ASL and Deaf Culture courses at The University of Vermont. His research focuses on ASL education for second language/additional language students in postsecondary settings and equity in education for signing Deaf students.
Sponsored by the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education.
Structure
Learn from five keynote presenters, then engage with their ideas during facilitated breakout groups. The interactive groups will provide ample opportunities for networking, collaborating, and considering application of ideas.
Enjoy a free catered lunch featuring poster sessions where you can interact with poster presenters and fellow attendees.
Schedule
10:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Octavian Robinson - Outcasts: Language, Power, and Contested Belonging
Gloshanda Lawyer - Language + Disability Justice and Translanguaging for Multilingual Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled and Hard of Hearing People and Interpreters
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | Lunch (provided) & Poster Session
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Anna Lim - Myth of the Good ASL, A Reckoning of Deaf Native Signerism
Jeff Bravin - CEASD Data Project
John Pirone - ASL Education for L2/Ln Students in Postsecondary Settings
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Breakout Groups facilitated by keynote presenters
SignFest 2024 provides educators with a certificate documenting professional development hours (6 hrs).
CEUs for interpreters are offered through MassRID, an approved RID CMP sponsor for Continuing Education Activities. This Professional Studies program is offered at 0.6 CEUs/ACETs at the "cannot be specified" Content Level. Full event attendance required for CEUs; partial credit will not be awarded.
ASL & English interpreters and CART services will be available.
Contact hannah.dostal@uconn.edu for more information.
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