Deaf Education Credential Program

Leadership within the credential program
The Fresno State Deaf Education Program is housed in the College of Health and Human Services and coordinated by Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw. The graduate courses within the Deaf Education Program are taught by Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw, Dr. Serena Johnson, Dr. Chantel Cox, Dr. Cynthia Cavazos, and Dr. Trisha Houston.

Communication within the credential program and with the institution
The Deaf Education Program collaborates with the Kremen School of Education and Human Development as one of the university’s educator preparation programs and works with faculty in Kremen on accreditation efforts. Completers of the Deaf Education program work with the credential analyst housed in Kremen to apply for the credentials.

Structure of coursework and field experiences in the credential program
The Deaf Education graduate coursework and field experiences are focused on bilingual (ASL/English) instruction strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students (ages 0 - 22). The chart below shows which courses include theory, application, and field experience. 

Program modifications over the recent two years 
In the summer of 2020, Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw worked collaboratively with Drs. Nan Barker and Chantel Cox to redesign the Deaf Education Credential Program with the support from Interim Dean of College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) James Marshall. The university approved all new courses in the spring of 2021. The Fall 2021 Deaf Education Teacher candidate cohort enrolled in the new program. 

In May of 2021, CHHS Dean Denise Seabert joined and provided her support during this transition. The number of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Credential Teacher applicants increased after the new program aligned with CTC’s current DHH TPEs. Before Fall 2020, the enrollment was less than five teacher candidates. In the Fall 2020, there were 20 new teacher candidates enrolled in the credential program. In the Fall 2021, we have 13 new teacher candidates enrolled in the program.

Means for stakeholder input
Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw received feedback from stakeholders at the national-, state-, and local- levels. She meets regularly with California State University, Northridge Deaf Education Program Coordinator, University of California, San Diego Deaf Education Program Coordinator, and California Department of Education – State Special Schools Director to follow the current trends in the Deaf Education and to brainstorm the development of new DHH CalTPA. Dr. Smith-Warshaw meets with Dr. Sean Virnig, Assistant Executive Director of SELPA at Fresno Unified School District, monthly. Dr. Smith-Warshaw is currently the President of Association of College Educators for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing national-level Deaf Education non-profit organization. She participated in the Special Interest Group (SIG) of Bilingual Deaf Education Best Practices meeting with a group of Deaf Education Program Coordinators and researchers. The advisory board meetings include former Deaf Education graduates, local school district administrators, current Deaf Education teachers, and parents of DHH children.

Description of the sequence of coursework
Deaf Education Credential Program offers three prerequisite 100% online non-credit courses prior to admission to the Deaf Education credential program through the Continuing and Global Education Department. The first of the three courses is free and the last two courses are offered at very low cost.

In Year 1, admitted Deaf Education credential students complete 24 units of coursework: Working with Families of  DHH Children; Graduate Studies and Research Methods in Deaf Studies; the new course, Foundations of Teaching, addresses history of deaf education, special education law, classroom ecosystem, best practices for structuring and maintaining effective classroom management and individualized behavioral intervention strategies; the newly revised course, Hearing and Speech for Deaf Educators, addresses the habilitative and rehabilitative procedures related to speaking and hearing; the newly revised course, Differentiated Instruction and Assessment of DHH Students, addresses in-depth diagnostic assessment tools and utilizes differentiated instruction to meet the academic needs of DHH children and youth; Advanced Clinical Practicum in DHH Classroom addresses the supervised clinical participation and practice in teaching DHH children and youth for 200 hours in both settings (mainstreamed and residential schools). Teacher candidates also take Advanced Studies in Deaf Education, a new course which addresses translanguaging and transliterating techniques in American Sign Language and English, universal design for learning, writing effective unit and lesson plans for DHH student without or with disabilities and related multi-tiered systems of support topics.

In Year 2, admitted Deaf Education credential candidates complete 15 units of coursework with emphasis in ASL and English Language Arts/literacy, math literacy, and technology integrated in instructional practices. The newly developed courses are: Fundamentals of Teaching Bilingual Literacy Skills to DHH Students, Fundamentals of Teaching Math Literacy Skills to DHH Students, Integration of Technology Across the Curriculum for DHH Learners, Topics and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction, and Advanced Clinical Practicum (100 hours). 

Coordination of coursework with field work
Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw coordinates the monthly team meetings with Deaf Education faculty to collect information on how to streamline the coursework with field work. Also, she collects feedback from the graduate students through their course evaluations and advising sessions. 

Types of coursework in critical areas (e.g. English learners for all initial teaching programs)
CSDS 201, 262, 263, 271, and 273 are the courses which graduate students are learning about English language learners, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and culturally responsive teaching. 

Number and type of field placements
In the last semester of the second year, final student teaching or internship are required for sixteen weeks, one full semester. Teacher candidates are placed in the DHH classroom with co-teaching opportunities for the first four weeks. They assume additional responsibilities for weeks 5-8. The last 8-weeks may be in a different setting or teacher candidates may remain in the same school setting. All clinical practice placements reflect the socioeconomic and cultural diversity of DHH students and provide opportunities for teacher candidates to work with DHH students with disabilities in schools with a qualified Deaf Education program administrator who oversees the school site or a DHH program. 

Mentor Teachers must hold a Clear DHH Credential and have a minimum of three years of DHH teaching experience. The Mentor Teachers must have demonstrated exemplary teaching practices as determined by the employing district and the university teacher preparation program. The matching of Teacher Candidate and the Mentor Teacher is a collaborative process between the school and the program.

Field supervision, advisement, evaluation: frequency, type, from BOTH the program personnel and the district employed individual (master teacher) when required in a program
Field supervision of teacher candidates is conducted by both Site Mentor Teachers and University Clinical Supervisor. 

CSDS 260 

• Candidates work in DHH classrooms for a minimum of 100 hours during the semester;
• Candidates work in collaboration with their master teacher (an experienced DHH credentialed teacher)  to develop and implement lesson plans with DHH students in one-on-one, small group, and whole class settings; 
• Candidates actively engage in reflection about their lesson plan development, lesson implementation and will use formative and summative assessment data to drive decisions for upcoming lesson development and implementation;
• Candidates meet regularly to conference with their master teacher and university supervisor to discuss progress towards meeting TPE’s;
• Candidates complete a self - evaluation at 50 hours and at 100 hours;
• Master Teacher and University Supervisor complete an evaluation of the candidate at 50 hours and at 100 hours and share results at conference with the candidate; and
• Candidates create a portfolio consisting of time logs, lesson plans, reflections, a mid-evaluations and final evaluation. 

CSDS 258/268

• Candidates work in DHH classrooms for 16 weeks (8 weeks for CSDS 258, and 8 weeks for CSDS 268), for full school days, during the semester;
• Candidates work under supervision of their master teacher (an experienced DHH credentialed teacher)  to develop and implement lesson plans with DHH students in one-on-one, small group, and whole class settings; 
• Candidates assess students and participate in record keeping;
• Candidates attend multi-disciplinary team meetings, including IEP meetings when possible;
•  Candidates attend Professional Development meetings, staff training sessions, and school events when allowed; 
• Candidates actively engage in reflection about their lesson plan development, lesson implementation and will use formative and summative assessment data to drive decisions for upcoming lesson development and implementation; 
• Candidates meet regularly to conference with their master teacher and university supervisor to discuss progress towards meeting TPE’s; 
• Candidates complete a self - evaluation at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks; 
• Master Teacher and University Supervisor complete an evaluation of the candidate at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks and share results at conference with student; and 
• Candidates create a portfolio consisting of time logs, lesson plans, reflections, mid-term evaluations and final evaluation. 

How, when candidates are assessed for program competencies
The formative performance assessments of content knowledge and practical application are conducted in coursework and clinical practice experience. The performance data is used for continuous program improvement.

In clinical practice, student teachers receive ongoing formative feedback and coaching on their lesson plans and instruction from their University Supervisor and Mentor Teacher. The University Supervisor also provides written feedback from their observations of the candidate’s four formal lessons. At the mid-term and final points of the semester, Mentor Teacher and University Supervisor meet with Teacher Candidate to discuss overall performance and feedback.

To date, DHH CalTPA is still in the development stage. Dr. Janice Smith-Warshaw is working with James Webb and Amy Reising, CTC Consultants, regarding the pilot study of DHH CalTPA. Current graduate students will continue demonstrating proficiency with the Deaf Education Comprehensive Exams and final student teaching/externship evaluations while the DHH CalTPA is under review.

What advice candidates receive about how they will be assessed in the program and informed of the results of those assessments
All Deaf Education Teacher Candidates meet with the Program Coordinator every semester for academic advising to follow up with the program requirements and assessments. Each candidate receives a copy of their educational plan every semester.

Candidates who are at-risk of failing a course or clinical experience are supported by faculty according to the DHH Credential Handbook. Each candidate will participate in the development of an improvement plan during the course study or clinical experience.

At the end of each grading period, a report is generated of candidates who have GPAs below 3.0 and/or who earned a D, F, W, No Credit, or an Incomplete grade in a course. After reviewing the information, the program coordinator ensures that letters of concern are sent to the candidates on the list.

Fresno State Deaf Education Graduate Program Course Sequence (for Student Teacher Candidates Only)

Fresno State Deaf Education Graduate Program Course Sequence (for Interns)

• Education Specialist: Deaf and Hard of Hearing TPEs Course Matrix

• Course Matrix-Part 2

Table of Fieldwork and Clinical Practice Experiences

 

• CSDS DHH Credential Handbook

Clinical Practice Syllabi

• CSDS 201: Working with Families with Diverse DHH Learners through Case Management and Positive Behavior Support
• CSDS 203: Graduate Studies and Research Methods in Deaf Education
• CSDS 206: Hearing and Speech Science for Deaf Educators
• CSDS 255: Differentiated Instruction and Assessment of DHH Students 
• CSDS 258: Student Teaching for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students 
• CSDS 260: Advanced Clinical Practice: Deaf Education
• CSDS 262: Fundamentals of Teaching Bilingual Literacy Skills to DHH Students 
• CSDS 263: Fundamentals of Teaching Mathematics Literacy to DHH Students
• CSDS 264: Integration of Technology Across the Curriculum for DHH Learners
• CSDS 268: Externship with DHH Children and Youth
• CSDS 271: Foundations of Teaching
• CSDS 272: Advanced Studies in Deaf Education 
• CSDS 273: Topics and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction for DHH Learners

Clinical Practice Assessment Instruments

• CSDS 268 Mid-Term Student Evaluation Form
• CSDS 268 Final Student Teaching Evaluation Form
• CSDS 258 Mid-Term Student Evaluation Form
• CSDS 258 Final Student Teaching Evaluation Form
• CSDS 260 Mid-Term Evaluation: Master Teacher
• CSDS 260 Mid-Term Evaluation: University Supervisor 
• CSDS 260 Mid-Term Evaluation: Student Clinician
• CSDS 260 Final Evaluation: Master Teacher
• CSDS 260 Final Evaluation: University Supervisor
• CSDS 260 Final Evaluation: Student Clinician