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Communication Skills Workshop. 4 Photos. 1st, 2nd, 4th- a woman is practicing the sign skills. 3rd- a man is telling the story.

Communication Skills Workshop

Save the Date: Communication Skills Workshop. July 6-10 & July 13-17 2025. Participants can only register for one session.
 
Communication Skills Workshop (CSW) provides sign language skill improvement sessions in an immersive and interactive environment during one of its two 4-day workshops during the summer. 
 
CSW participants will have the opportunity to:
  • Improve their expressive and receptive signed communication skills
  • Interact with deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing professionals 
  • Learn more about deaf culture and the deaf community
  • Be exposed to the difference between American Sign Language (ASL) and English Sign Systems 

In small-group classroom instruction and large-group settings, participants will find the topics and activities challenging and fun! Instructors are deaf and hard of hearing professionals or certified interpreters. Certified interpreters are highly qualified, holding BEI Level IV, V, or Masters certification.
 

CSW Schedule

CSW is a four-day workshop with 15 sessions. Participants participate in small group session topics, large group sessions and social activities. Session topics and activities vary and may include, but are not limited to: 
 

ASL Grammar and Structure

Deaf Culture

Facial Grammar

Sign Language Games

CASE (Conceptually Accurate
Signed English)     

Fingerspelling

Sign Vocabulary Building

Mouth Morphemes

Classifiers and Directionality

Number Incorporation

Conversational Strategies

Use of Space

Discourse Analysis

Deaf Humor

Idioms and ASL Phrases

Educational Vocabulary

Sight Translations

Code of Professional Conduct for Interpreters
 
Participants will take a self-assessment tool to help determine placement for the sessions. Due to popular demand, evening activities including game night and Deaf Comedy Jam are returning to the schedule. View the example schedule below.

Workshop Participation

Due to the grant requirements, CSW must prioritize Certified and Non-Certified Interpreters working in K-12 settings in Texas. Parents of deaf and hard of hearing children in K-12 settings in Texas, Deaf Education Teachers, Interpreter/Aides, and American Sign Language Teachers are welcome to apply with the understanding that topics will focus on educational interpreters. Participants are expected to attend and participate in all activities and workshops.