The Listen Foundation has established a professional scholarship in the name of Doreen Pollack, a pioneer in the standards of excellence in listening and spoken language. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist one LSLS professional per year in fulfilling the requirements for certification as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS®) in Auditory-Verbal Therapy (LSLS Cert. AVT®). This scholarship is available to LSLS professionals who are nearing their final year of mentoring to qualify for certification by the AG Bell Academy. Funds will be used to support the recipient’s qualification  for and examination through the AG Bell Academy and to enable the recipient to fulfill requirements such as mentoring and continuing education credits. Information about the certification process and requirements to be eligible to take the LSLS certification exam is provided on the AG Bell Academy website.

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR DOREEN POLLACK AVT SCHOLARSHIP

 

To be eligible for the Doreen Pollack Scholarship, applicants must be able to present qualifications that would show their progress toward certification and likely eligibility to take the certification examination within 12 to 18 months of receiving the scholarship. The application for the scholarship mirrors many of the requirements that will be necessary to qualify for the certification exam and provides a guideline for fulfillment.

To be considered for the Doreen Pollack Scholarship, professionals seeking certification must submit a complete and properly organized application no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on April 30, 2021. Notifications will be sent to the recipient and other submitting candidates no later than May 30, 2021.

 

WORKING WITH A LSLS MENTOR

  

Professionals seeking LSLS certification must be mentored by a certified LSLS professional for at least three (3) years; three years is defined as 36 consecutive months. Ideally, each professional seeking LSLS certification will be mentored by another Cert. LSLS. For details on mentoring, please view the Certification Handbook.

Qualified applicants for or the Doreen Pollack Scholarship should have completed the first 24 months of mentoring prior to receiving the award.

Any questions regarding qualifications or other special circumstances should be addressed to Academy staff at 202-204-4700 or academy@agbell.org.

 

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

 

Completed applications for the Doreen Pollack Scholarship include the following documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae (current name, contact information, educational degrees, certifications/credentials, and licenses must be included)
2. Written Essay which includes an explanation of your professional background, your reason for choosing to work with children who are deaf and hard of hearing, how you would use the scholarship if awarded, and what impact you hope to have on the children and families with whom you work as an LSLS Cert AVT professional.
3. Written attestation from your LSLS Mentor that you are or will soon be entering your third or final year of mentoring 
4. Written description from your LSLS Mentor of your current skills. The written attestation and description may be provided as one document. (A completed F1 form does not serve as a written description or recommendation). 
5. Signed copy of the, “Commitment to the Principles of Auditory-Verbal Therapy.”
6. Copies of up-to-date and signed forms E, F-1 and F-2 for your first two years of mentoring.

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE

 

Scholarship applications must be received by the Academy by 11:59pm EST on April 30, 2021. 

The selection committee will review all applications and AG Bell will notify the scholarship recipient of his/her award on or before May 30, 2021. Please do not contact Academy staff before this time to inquire about eligibility or the status of your application.

 

Please read the Eligibility Requirements Instructions for Completing Application Form before completing your application. All required information must be submitted together in order for your application to be considered.

I hereby apply for the Doreen Pollack Scholarship offered by the Listen Foundation. I understand that the information collected during the application process may be used for statistical purposes and for evaluation of the AG Bell Academy Listening and Spoken Language Certification program (Academy). I also understand that the information for my
certification records will be treated confidentially.

To the best of my knowledge, the information contained in this application is true,  omplete, correct and made in good faith. I understand that the Academy reserves the right to verify any or all information on this application and that any incorrect or misleading information may constitute grounds for rejection of my application.

The following are the Principles of Auditory-Verbal Therapy. Please read through these principles and be sure you are committed to all of them. Commitment to these principles is required for certification as a LSLS Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist. If you agree with the principles, please sign indicating your commitment. If you have questions, please contact the Academy’s Certification Committee.

1. Promote early diagnosis of hearing loss in newborns, infants, toddlers and young children,  followed by immediate audiologic management and auditory-verbal therapy.
2. Recommend immediate assessment and use of appropriate, state-of-the-art hearing  technology to obtain maximum benefits of auditory stimulation.
3. Guide and coach parents¹ to help their child use hearing as the primary sensory modality in  developing listening and spoken language.
4. Guide and coach parents to become the primary facilitators of their child’s listening and spoken  language development through active consistent participation in individualized auditory-verbal  therapy.
5. Guide and coach parents to create environments that support listening for the acquisition of spoken  language throughout the child’s daily activities.
6. Guide and coach parents to help their child integrate listening and spoken language into all aspects  of the child’s life.
7. Guide and coach parents to use natural developmental patterns of audition, speech, language,  cognition and communication.
8. Guide and coach parents to help their child self-monitor spoken language through listening.
9. Administer ongoing formal and informal diagnostic assessments to develop individualized auditory verbal  treatment plans, to monitor progress and to evaluate the effectiveness of the plans for the  child and family.
10. Promote education in regular schools with peers who have typical hearing and with appropriate  services from early childhood onwards.

¹The term “parents” also includes grandparents, relatives, guardians and any caregivers who interact with the child.

(Adapted from the Principles originally developed by Doreen Pollack in1970) Adopted by the AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language on Nov.6, 2009.