Through the support of legacy donors, AG Bell has established a professional scholarship to support certification of educators through the AG Bell Academy. 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 Education (or 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 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 SCHOLARSHIP

 

To be eligible for the AG Bell Auditory-Verbal Educator 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 this scholarship, professionals seeking certification must submit a complete and properly organized application no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on April 30, 2021. Notification will be made 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. For details on mentoring, please view the Certification Handbook.

Qualified applicants for or the AVEd 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 AVEd 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 AVEd 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 Education.”
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 AVEd Scholarship offered by AG Bell. 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, complete, 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 Education. 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 Educator. If you agree with the principles, please sign indicating your commitment. If you have questions, please contact
the Academy’s Certification Committee.

A Listening and Spoken Language Education (LSLS Cert. AVEd) teaches children with hearing loss to listen and talk exclusively through listening and spoken language instruction.

1. Promote early diagnosis of hearing loss in infants, toddlers and young children, followed by immediate audiologic assessment and use of appropriate state of the art hearing technology to ensure maximum benefits of auditory stimulation.
2. Promote immediate audiologic management and development of listening and spoken language for children as their primary mode of Communication.
3. Create and maintain acoustically controlled environments that support listening and talking for the acquisition of spoken language throughout the child’s daily activities.
4. Guide and coach parents to become effective facilitator of their child’s listening and spoken language development in all aspects of the child’s life.
5. Provide effective teaching with families* and children in settings such as homes, classrooms, therapy rooms, hospitals or clinics.
6. Provide focused and individualized instruction to the child through lesson plans and classroom activities while maximizing listening and spoken language.
7. Collaborate with parents and professionals to develop goals, objectives, and strategies for achieving the natural developmental patterns of audition, speech, language, cognition and communication.
8. Promote each child’s ability to self-monitor spoken language through listening.
9. Use diagnostic assessments to develop individualized objectives, to monitor progress, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching activities.
10. Promote education in regular classrooms with peers who have typical hearing as early as possible, when the child has the skills to do so successfully.

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