Saltzman Center Newsletter - Fall 2009

Joan and Arnold Saltzman

Community Services Center

Summer 2009

Letter From the Assistant Provost and Executive Director

Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute Awarded Reaccreditation Under Revised NAEYC Standards Donna Tudda, M.S., E.C.E., Director Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute

Joseph Scardapane

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e are very proud of the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute and the work that is done there. The accreditation by NAEYC is a milestone that highlights the extraordinary work of our director, Donna Tudda, and her assistant, Susan Vignati. Donna and Susan provide outstanding leadership for the professional staff of teachers and assistant teachers. Through the philosophy and practice of social interaction and play as a vehicles for human development, the teachers stimulate inquisitive and multi-dimensional growth in young children. The development of a love for learning as a part of daily life is not only encouraged, but also exemplified by our teaching staff.

As the summer months beckon, I wish all of you a safe, healthy and enjoyable season. Finally, please remember that we are here to serve you. Thank you for your continued support.

Very truly yours,

Dr. Joseph R. Scardapane

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n June 2009 the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute (CCI) at the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center was reaccredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Of the 183 New York state-licensed child care centers in Nassau County, only 10 are currently NAEYC-accredited. Starting in 2006, the NAEYC began revising its standards for accreditation. Hofstra’s CCI is one of the first child care programs in the United States to be reaccredited since the NAEYC’s “reinvention.”

Programs applying for NAEYC accreditation undergo a rigorous analysis of their operations. Only programs demonstrating and/or exceeding a national standard for quality and excellence in the field of early childhood education receive accreditation.

NAEYC is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for children from birth through age 8. Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world’s largest organization working on behalf of young children, with nearly 100,000 members; a national network of more than 300 local, state, and regional affiliates; and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

Also in June 2009 CCI was registered by the New York State Department of Health as a

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Children and teachers join CCI Director Donna Tudda to celebrate the program’s reaccreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

4 to 6 months: Baby makes babbling sounds that are “speech-like”; makes “p,” “b,” and “m” sounds; vocalizes excitement and displeasure; and makes gurgling sounds when left alone/when playing with parent.

The Saltzman Center’s “Speaking of Toddlers” language stimulation program works with children in a group setting as well as with parents to help children communicate and expand their language skills.

Speech-LanguageHearing Clinic Offers Tips on Early Speech Development Wendy Silverman, M.S., CCC-SLP, Director Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

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ne of the milestones parents often anxiously await is the sound of their child’s first words, such as “mama” or “dada.” Sometimes those first words appear later than expected, and parents are not sure when this delay is cause for concern. Denise Ruscio, M.S., CCC-SLP, clinical supervisor of the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Hofstra University’s Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, says there are many signs parents can look for that will help them determine whether or not their child’s speechlanguage skills are developing “on time.”

Ms. Ruscio says the ability to communicate is composed of many elements, two of which are speech and language.

“Speech” refers to the sounds a child makes and how he/ she makes those sounds. Speech-language pathologists, the specialists who work with people with communication disorders, often refer to “speech” as “articulation.”

“Language” refers to children’s vocabulary, their ability to combine words into phrases and sentences, and their ability to use words in conversation to get what they want. Both “speech” and “language” skills begin to develop as early as birth, and continue to develop into adolescence.

To help parents determine whether their child’s speechlanguage skills are emerging “on time,” the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) developed a publication titled How Does Your Child Hear and Talk, which outlines the following developmental milestones that can be expected from birth through 4 years of age: Birth to 3 months: Baby makes pleasure sounds such as cooing, cries differently for different needs, and smiles when sees parent/caregiver.

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៉ Find out more at hofstra.edu/saltzmancenter

7 to 12 months: Baby’s babbling has both long and short groups of sounds, like “tata upup bibibibi,” uses sounds to get and keep attention; imitates different speech sounds.

Baby says one or two words (“bye-bye,” “dada,” “mama”), although they may not be clear. Baby recognizes words for common items like “cup” and “juice” and begins to respond to requests (“Come here.”).

1 to 2 years: Baby says more words every month, uses some one- or two-word questions (“Where kitty?”) and one- or two-word phrases (“more cookie”). Baby uses many different consonant sounds at the beginning of words, points to a few body parts/pictures in a book, and follows simple commands, such as “roll the ball.”

2 to 3 years: Baby uses two or three words to talk about and ask for things and often asks for objects by naming them.

Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.

Baby understands differences in meaning (“go-stop,” “biglittle”), and follows two-step requests (“Get the book and put it on the table.”).

3 to 4 years: People outside family usually understand child’s speech. Child talks to others about activities that occurred at school or at friend’s house, uses sentences that have four or more words, and usually talks easily without repeating syllables or words. Child answers simple “who,” “what,” “where,” and “why” questions.

If parents suspect or are concerned about their child having a language delay, a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist should be contacted to schedule a speech-language evaluation. In addition, parents should also consider getting a hearing (audiologic) evaluation to confirm that their child’s ability to hear is not contributing to a communication delay.

At the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, clinicians provide both individual and group speech therapy to children identified as having a communication delay. The “Speaking of Toddlers” language stimulation group meets once weekly and focuses on improving the social language skills of the toddlers attending the group. Through developmentally appropriate play, crafts/snacks/story time, children develop their ability to communicate with their peers, using expanded language skills. In addition, parents attending this group participate in weekly training sessions, in which clinicians demonstrate how to implement a variety of language facilitation strategies at home with their children.

For additional information on the “Speaking of Toddlers” group and other services offered by Hofstra’s SpeechLanguage-Hearing Clinic, please call (516) 463-5656 or visit hofstra.edu/saltzmancenter.

Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center

Anger Institute Continues to Help Clients Manage Emotions Howard Kassinove, Ph.D., ABPP, Director, Institute for the Study and Treatment of Anger and Aggression

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he Institute for the Study and Treatment of Anger and Aggression continues to provide specialized professional services to members of the local community who have anger control or aggression problems. Clients range from people who frequently engage in mild arguments to those who exhibit signs of severe aggression. Problems include the expression of anger triggered by impulsiveness and jealousy, arguments and physical aggression during partner or family disputes, telephone harassments, robberies, and aggressive interactions in bars.

About one-quarter come to Hofstra as a result of a mandate from the criminal justice system, such as the Nassau County Probation Department or a local criminal or civil court.

At present, we have 11 anger management specialists at the institute who are supervised by Howard Kassinove, Ph.D., ABPP, director of the institute, as well as a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Hofstra. During a 12-month period ending in May 2009, the institute saw 98 adults and adolescents for a total of 652 sessions, with the average person receiving 6.6 intervention sessions. Most people received individualized anger management based upon a model developed by Drs. Howard Kassinove and Raymond Chip Tafrate in 2002. However, two institute psychologists – Anthony Iacovelli, M.A., and Bruno BrollBarone, M.A., M.S. – recently began a group treatment program for adolescents, following a new anger episode model. The model is used to conceptualize experiences and expressive patterns of anger and aggression. Some of the adolescents now teach the model to new group members.

To make an appointment at the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Anger and Aggression, call (516) 463-5660.

The institute is currently working with 33 adults and adolescents. They range from 17 to 67 years old (average age is 30). Twenty-six clients are male, and seven are female.

Most applicants are self-referred or have been asked to attend an anger management program by a family member.

This has been a productive year at the institute in terms of treatment for members of the community, the development of new materials to improve our services, the initiation of new research studies, and training for our anger management specialists. We look forward to examining the impact of our innovations in the year ahead.

The staff of the 2009 Hofstra University Institute for the Study and Treatment of Anger and Aggression. Standing (l to r): Michael Toohey, Kristen Risola, Bruno Broll-Barone, Kentaro Nakajima, Samantha DiMisa, Mark Closson, Jason Stasi and Anthony Iacovelli. Sitting (l to r): Ranita Pekarsky, Stephanie Rodrigues, Howard Kassinove and Robert Gruenfelder.

Child Care Institute Awarded Reaccreditation Under Revised NAEYC Standards Continued from front cover “Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Center.” Like the NAEYC accreditation, this is a designation held by only a small number of centers in Nassau County.

Hofstra’s CCI focuses on the child’s total development – social, emotional, cognitive and physical. The program offers developmentally appropriate activities for children aged 8 weeks to 5 years, providing opportunities for hands-on, integrated learning. Children are grouped according to age and ability. The child-to-staff ratios meet and exceed those required by New York state licensing and NAEYC standards for excellence in care.

CCI benefits from the interdisciplinary services of the clinical programs associated with the Saltzman Center. Being a part of the Saltzman Center renders CCI unique in the provision of education, care, assessment and enriched learning environments for young children and their families.

For more information on the Diane Lindner-Goldberg Child Care Institute and the services of the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, visit hofstra.edu/saltzmancenter. ៉ Find out more at hofstra.edu/saltzmancenter

Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center

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Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center 131 Hofstra University Hempstead, New York 11549-1310

Saltzman Center Breakfast Seminar Focuses on Literacy Studies Andrea García, Ph.D., Director Reading/Writing Learning Clinic

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r. Debra Goodman, associate professor and chair of Hofstra University’s Department of Literacy Studies, and Dr. Alan D. Flurkey, associate professor of literacy studies, gave a presentation at the spring Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center Breakfast Seminar on May 15, 2009.

Their presentation, “Supporting Beginning Readers in an RTI Climate: Miscue Analysis as a Response to Intervention,” addressed literacy development of beginning readers, and the use of miscue analysis as a response to intervention in informing assessment and instruction.

The breakfast seminar, held at the Hofstra University Club at David S. Mack Hall, was well-attended by Hofstra faculty, alumni and students of the Literacy Studies Department, as well as teachers and administrators from school districts throughout Long Island.

(L to r) Reading/Writing Learning Clinic Director Andrea García; Assistant Provost and Executive Director of the Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center Joseph Scardapane; Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Services David Foulk; Associate Professor of Literacy Studies Alan D. Flurkey; and Associate Professor of Literacy Studies and Chair Debra Goodman.

To receive information on future Saltzman Center Breakfast Seminars, please send an e-mail to Elizabeth.Connolly@ hofstra.edu. Subjects vary among the research areas of the various clinics and institutes within the Saltzman Community Services Center.

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