Write On!: How to Provide Authentic Writing Experiences to Bilingual Students

Course Number: ABIO2612

When: Available April 29, 2026 – April 29, 2030

Where: Available under “Course Content” at the bottom of this page.

Description: This session explores authentic writing development in school-aged children and young adults, with a focus on bilingual learners. Topics include translanguaging, spelling, and literacy development, along with practical strategies for SLPs, educators, and caregivers to support language, writing skills, and academic success across settings.

Who This Course Is Good For:

Any ASHA member, CCC holder, or other professional that is licensed or credentialed to practice speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology or preparing to earn ASHA CEUs.
A professional who works with school-age and young adult clients.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) who works clients that have more than one language spoken at home.
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) who wants to learn how to support writing skills in the bilingual population.

Who This Course Isn’t Good For:

Professionals not working with school-aged children, young adults, or bilingual populations.
Learners seeking a course focused solely on speech sound disorders or articulation therapy.
Clinicians looking for highly specialized or advanced intervention protocols specific to a single writing program.
Individuals uninterested in bilingual language development, translanguaging, or literacy-based approaches.

Presenters:

Venita Litvack, M.A, CCC-SLP

Venita is a licensed speech-language pathologist based in South Florida. She is the owner of a private practice specializing in early intervention, AAC, and autism, and is passionate about using AAC and literacy to support individuals with complex communication needs. Venita has presented on AAC-related topics at ASHA, co-presented multiple ASHA CEU courses, and co-authored articles in the ASHA Leader, as well as the Lou Knows What to Do book series published by Boys Town Press. She is the host of the Speechie Side Up podcast, part of the Tassel Learning Network, and serves as a Continuing Education Content Consultant for Tassel, supporting course development for professionals. Venita is also a doctoral student at Northwestern University, where she focuses on the science of teaching and learning.

Robin Danzak, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Dr. Robin Danzak is an Associate Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Emerson College, specializing in language and literacy. Her research focuses on the bilingual writing of adolescents and adults, examining connections among language, culture, and identity. Dr. Danzak lived in Chile for five years, where she completed an MA in Spanish Linguistics and, more recently, spent a semester in Italy as a Fulbright scholar. In teaching, she is passionate about community-engaged learning, both locally and globally. Outside of work, she spends her time trail running, hiking, and exploring Boston.

Disclosure Statements

Venita Litvack has the following relevant relationships to disclose: ownership interest in Speechie Side Up, LLC and Tassel Learning, LLC; royalties from the Lou Knows What to Do book series. She is a member of the ASHA Special Interest Group 12.

Dr. Robin Danzak has the following relevant financial relationships to disclose: salaried employee at Emerson College.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of this activity, participants will:

Describe the importance of authentic writing and the writing process for school-age kids and teens.
Define ‘translanguaging’ and how it relates to bilingual writing.
Explain the role of spelling in writing.
Identify 3 ways parents, teachers, and clinicians can support bilingual writers.

Agenda

10 min	Introductions and Backgrounds
15 min	Description of ‘translanguaging’ and how it relates to bilingual writing
10 min	Discussion of the connections among language, culture, and identity
10 min	Description of the role of spelling in writing
15 min	Discussion of how parents, teachers, and clinicians can support bilingual writers