Language Development in Deaf Children

2019 ◽  
pp. 338-368
Author(s):  
Aaron J. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Signed Language ◽  
Deaf Parents

Hearing loss affects over 1 billion people around the world and is the fifth leading cause of disability. In the United States, approximately 10,000 babies are born each year with significant hearing loss. Although assistive technologies such as cochlear implants (CIs) are available to restore hearing, deaf children who receive CIs on average show significantly poorer language skills and academic outcomes than their normally hearing peers. At the same time, a relatively small percentage of deaf children are born to deaf parents and learn sign language as their first language, and grow up to be excellent, fluent communicators who are bilingual in signed and spoken language. Historically, there has been significant tension between advocates of sign language and “oralists” who discouraged sign language use. This chapter provides a critical review of language development in deaf children, including those with CIs and those exposed to different kinds, and amounts, of signed language. The linguistic and educational outcomes of deaf children are considered in light of current understanding of neurodevelopment, sensitive periods, and neuroplasticity, while highlighting areas of controversy and important directions for future research. The chapter concludes with evidence-based recommendations in favor of sign language exposure for all deaf children.

Language Development and Deaf Children

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Marschark ◽  
Harry G. Lang ◽  
John A. Albertini
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spoken Language ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
University Center ◽  
Language Modality ◽  
Hearing Children

To understand the complex relations between language and learning, we have to look at both how children learn language and what it is that they learn that allows them to communicate with others. To accomplish this, we need to distinguish between apparent differences in language that are related to the modality of communication and actual differences in language fluencies observed among deaf children. It also will help to examine some relevant differences between deaf children and hearing children. We have already pointed out that the distinction between spoken language and sign language, while a theoretically important one for researchers, is an oversimplification for most practical purposes. It is rare that deaf children are exposed only to spoken language or sign language, even if that is the intention of their parents or teachers. According to 1999 data, approximately 55 percent of deaf children in the United States are formally educated in programs that report either using sign language exclusively (just over 5 percent) or signed and spoken language together (just over 49 percent) (Gallaudet University, Center for Applied Demographic Statistics). Because almost half of all deaf children in the United States are missed in such surveys, however, these numbers only should be taken as approximate. Comparisons of the language abilities of deaf children who primarily use sign language with those who primarily use spoken language represent one of the most popular and potentially informative areas in research relating to language development and academic success. Unfortunately, this area is also one of the most complex. Educational programs emphasizing spoken or sign language often have different educational philosophies and curricula as well as different communication philosophies. Programs may only admit children with particular histories of early intervention, and parents will be drawn to different programs for a variety of reasons. Differences observed between children from any two programs thus might be the result of a number of variables rather than, or in addition to, language modality per se. Even when deaf children are educated in spoken language environments, they often develop systems of gestural communication with their parents (Greenberg et al., 1984).

scholarly journals The value of interaction in the acquisition of a sign language

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 769-798
Author(s):  
Elidéa Lúcia Almeida Bernardino
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Deaf Child ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Communicative Interaction ◽  
Hearing Parents ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
Deaf Parents ◽  
Brazilian Sign Language ◽  
First Contact

The acquisition of a sign language as a first language is a subject that is also of interest to researchers from many fields of study. This acquisition is significant for both deaf children of deaf parents as well as those of hearing parents, who consequently have late access to a language like Brazilian Sign language (Libras). The present study describes a test conducted with a pair of deaf twins who have hearing parents and who had their first contact with Libras at 5 years of age. However, upon being tested less than three years later, the twins showed a performance in Libras that was comparable to a deaf child of deaf parents. Although inconclusive, this study seeks to show the value of a continuous interlocutor, together with a genuine communicative interaction beginning from childhood, as commonly occurs with deaf twins, in the acquisition of a sign language.

Discussion of Issues Related to Score Use and Interpretation of First Spoken and Signed Language Assessments

2021 ◽  
pp. 75-84
Author(s):  
Patrick Boudreault ◽  
Bernard Camilleri ◽  
Charlotte Enns
Keyword(s):  
Normative Data ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
First Language ◽  
Standardized Assessments ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Target Populations ◽  
Signed Language ◽  
Heterogenous Group ◽  
Language Assessments ◽  
The Difference

A standardized assessment of spoken languages will collect data from native, monolingual speakers, thus establishing the range of receptive and/or expressive abilities of children across different ages. Similarly, normative data for standardized assessments of signed language are established by collecting data from native signing deaf children. Where the difference arises is the way in which the normative data relate to the target populations and the individuals within those populations who are being assessed. While standardized assessments of spoken language are normed on and predominantly intended for use with native speakers of that language, standardized assessments of signed language are intrinsically designed for use with a heterogenous group of children, of whom only a minority have the opportunity of learning signed language as their native language. In this chapter, key items related to score use and interpretation in first language (L1) assessment that were presented in Chapters 2.1 and 2.2 will be jointly discussed by the authors.

Multimedia Dictionary and Synthesis of Sign Language

2011 ◽  
pp. 268-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franc Solina ◽  
Slavko Krapez ◽  
Ales Jaklic ◽  
Vito Komac
Keyword(s):  
American Sign Language ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Deaf People ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Proper Nouns ◽  
Basic Meaning ◽  
The World

Deaf people, as a marginal community, may have severe problems in communicating with hearing people. Usually, they have a lot of problems even with such—for hearing people—simple tasks as understanding the written language. However, deaf people are very skilled in using a sign language, which is their native language. A sign language is a set of signs or hand gestures. A gesture in a sign language equals a word in a written language. Similarly, a sentence in a written language equals a sequence of gestures in a sign language. In the distant past deaf people were discriminated and believed to be incapable of learning and thinking independently. Only after the year 1500 were the first attempts made to educate deaf children. An important breakthrough was the realization that hearing is not a prerequisite for understanding ideas. One of the most important early educators of the deaf and the first promoter of sign language was Charles Michel De L’Epée (1712-1789) in France. He founded the fist public school for deaf people. His teachings about sign language quickly spread all over the world. Like spoken languages, different sign languages and dialects evolved around the world. According to the National Association of the Deaf, the American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most frequently used language in the United States, after English and Spanish. ASL has more than 4,400 distinct signs. The Slovenian sign language (SSL), which is used in Slovenia and also serves as a case study sign language in this chapter, contains approximately 4,000 different gestures for common words. Signs require one or both hands for signing. Facial expressions which accompany signing are also important since they can modify the basic meaning of a hand gesture. To communicate proper nouns and obscure words, sign languages employ finger spelling. Since the majority of signing is with full words, signed conversation can proceed with the same pace as spoken conversation.

Section III

2001 ◽  
Vol 4 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 253-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trude Schermer ◽  
David Brien ◽  
Mary Brennan
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Commercial Application ◽  
End User ◽  
British English ◽  
Cd Rom ◽  
Signed Language ◽  
Additional Funding ◽  
Bright Side

In this paper we wish to describe a joint British/Dutch project that was funded by the European Community under the TIDE programme. The main objective of the project Signbase has been to build a sign language database, which can be used to store linguistic information about a particular sign language. This repository then can be used to generate different types of signed language applications. The project commenced in March 1994 and ended in December 1996. The consortium consisted of people from three different places: the Deaf Studies Research Unit in Durham, UK (DSRU), the Dutch Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child (NSDSK) in Amsterdam and Bright Side of Life computer consultancy (BSL) in Maarssen. In this paper we discuss the linguistic specifications of Signbase, and then we describe the prototype of two end-user applications (CD-ROM British/English Dictionary and the Educational CD-ROM Nature and Environment) and a commercial application which has been developed during the Signbase project with additional funding (CD-ROM SLN/ Dutch Dictionary for parents and teachers deaf children).

scholarly journals The impact of input quality on early sign development in native and non-native language learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENNY LU ◽  
ANNA JONES ◽  
GARY MORGAN
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Early Sign ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Hearing Parents ◽  
Deaf Parents ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThere is debate about how input variation influences child language. Most deaf children are exposed to a sign language from their non-fluent hearing parents and experience a delay in exposure to accessible language. A small number of children receive language input from their deaf parents who are fluent signers. Thus it is possible to document the impact of quality of input on early sign acquisition. The current study explores the outcomes of differential input in two groups of children aged two to five years: deaf children of hearing parents (DCHP) and deaf children of deaf parents (DCDP). Analysis of child sign language revealed DCDP had a more developed vocabulary and more phonological handshape types compared with DCHP. In naturalistic conversations deaf parents used more sign tokens and more phonological types than hearing parents. Results are discussed in terms of the effects of early input on subsequent language abilities.

scholarly journals Bariery i przykłady wsparcia w procesie edukacji w środowisku osób z wadami słuchu

1970 ◽  
pp. 247-261
Author(s):  
Beata Iwanicka
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
First Language ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Academic Texts ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Limited Opportunity

The article presents the problems of deaf and hard of hearing people in education. This topic is widely analyzed. The text describes the difficulties experienced by students at school, at various stages of learning, and the barriers experienced by deaf and hard of hearing students at higher education levels. In general, the hearing deficit entails various communication complications. The person with hearing impairment has a limited opportunity to have different experiences and what is most important in the text – hearing loss or deafness often makes it impossible to gain an optimal education. There are different methods of educating people from the non-hearing environment, depending on the degree of hearing impairment. Hearing impaired student often has difficulty understanding Polish, as it is not always their first language (their first language may be the Polish sign language). Hearing impaired students sometimes don’t understand academic texts because they have weaker poorer vocabulary due to their communication dysfunction. Another issue is the social isolation of many people with hearing impairments which often have a dilemma which environment to integrate with – with hearing or hearing impaired? Teaching staff approaches such people in different ways. Stereotypes do not help in educational progress (for example, the assumption that such students communicate only in sign language). It is important to be aware of the types of hearing loss and the different types of hearing (each hearing impaired hears differently and needs an individual approach). Finally, the article discusses the issue of education of people with hearing impairment from the category of “space”. Through “space” you can understand here the environment (school space, classes and associated architectural-acoustic barriers) as well as the language of the Deaf. The sign language is specifically designed for living space (some of the signatures must be shown in the specified movement and direction, depending on the intention of the sender).

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