Language development
Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may develop language faster or slower depending on many factors, including communication method, age which amplification began or they began therapy, home environment, other possible sensory, motor or learning difficulties, and many additional factors.
People develop new language every day. The fastest rate of development of language is between birth and age 3, though some studies say between birth and age 5. It is essential for parents and individuals to speak to and interact with children, whether they do or do not have special needs. Nursery rhymes, singing, playing with toys, using baby signs are all fun ways for a young child to learn new language skills. It is necessary for the child to be surrounded by language both in school and in the home. It is possible for children to gain language skills after these early years, but it may be more difficult for them to gain.
It is essential that students be engulfed in a language rich environment in all aspects of life. Children pick up things very quickly that they notice through their senses - particular those of hearing and speech. For instance, humans do not typically place every child in a class on learning how to speak - children learn language and communication through osmosis from the individuals around them. Some children may require additional assistance in their comprehension of language, but the majority absorb the language through their interactions with others.
In the school, a language rich environment can be easily created by encouraging students to write, read, listen to texts read aloud, discuss, playi word games such as Scrabble, use sensory tools to increase language fluency and many other interesting activities other than worksheets. Worksheets can be helpful sometimes, but should not be used exclusively. The pdf file below offers many different ideas for teachers to implement in their classrooms to create a diverse language environment to maximize student learning.
People develop new language every day. The fastest rate of development of language is between birth and age 3, though some studies say between birth and age 5. It is essential for parents and individuals to speak to and interact with children, whether they do or do not have special needs. Nursery rhymes, singing, playing with toys, using baby signs are all fun ways for a young child to learn new language skills. It is necessary for the child to be surrounded by language both in school and in the home. It is possible for children to gain language skills after these early years, but it may be more difficult for them to gain.
It is essential that students be engulfed in a language rich environment in all aspects of life. Children pick up things very quickly that they notice through their senses - particular those of hearing and speech. For instance, humans do not typically place every child in a class on learning how to speak - children learn language and communication through osmosis from the individuals around them. Some children may require additional assistance in their comprehension of language, but the majority absorb the language through their interactions with others.
In the school, a language rich environment can be easily created by encouraging students to write, read, listen to texts read aloud, discuss, playi word games such as Scrabble, use sensory tools to increase language fluency and many other interesting activities other than worksheets. Worksheets can be helpful sometimes, but should not be used exclusively. The pdf file below offers many different ideas for teachers to implement in their classrooms to create a diverse language environment to maximize student learning.
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literacy.pdf | |
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Studies have shown that after a long period of introduction to fluent language, deaf and hard-of-hearing children show a positive model of cognitive functioning. If a DHH student is placed in a residential environment for long time period, he/she will most likely show an increase in cognitive functioning.
Studies have also shown that individuals who communicate exclusively in ASL may have more difficulty communicating in English, because of the differences between the languages. They would have to understand and be fluent in two languages at once. ASL has a language structure different than English - for instance ASL places the adjective behind the noun, which is not necessarily always done in English. Some students use previously knowledge in ASL and translate this into the English counterpart. Some important parts of the English language are reading, phonemic awareness, phonics and comprehension, among other things. Because ASL does not have a written format, student may have weaknesses in these necessities of the English language.
* It should be noted that individuals do not have to be fluent in both ASL (or other manual communication) and English in order to function. It is possible to live a full life only using ASL (or other manual communication), a verbal communication method, OR English.