17th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 18-20, 2018 • Denver, CO
| From “Communication Mode” to “Language Access Profile” in Working with DHH Children
From “Communication Mode” to “Language Access Profile” in Working with DHH Children
Attaining proficiency in language (signed and/or spoken) is crucial for all DHH children, and a core EHDI priority. Language proficiency depends largely on language input: after all, no child will master a language without sufficient input. Many DHH children have unusually complex experiences with language input, particularly during the first 3 years of life; unfortunately, traditional notions of “communication mode” fail to capture crucial aspects of this complexity. In addition, there are currently no standard methods for describing an individual DHH child’s experience with language input, which creates challenges for EHDI providers and families alike.
Part 1 of this presentation highlights the practical value of having a consistent, research-based method for describing a child’s cumulative experience with language input during particular periods (e.g. birth to 3). Part 2 identifies several shortcomings of relying on the notion of “communication mode” (e.g., the lack of a consistent operational definition, the assumption that each child has exactly one communication mode, not capturing the time spent without access to any input, etc.). Part 3 introduces the notion of “language access profile”: a conceptual framework that avoids the shortcomings of communication mode. Part 4 presents an empirical approach to estimating a child’s language access profile, using methods adapted from research with hearing multilingual children (De Anda et al., 2016). Our study involved structured interviews with parents of DHH children (n=76 to date, ages 8 months –12 years) from around the country. Each interview reveals a child’s individualized language access profile during infancy/toddlerhood. For research purposes, we can also identify groups of children with similar profiles (via hierarchical cluster analysis) as an alternative to communication mode.
Though preliminary, our results suggest that this is a promising approach with strong potential for use in diverse contexts, including early intervention, education, clinical care, and research.
- Distinguish between language proficiency, language exposure, and language access
- Understand the shortcomings of “communication mode” as a construct
- Understand how using “language access profiles” can help across clinical, educational, and research settings
Presentation:
15805_7797MattHall.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Matthew Hall
(), Temple University, matthall@temple.edu;
The overarching goal of Matt Hall’s research program is to maximize all d/Deaf children’s developmental potential. As an assistant professor of Communication Sciences & Disorders at Temple University, he applies knowledge from cognitive/developmental psychology and linguistics to questions that concern DHH children, their families, the professionals who serve them, and other stakeholders. He is particularly concerned with the paucity of evidence regarding language acquisition and psychological development in DHH children whose hearing parents have chosen to include ASL as part of their child’s access to language. In his reading of the literature, strong and contradictory claims have been made without sufficient empirical support. He is therefore committed to increasing the quality of the empirical evidence so that clinicians and families can make better-informed decisions.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Stephanie De Anda
(), University of Oregon, sdeanda@uoregon.edu;
Stephanie De Anda, Ph.D. CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor in Communication Disorders and Sciences at the University of Oregon. Her research interests include understanding language acquisition in typically and atypically developing multilinguals. As a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, she strives to bridge research and clinical practice. Toward this end, her research questions are motivated by the need to provide a rich and strong evidence base from which clinicians, educators, and researchers can continue to serve families and their children.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.