Allyn & Bacon

Deaf Studies & Deaf Education



Language Learning in Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Multiple Pathways
Susan R. Easterbrooks, Georgia State University
Sharon Baker, University of Tulsa

ISBN-10: 0205331009
ISBN-13: 9780205331000

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon
Copyright: 2002
Format: Cloth; 288 pp
Published: 09/18/2001

Suggested retail price: $99.00
Buy from myPearsonStore

Language Learning in Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing looks at the acquisition of language by children with hearing losses and proposes multiple pathways by which students can acquire a practical system of communication.

Recent advances in the education of students who are deaf and hard of hearing have brought new insights into imparting the ability to communicate to this population. This book addresses the language development process from multiple perspectives, drawing on the latest research in bilingual-biculturalism, cochlear implant technology and neuroscience. The text presents a unique view of language development, proposing that there are multiple pathways to the acquisition of a system of communication and providing a departure from traditional proprietary perspectives.

This text begins with a historical overview of language development in students who are deaf and hard of hearing and follows with a review of current literature on the subject. The multiple pathways perspective is described, introducing real students with hearing losses as points of departure for application. These same students provide examples for the chapters on assessment and instruction. The book ends with an in-depth meta-linguistic overview of the two languages which teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing must master: English and American Sign Language.

  • Case Vignettes provide a direct application of theory and a linkage among concepts.
  • Pragmatic focus places language learning issues squarely within the pragmatic domain (Chs. 5 & 6).
  • Perspective on conversational and questioning skills provides a unique framework for developing language as a communication tool rather than a fixed set of skills (Ch. 6).
  • The ASL-English Meta-Linguistic Comparison allows students to see similarities and differences between the two languages (Ch. 7).
  • Web address links to sites that demonstrate application of concepts in the chapter (Ch. 5).

Each chapter concludes with a "Summary" and "Questions for Critical Thinking."

Introduction and Preface.


Dedication.


Table of Contents.


1. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION OF CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.

Language issues within the context of history.

Language issues within the context of instruction.

Language issues within the context of technology.

Language issues within the contexts of culture.

Language issues within the context of the law.



2. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.

The nature of language.

The elements of language: form, content, and use.

Theories of language development.

Principles of language instruction.

Stages of language development.

The critical period for first language acquisition.

Factors that contribute to language acquisition.

The influence of bilingualism on deaf education.

Hard of hearing children.



3. MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO LANGUAGE LEARNING.

How children learn language.

Where students are taught.

Heterogeneity of the population.



4. ASSESSMENT OF LANGUAGE.

Standards for assessment.

Why do we assess?

Types of tests and test scores.

Issues in assessment of deaf and hard of hearing students.

Formal and informal measures of language.

Evaluators and students.

Choosing a battery of tests and other assessment procedures.

Language development versus language disorders.

Chapter appendix a.

Chapter appendix b.



5. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE.

Pragmatic Intent: the heart and soul of language learning.

Language acquisition in students who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Language learning principles.

Language instructional approaches, practices and technique.

Considering the needs of the individual.

Planning language instruction.



6. ANSWERING AND ASKING QUESTIONS: KEYS TO CONVERSATION.

The relationship between questioning and conversation.

The Johnson conversational model.

Promoting conversation and questioning skills.

Question forms in English.

Question formation in ASL.

The elephant in the living room.



7. ENGLISH AND ASL GRAMMAR.

Orientation to English language structure.

Orientation to the components of ASL.

An examination of nouns, noun phrases, and nominalized forms of English.

Noun issues in ASL.

An examination of verbs, verb phrases, and the auxiliary system of English.

Verbs in ASL.

An examination of English adjectives, adjective phrases, and advanced adjectival forms.

Adjective issues in ASL.

An examination of English adverbs, adverb phrases, and advanced adverb forms.

Adverb issues in ASL.

An examination of the negation system of English.

Negation issues in ASL.



References.


Index.

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, contact your Pearson Higher Education representative for pricing and ordering information.

Pearson Higher Education offers special pricing when you choose to package your text with other student resources. If you're interested in creating a cost-saving package for your students, browse our available packages below, or contact your Pearson Higher Education representative to create your own package.



Copyright ©2008 Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Permissions