| This position paper combines research and anecdotal evidence to explore the topic of language acquisition of deaf children and the crucial role of parents in the process. While it is natural for parents to expect that they will communicate with their young children using the same strategies that their parents used with them, this assumption can cause frustration for hearing parents and their deaf children. Many deaf children cannot understand speech well enough to acquire language, and hearing parents are not usually proficient in a visually accessible mode of communication. Without the opportunity to communicate with their parents, deaf children will have limited early language exposure. The cumulative lag in vocabulary and world knowledge will likely affect their subsequent academic performance. Examples are presented of communication strategies used by deaf adults with deaf children, language development activities for hearing parents of deaf children and examples of opportunities for collaboration between State agencies, families, and the Deaf community. |
