Is there a “theory” Has the “theory” been

provenHow do you use it to

improve practice?Christine Yoshinaga-Itano

University of Colorado, Boulder

Is there a “theory”?There is a sensitive period for

acquisition of language and communication Earlier access to language and

communication Sensitive period means that the

probability of success decreases significantly after that time, but it is not impossible

Sensitive Periods of DevelopmentSensitive period means that the acquisition of language is more natural, more automatic, and requires less structured intervention techniques

Earlier access benefits language learning through all modes of communication and for all aspects of language: semantics, syntax, pragmatics, phonology

“Earlier is better”For all modes of communicationFor all aspects of communicationFor all socio-economic levelsFor children with hearing loss onlyFor children with multiple disabilities

Language/Communication development should be commensurate with cognitive abilityDeaf and hard-of-hearing children

haave the right and the potential to develop communication skills at the level of their intellectual potential measured most commonly through non-verbal cognitive development

We should not be satisfied with “gaps” between cognitive/intellectual potential and communication development

Non-verbal symbolic play (birth through about six) is highly related to semantic language learning and social-emotional developmentEspecially for multiply disabled children, enhancing

symbolic play development has complementary advantages in language development

For later-identified childrenFor non-English speaking children

Auditory development, speech development and language development are highly related to syntax developmentAuditory development should be a focus option for

the first six years of lifeSpeech development is predominantly established in

the first five years of life and is highly related to degree of hearing loss and amplification benefit

Sensitive period for speech and auditory development primarily within the first five years of life.

Sensitive period for basic syntax skills are three to 7-8 years

Even when semantic language is strong, students still struggle with pragmatic language development and higher level language skillsThere are no standardized tests that assess

these higher level language skills

Different strategies work for different childrenDeaf/HH only, Multiply disabled, non-English

speaking, by age, by degree of hearing loss, by mode of communication etc.

Different strategies are appropriate for different ages

Different strategies work for different outcomes: vocabulary, syntax, speech, spoken language, literacy, written language, social-emotional, etc.

Different goals are appropriate for different agesInfancy: Parent-child interaction (bonding,

social-emotional, language interaction skills) (newborn)

Access to normal language development (oral and/or signed)

End of first year – second year – Semantic foundation

Middle second through 5-6 years – Syntax/morphology, continued semantics

3-6 – Simultaneous emphasis on pragmatics3-6 Refining phonology

School-ageAge appropriate semantics – expansion of

language concepts – schema development – semantic networking – organization of semantic memory structures

Conversational syntax established by 5 years of age

Higher level embedding – syntax to 7-8 yearsSyntax development – in written languagePragmatics/Semantics/Cognitive development

- intertwined

Funded researchers are often not teachers, educators, intervention providers who have worked in educational settings with deaf or hard-of-hearing students – psychologists, physicists, biologists, physicians, rarely teachers

Funded research like random assignment to intervention-Simple focused designs - ignore interactions across domains - i.e. study audition without language, study language without social-emotional or cognition…..

Most researchers are not knowledgeable with systems, are not teachers, prefer to study children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing without additional issues, such as multiple disabilities, non-English speaking environments, socio-economic issues

Contact InformationChristine Yoshinaga-Itano, Ph.D.University of Colorado, BoulderCampus Box 409Boulder, Colorado 80309-0409Email: Christie.Yoshi@colorado.eduPhone: 303 492-3050FAX: 303 492-3274