Abstract
Early peer relationships and interactions influence social acceptance and a child’s ability to form social relationships later in life (Ladd 2005). Although it has been reported that some children with profound hearing loss who have experienced the oral approach since diagnosis display language skills similar to children with typical hearing (DeLuzio and Girolametto 2011), many may still be excluded socially and have subtle communication differences that impact friendships. More information is needed about how differences and similarities are manifested in young children with hearing loss. This investigation observed the frequency of three social communicative behaviors displayed by eight preschoolers with and without hearing loss as they played in dyads during unstructured table activities. The results revealed that the children with hearing loss produced about a quarter as many initiated verbal comments; however, they engaged in more verbal and play turns than their playmates with typical hearing. Implications for teaching young children with hearing loss in inclusive preschool settings are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Accardo, P. J., & Whitman, B. Y. (Eds.). (2011). Dictionary of developmental disabilities terminology. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Antia, S. D., Kreimeyer, K. H., & Eldredge, N. (1993). Promoting social interaction between young children with hearing loss and their peers. Exceptional Children, 60(3), 262–275.
Antia, S., & Stinson, M. (1999). Some conclusions on the education of deal and hard of hearing students in inclusive settings. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 4(3), 246–248.
Bat-Chava, Y., & Deignan, E. (2001). Peer relationships of children with cochlear implants. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 6(3), 186–199. doi:10.1093/deafed/6.3.186.
Brinker, R., & Thorpe, M. (1986). Features of integrated educational ecologies that predict social behavior among severely mentally retarded and nonretarded students. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 91(2), 150–159.
Brown, P., Bortoli, A., Remine, M., & Othman, B. (2008). Social engagement, attention and competence of preschoolers with hearing loss. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 8(1), 19–26.
Bryan, L., & Gast, D. (2000). Teaching on-task and on-schedule behaviors to high-functioning children with autism via picture activity schedules. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(6), 553–567.
Craig-Unkeger, L. A., & Kaiser, A. P. (2002). Improving the social communication skills of at-risk preschool children in a play context. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 22(1), 3–13. doi:10.1177/027112140203300101.
DeLuzio, J., & Girolametto, L. (2011). Peer interactions of preschool children with and without hearing loss. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 54, 1197–1210. doi:10.1044/1094-4388(2010/10-0099.
Duncan, J. (1999). Conversational skills of children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing in an integrated setting. The Volta Review, 101, 193–211.
Dunn, L., & Dunn, L. (1997). Peabody picture vocabulary test (3rd ed., PPVT-III). Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Fey, M. E. (1986). Language intervention with young children. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Hadley, P. A., & Rice, M. L. (1991). Conversational responsiveness of speech- and language-impaired preschoolers. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 34, 1308–1317.
Halliday, M. (1975). Learning how to mean: Exploration in the development of language. London: Edward Arnold.
Inscoe, J. R., Odell, A., Archbold, S., & Nikolopoulos, T. (2009). Expressive spoken language development in deaf children with cochlear implants who are beginning formal education. Deafness & Education International, 11(1), 39–55. doi:10.1002/dei.252.
Katz, L., & Schery, T. K. (2006). Including children with hearing loss in early childhood programs. Education of Young Children, 61(1), 86–95.
Kretschmer, R. R., Jr. (1997). Issues in the development of school and interpersonal discourse for children who have hearing loss. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 28(4), 374–383.
Ladd, G. W. (2005). Children’s peer relations and social competence. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Lederberg, A. (1991). Social interaction among deaf preschoolers. American Annals of the Deaf, 136, 53–59.
Lloyd, J., Lieven, E., & Arnold, P. (2005). The oral referential communication skills of hearing-impaired children. Deafness & Education International, 7(1), 22–42.
O’Neill, R., McDonnell, J., Billingsley, F., & Jenson, W. (2011). Single case research designs in educational and community settings. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Peterson, C. C. (2004). Theory-of mind development in oral deaf children with cochlear implants or conventional hearing aids. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(6), 1096–1106.
Preisler, G., Tvingstedt, A., & Ahlstrom, M. (2002). Psychosocial follow-up study of deaf preschool children using cochlear implants. Child: Care, Health, and Development, 28, 403–418.
Raver, S. A., Bobzien, J., Richels, C., Hester, P., Michalek, A., & Anthony, N. (2012). Effects of parallel talk on the language and interactional skills of preschoolers with cochlear implants and hearing aids. Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal, 3(1), 530–538.
Remine, M., Brown, P., & Rickards, F. (1996). Social pretend play entry behavior of preschoolers with and without impaired hearing. Journal of Early Intervention, 20(1), 52–83.
Rice, M. L., Sell, M. A., & Hadley, P. A. (1991). Social interactions of speech and language-impaired children. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 34, 1299–1307.
Robertson, S. B., & Weismer, S. E. (1997). The influence of peer models on the play scripts of children with specific language impairment. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 40(1), 49–61.
Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M. L., Smith, B., & McLean, M. (2005). DEC recommended practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application in early intervention/early childhood special education. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
Spencer, P., Koester, L., & Meadow-Orlans, K. (1994). Communicative interactions of deaf and hearing children in a day care center: An exploratory study. American Annals of the Deaf, 139, 512–518.
Stinson, M., & Whitmire, K. (1992). Students’ views of their social relationship. In T. N. Kluwin, D. F. Moores, & M. G. Gaustad (Eds.), Toward effective public school programs for deaf students (pp. 149–174). New York: Teachers College Press.
Toe, D. M., & Paatsch, L. E. (2010). The communication skills used by deaf children and their hearing peers in a question-and-answer game context. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 15(3), 228–241. doi:10.1093/deafed/enq006.
Weisel, A., Most, T., & Efron, C. (2005). Initiations of social interactions by young hearing impaired preschoolers. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 10(2), 161–170. doi:10.1093/deafed/emo016.
Zimmerman, I. L., Steiner, V. G., & Pond, R. E. (2002). Preschool language scale (4th ed.). San Antonio, TX: Pearson.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bobzien, J., Richels, C., Raver, S.A. et al. An Observational Study of Social Communication Skills in Eight Preschoolers with and Without Hearing Loss During Cooperative Play. Early Childhood Educ J 41, 339–346 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0561-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-012-0561-6