Language Acquisition by deaf children

Term Paper , 2011 , 17 Pages , Grade: 1,7

English Language and Literature Studies - Other

Language is the most important device in means of communication between human beings all over the world. We use it to ask something, to complain or explain and to tell what we think about things that come into our mind. But what if everything around you is silent? If you are deaf. You need to take advantage of one of your other organs, the eyes. Take advantage of facial expressions and gesticulation performed by others. In this term paper we have a look on language acquisition by deaf children in comparison with the acquisition by hearing children. First of all I will give information about deafness in general followed by an introduction to sign language. I will concentrate on American Sign Language (ASL) because of the small amount of information available about the other kinds of sign language. Within the comparison we need to differentiate between children growing up with hearing or deaf parents because of the impact the social environment has on language acquisition. This is also relevant to state because only 10% of the deaf children actually have deaf parents. Further I would like to introduce bilingualism in connection with deafness. In my conclusion I will state why studies on the subject of language acquisition by deaf children are important to understand language in his whole complexity.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Language Acquisition by Deaf children
  • Deafness
  • Sign Language
  • Language Acquisition by hearing children compared with deaf children
    • Deaf children with deaf parents
    • Deaf children with hearing parents
  • Bilingualism by deaf children
• Conclusion
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This term paper aims to explore the process of language acquisition in deaf children, comparing it to the acquisition process in hearing children. The paper delves into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by deaf children in acquiring language, considering factors such as the presence of deaf or hearing parents, and the role of sign language in their development.

• Deafness and its impact on language acquisition
• The role of sign language in deaf children's development
• Comparison of language acquisition in deaf children with hearing and deaf parents
• The concept of bilingualism in deaf children
• The importance of understanding language acquisition in deaf children for a comprehensive understanding of language development.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides a general overview of the importance of language in human communication and highlights the unique challenges faced by deaf individuals. It sets the stage for the paper's focus on language acquisition in deaf children, emphasizing the need to consider the impact of social environment and parental hearing status.

The chapter on deafness delves into the nature of hearing loss, its prevalence, and its potential impact on a child's development. It discusses the various causes of deafness, including genetic factors, infections, and premature birth. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of early detection and intervention for hearing loss, highlighting the benefits of speech therapy and sign language education.

The chapter on sign language explores the history and characteristics of sign language as a visual-manual language. It emphasizes that sign language is a complex and sophisticated language with its own grammatical rules and structure, comparable to spoken languages. The chapter also discusses the different varieties of sign language, including American Sign Language (ASL), Signed English, and Manual English, highlighting the unique features and significance of ASL.

The chapter on language acquisition in deaf children compares the language acquisition process in deaf children with hearing and deaf parents. It examines the influence of the social environment and parental hearing status on language development. The chapter also explores the concept of bilingualism in deaf children, considering the potential benefits and challenges of acquiring both sign language and spoken language.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include language acquisition, deaf children, sign language, American Sign Language (ASL), bilingualism, hearing loss, and the impact of social environment on language development. The paper explores the unique challenges and opportunities faced by deaf children in acquiring language, emphasizing the importance of understanding language development in its entirety.

• College: Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Anglistik/Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Kristina Coltzau (Author)
• Publication Year: 2011
• Pages: 17
• Catalog Number: V181038
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656042181
• ISBN (Book): 9783656042815
• Language: English
• Tags: language, acquisition