Learning a Sign Language Does Not Hinder Acquisition of a Spoken Language

Autor/inn/en	Pontecorvo, Elana; Higgins, Michael; Mora, Joshua; Lieberman, Amy M.; Pyers, Jennie; Caselli, Naomi K.
Titel	Learning a Sign Language Does Not Hinder Acquisition of a Spoken Language
Quelle	In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66 (2023) 4, S.1291-1308 (18 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Pontecorvo, Elana)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1092-4388
Schlagwörter	American Sign Language; Speech Communication; Language Acquisition; Interference (Language); Bilingualism; Vocabulary Development; Young Children; English; Correlation; Deafness; Hearing Impairments; Second Language Learning; MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sprachaneignung; Spracherwerb; Bilingualismus; Wortschatzarbeit; Frühe Kindheit; English language; Englisch; Korrelation; Gehörlosigkeit; Taubstummheit; Hearing impairment; Hörbehinderung; Zweitsprachenerwerb
Abstract	Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether and how learning American Sign Language (ASL) is associated with spoken English skills in a sample of ASL-English bilingual deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children. Method: This cross-sectional study of vocabulary size included 56 DHH children between 8 and 60 months of age who were learning both ASL and spoken English and had hearing parents. English and ASL vocabulary were independently assessed via parent report checklists. Results: ASL vocabulary size positively correlated with spoken English vocabulary size. Spoken English vocabulary sizes in the ASL-English bilingual DHH children in the present sample were comparable to those in previous reports of monolingual DHH children who were learning only English. ASL-English bilingual DHH children had total vocabularies (combining ASL and English) that were equivalent to same-age hearing monolingual children. Children with large ASL vocabularies were more likely to have spoken English vocabularies in the average range based on norms for hearing monolingual children. Conclusions: Contrary to predictions often cited in the literature, acquisition of sign language does not harm spoken vocabulary acquisition. This retrospective, correlational study cannot determine whether there is a causal relationship between sign language and spoken language vocabulary acquisition, but if a causal relationship exists, the evidence here suggests that the effect would be positive. Bilingual DHH children have age-expected vocabularies when considering the entirety of their language skills. We found no evidence to support recommendations that families with DHH children avoid learning sign language. Rather, our findings show that children with early ASL exposure can develop age-appropriate vocabulary skills in both ASL and spoken English. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01