Reading to children who have hearing loss is just as important for overall growth and development as it is for children who have normal hearing. As you are reading to your child, you are helping them develop reading comprehension, visual/tracking skills, expressive and receptive language and vocabulary skills. Below are some principles to use with children who have hearing loss, whether they use sign language or assistive listening devices.
Helping your child love books
You’ll find sharing books together is a great way to bond with your son or daughter and help your child’s development at the same time. Give your child a great gift that will last for life — the love of books.
Hearing loss ranges from partial to total deafness. Some children can hear better with a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or FM system. Others cannot. Hearing loss may last only a short time, or it may never go away. Some children are born with hearing loss. Others develop it later in life. These factors affect the challenges your child will face in learning to read.
15 Principles for Reading to Deaf (DHH) Children
(who use ASL)
Reading at home and at school has immense benefits for all children. Schleper (1997) outlines 15 principles for adults to use when reading to deaf and hard of hearing children. These suggestions come from research based on what deaf parents do when reading to their deaf and hard of hearing children. The deaf parents will:
- Translate stories using American Sign Language: Focus on concepts and use lots of fingerspelling.
- Keep both languages (ASL and English) visible: Make sure children see both the signing and the words and pictures.
- Elaborate on the text: Add explanations about the text to make it more understandable.
- Reread stories on a “story telling” to a “story reading” continuum: The first few times, make sure the student understands the story. Then, slowly, focus more and more on the text.
- Follow the child’s lead: What does the child want to read? What if the child wants to read just one part of a book, then move to another? Follow the child.
- Make what is implied explicit: Make the hidden meaning clear.
- Adjust sign placement to fit the story: Sometimes sign on the page. Sometimes sign on the child. And sometimes sign in the usual place.
- Adjust the signing style to fit the story: Be dramatic. Play with the signs and exaggerate facial expressions to show different characters.
- Connect concepts in the story to the real world: Relate the characters to real events.
- Use attention maintenance strategies: Tap lightly on your child’s shoulder, or give a gentle nudge to keep their attention.
- Use eye gaze to elicit participation: Look at the child while reading.
- Engage in role playing to extend concepts: Act out the story after you have read it.
- Use ASL variations to sign repetitive English phrases: If you are using the same phrase over and over, vary the signs.
- Provide a positive and reinforcing environment: Encourage the child to share ideas about the story and support the child’s ideas.
- Expect the child to become literate: Believe in the child’s success and read, read, read!
age-appropriate reading time suggestions for parents
Each time you read to your child, you are helping her brain to develop. So read to your child every day. Choose books that you think your child will enjoy. Books that rhyme or repeat the same sound are good for helping your child learn the sounds letters and words make.
Since younger children have short attention spans, try reading for a few minutes at a time at first. Then build up the time you read together. Your child will soon see reading time as fun time!
Here are some things you can try:
- Read the same story again and again. This will help your child catch words he may have missed before. Explain the story as needed.
- Make sure your child can see your face and the pictures. This will help your child follow the story, even if he doesn’t catch all the words.
- Have your child turn pages, touch the pictures, and lift the flaps.
When you read to your child often and combine reading time with cuddle and play time, your child will link books with fun times together. So continue to read to your child every day. Choose books that you think your child will enjoy and look fun for you to read.
Here are some things you can try:
- Read the same story again and again. This will help your child catch words he may have missed before. Explain the story as needed.
- Make sure your child can see your face and the pictures. This will help your child follow the story, even if he doesn’t catch all the words.
- Use stuffed animals to act out the story.
Conclusion: Take the time to read to your child everyday! Make it part of your routine by following some of the principles, ideas and strategies listed above. But most importantly, have fun!
Books to help children and parents learn more about hearing loss
- Jordan Has A Hearing Loss, by Jillian Powell (Ages 4–8)
- Taking Hearing Impairment to School, by Elaine Ernst Schneider (Ages 5–10)
- A Button in Her Ear, by Ada B. Litchfield (Ages 5–10)
- Can You Hear a Rainbow? The Story of a Deaf Boy Named Chris, by Nicola Simmonds (Ages 4–8)
- I Have a Sister — My Sister Is Deaf, by Jamie Riggio Heelan (Ages 4–8)
- Choices in Deafness: A Parents’ Guide to Communication Options, by Sue Schwartz
- Language and Literacy Development in Children Who Are Deaf, by Barbara Schirmer
- Literacy and Your Deaf Child: What Every Parent Should Know, by David Stewart and Bryan Clarke
- Literacy Learning for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, by Lyn Robertson and Carol Flexer
- When Your Child is Deaf: A Guide for Parents, by David Luterman
