A considerable body of evidence obtained from studies of children who are deaf and who use cochlear implants has been useful in guiding practices that lead to higher levels of English language proficiency and age-appropriate literacy. Both (a) research conducted at implant centers and (b) educational programs with significant numbers of children who use cochlear implants have provided evidence that is useful when making decisions regarding best practices. For the most part, practices that emphasize auditory-based spoken language development have been shown to be highly effective in changing outcomes according to published data for children whose lives are affected by childhood deafness.