ERIC Number: EJ1231766
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1464-3154
EISSN: N/A
The Effectiveness of Using the "Colourful Semantics" Approach to Support Language Development with Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
Hettiarachchi, Shyamani; Ranaweera, Mahishi
Deafness & Education International, v21 n4 p157-173 2019
The lack of early identification, suboptimal language stimulation and limited remedial services in Sri Lanka for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing place them at-risk of language delay. The reality for many preschool and primary school children entering formal education in Sri Lanka is a language delay in spoken language and/or sign language compared to their age-matched hearing peers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Colourful Semantics" approach as a whole-class language enrichment programme to develop the use and responses to target wh questions. Thirty primary school children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing between the ages of five-ten years were included. The programme was offered once a week for 12 weeks through the class teacher. Individual pre- and post-language measures and statistical analyses were undertaken on receptive knowledge and expressive use of the target wh questions using a picture naming task and tasks based on three local children's story books. A statistically significant improvement was observed in the understanding of target wh questions post-intervention by all the children. There was also a positive change in the responses to the target wh questions by all the children post-intervention with many combining signs or spoken words with signs. The "Colourful Semantics" approach has potential as a whole-class language-teaching approach to strengthen the understanding and use of wh question forms. This study emphasizes the benefits of collaborative partnerships between speech and language therapists and teachers in delivering intervention particularly in resource-limited contexts.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Deafness, Hearing Impairments, Language Impairments, Language Proficiency, Program Effectiveness, Intervention, Elementary School Students, Receptive Language, Expressive Language, Semantics, Speech Language Pathology, Professional Personnel, Teamwork, Teacher Role, Syntax, Color, Cues, Visual Stimuli, Elementary School Teachers
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Sri Lanka
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A