Receptive and productive speech and language abilities in hearing-impaired children with German as a second language. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Keilmann, Annerose; Friese, Barbara; Hoffmann, Vanessa
• Is Part Of: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. Volume 120(2019:May)
• Page Start: 100
• Page End: 107
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: bilingualism -- Cochlear implant -- Deafness -- Hearing aid -- Hearing development -- Language development; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Oto-rhino-laryngologie -- Périodiques; Pédiatrie -- Périodiques; 618.9209751
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.02.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-5876

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Many studies examining early bilingualism in migrant populations focus on the development of the first language. As language acquisition is closely related to the hearing development, there is a critical need to investigate language development in hearing-impaired children being raised bilingually who were fitted with cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. Therefore, this research project aimed to study the linguistic development of hearing-impaired children being raised with German as a second language who were provided with hearing aids or cochlear implants. Further, the language development of these children is compared with that of hearing-impaired children being raised in a monolingual environment and with normal-hearing children being raised bilingually. Methods: In this prospective study, we analyzed data from 95 typically developing children with hearing loss (43 bilingual and 52 monolingual) aged 3;0 to 10;11 (years; months) on four language measures in German: receptive vocabulary, productive vocabulary, receptive grammar, productive grammar (sentence repetition). Additionally, 30 bilingual children with normal hearing were included in this study. Results: 44 children were provided with hearing aids in both ears; 34 used cochlear implants bilaterally and 17 were fitted bimodally. Statistical analysis showed that bilingual hearing-impaired children scored significantly poorer than monolingual hearing-impaired children. Conclusion: Hearing-impaired children being raised bilingually should have speech and language examinations on a regular basis. An examination of both languages would be desirable in order to be able to fully assess speech and language acquisition.