The Power of 'And' in Deaf Education: Language Acquisition and Language Learning

Deaf and hard of hearing children achieve better language outcomes when they are immersed in rich, accessible language environments. This episode underscores that when deaf and hard of hearing children only use listening and spoken language, outcomes are often less than optimal and the risk of language deprivation increases. But when they have exposure to sign language, either alone or in addition to spoken language, they gain access to language as a living, breathing experience and as a structured skill set. With access to language, deaf and hard of hearing children can reach their full developmental potential.