Related Experiment Videos
Relationship between imaginative play and language development in hearing-impaired children
American Annals of the Deaf
|July 1, 1989
Summary
Imaginative play significantly correlates with language development in young hearing-impaired children. This study highlights how pretend play, planned sequences, and storytelling enhance language skills in this population.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Special Education
Background:
- Hearing impairment presents unique challenges for language acquisition.
- Imaginative play is a crucial component of cognitive and linguistic development.
- Understanding play's role can inform interventions for hearing-impaired children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between imaginative play and language development.
- To explore specific play dimensions (planned pretend, story line) in relation to language.
- To assess if chronological age influences this relationship.
Main Methods:
- 20 severely to profoundly hearing-impaired children (ages 3-6) participated.
- Children were videotaped during 60-minute play sessions with specific toys.
- Language development was assessed using Brown's Stages; play was analyzed for imaginative engagement, planned pretend, and story line.
Main Results:
- A significant positive relationship was found between imaginative play and language development.
- No correlation was observed between imaginative play and chronological age.
- Language development showed correspondences with the use of planned pretend and story lines.
Conclusions:
- Imaginative play is a significant factor in the language development of hearing-impaired children.
- Specific elements of imaginative play, like planned pretend and story lines, are strongly linked to linguistic progress.
- Interventions focusing on fostering imaginative play may benefit language acquisition in this group.