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Specialized cognitive function and reading achievement in hearing-impaired adolescents
1Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Pittsburgh.
The Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders
|February 1, 1988
Summary
Hearing-impaired adolescents show stronger right-hemisphere cognitive skills and weaker left-hemisphere skills. Leveraging visuospatial strengths can improve reading and academic achievement in these students.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Special Education
Background:
- Hearing impairment can affect cognitive development and academic achievement.
- Adolescents with hearing loss often face challenges in language-based learning.
- Understanding cognitive profiles is crucial for tailored educational interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate cognitive functioning in hearing-impaired adolescents.
- To explore the relationship between cognitive profiles and reading achievement.
- To identify potential instructional strategies based on cognitive strengths.
Main Methods:
- Assessed cognitive abilities in 62 severely-to-profoundly hearing-impaired adolescents (ages 15-20).
- Compared cognitive performance between 'high readers' and 'low readers'.
- Analyzed correlations with mathematics achievement, speech production, and age of hearing loss onset.
Main Results:
- Hearing-impaired adolescents demonstrated below-average verbal/sequential (left hemisphere) skills.
- Visuospatial skills (right hemisphere) were found to be above average.
- Cognitive profile significantly correlated with reading and mathematics achievement.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive strengths in hearing-impaired adolescents lie in visuospatial processing.
- Educational strategies should utilize right-hemisphere strengths to enhance reading and academic outcomes.
- Targeted interventions can help mitigate deficits in verbal-sequential processing.