Home Literacy Experiences and Shared Reading Practices: Preschoolers With Hearing Loss

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Audiology
• Developmental Psychology
• Early Childhood Education

Background:

• Shared book reading is crucial for language development in young children.
• Children with hearing loss may face unique challenges in language acquisition.
• Understanding parent-child interactions during reading is vital for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare home literacy experiences and parent-child behaviors during shared book reading between children with hearing loss and typically hearing peers.
• To investigate the relationship between these factors and language skills in preschool-aged children.
• To identify potential areas for support for families of children with hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• Utilized parent-reported home literacy experiences.
• Analyzed videotaped parent-child interactions during shared book reading.
• Assessed children's language skills using the Preschool Language Scale-4.

Main Results:

• Parents of children with hearing loss read more frequently but employed fewer literacy strategies.
• Children with hearing loss exhibited lower interactive reading behaviors than their typically hearing peers.
• For children with hearing loss, reading frequency and child interactive behaviors predicted language skills.

Conclusions:

• Families of children with hearing loss can benefit from professional guidance on reading strategies.
• Interventions should encourage greater child engagement during shared book reading for children with hearing loss.
• Targeted support can enhance language outcomes for preschool-aged children with hearing loss.