Finding Vygotsky in Early Childhood Deaf Education: Sociocultural Bodies and Conversations

Children, including those who are deaf, become aware of and learn about their environments through playing and social and cultural interactions. For most deaf children, preschool classrooms are optimal spaces for these interactions to occur, but only if they can fully engage with this environment. We discuss the need for and constituent aspects of full access to learning in these environments for deaf children. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory is employed chiefly as the basis for exploring and analyzing useful strategies for educators and families of deaf children. Our analysis focuses on processes in which individuals create knowledge through interacting with other people and the environment, a core emphasis of our work. We also discuss that, concomitant with full access to linguistic and social opportunities, deaf preschoolers develop a stronger sense of self, which leads to the development of cultures and languages in and out of their families.