Developmental Patterns in Deaf Children's Signed Composition Across Narrative, Informational, and Opinion Genres

This study examined developmental change in macrostructural (discourse-level) signed composition among deaf children over the course of one academic year. The study also investigated whether grade level, early language access, and demographic characteristics were associated with differences in change across narrative, informational, and opinion genres.

Participants included 181 deaf children from prekindergarten through third grade enrolled in 11 signing programs in the United States. Children produced self-generated signed compositions in narrative, informational, and opinion genres at the beginning and end of the academic year. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine fall-to-spring changes in discourse organization while accounting for grade level and child-level characteristics. A lexical unit count was also recorded for each composition as an index of signed language productivity.

Children demonstrated growth in discourse organization across all three genres during the school year. Grade level emerged as a stronger predictor of change than chronological age. Early language deprivation was associated with smaller gains in discourse organization. Demographic variables such as gender, race, and additional disabilities showed minimal associations with change.

These findings provide large-scale quantitative benchmarks of discourse-level signed composition development across genres in deaf children. Results suggest a developmental progression in which deaf children gradually expand their ability to organize ideas, connect events, and communicate for different purposes across genres. The findings also highlight associations between early language access and discourse-level development and suggest that language services may play an important role in supporting signed language development in deaf children.