Aspects of the linguistic competence of deaf children

In this paper the following three issues are considered in the light of recent research: Do severely/profoundly deaf children develop a grammar for English? Evidence is presented which suggests that they do and that this grammar displays a number of general characteristics some of which parallel the language of younger hearing children, others that do not. The limitations of this grammar will be discussed and hypotheses about the nature, origins and inevitability of such limitations explored. In what ways do the linguistic experiences of deaf children differ from that of hearing children? Some aspects of the deaf child's experience of language will be explored and their linguistic and psychological implications discussed. The relationships between current research findings on the linguistic development of the deaf and the possibility of improved educational methods will also be explored to consider the various different philosophies currently being debated in this field.