The Development of Spoken Language in Deaf Children: Explaining the Unexplained Variance

Using a large existing data base on children with severe and profound deafness, 10 children were identified whose level of spoken language was most above and 10 whose level was most below that expected on the basis of their hearing loss, age, and intelligence. A study of their personal characteristics, family background, and educational history identified factors associated with unusually high performance; these included earlier use of binaural ear-level aids, more highly educated mothers, auditory/verbal or auditory/oral instruction, reliance on spoken language as a method of communication, individualized instruction, integration, and structured teaching by parents. Parents of high performers also reported being highly committed to and focusing family resources on developing their child's spoken language.