Use of Peer Tutoring to Improve Speech Skills in a Preschooler with a Severe Hearing Impairment

Peer tutoring is an effective means of remediating skill deficits in children with disabilities. However, there is a paucity of research that evaluates its usefulness with children who have hearing impairments. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of peer tutoring in increasing the vocalizations of a preschool girl with a severe hearing impairment. During intervention, results indicated a significant increase in vocalizations in three target areas: spontaneous vocalization, vocalization for attention, and vocalization on demand. After discontinuing peer tutoring, increased vocalization maintained across time and environments.. Peer tutoring has received considerable attention as a method of remediating skill deficits. The tutor is typically a learner who acts as a teacher assisting a peer in structured activities. A peer tutoring paradigm may benefit both the tutee and tutor's academic and social skills (Eiserman, 1988; Goldstein, & Ferrel, 1987; Greer, & Polirstok, 1982; Kohler, & Greenwood, 1990; Knapczyk, 1989; Maheady, Harper, & Sacca, 1988; Pigot, Fantuzzo, & Clement, 1986; Travato, & Bucher, 1980). Peer tutoring provides opportunities for interaction and socialization with other learners, and practice of newly taught skills (Greenwood, Carta, & Hall, 1988). In deciding upon potential tutor there are a number of considerations. The peer needs to be dependable, show age-appropriate play and social skills, and adhere to teacher directions. The peer does not need to demonstrate mastery of the targeted skill, but does need to display skills slightly above that of the child being taught (Sulzer-Azaroff, & Mayer, 1986). The responsibility of being in an authority position may help to increase the self-esteem and confidence of the tutor (Cohen, Kulik, & Kulik, 1982). Although there proven benefits and guidelines are readily available, little research is available on the use of peer tutoring with preschool children who have hearing impairments. Peer tutoring should provide academic and social advantages to learners with hearing impairments. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of peer tutoring in increasing vocalizations of a preschooler with a severe hearing impairment. Method Participants and Settings Two preschool children with hearing impairments participated in the study. Along with five other children with hearing impairments, they attended a university-sponsored oral-aural program as well as a cross categorical early childhood special education program in the public schools. Both wore appropriately fitted hearing aids checked daily for appropriate functioning. Mary, the tutee, was three and one-half years old at the beginning of the study. Her audiological profile revealed a severe to profound bilateral hearing loss. Mary's speech reception skills, including lip reading, appeared minimal despite strong visual skills. As for speech production, Mary's functional level was pre-Stage One of Ling's Seven Stage Speech Acquisition Model (Ling, 1976). Stage One refers to the period when the child vocalizes freely, and on demand (i.e., in response to vocalization from a peer or an adult), using vocalization as a means of communication. She was pre-Stage One, that is, not vocalizing for communication. Her vocalizations were limited to occasional utterances of the sounds /oo/, /ee/, /b-o/, /m-o/, or /o/. She inconsistently employed vocalizations to obtain attention. Her production of prompted speech sounds was limited to imitating lip configurations with no use of voice. Remediation targeted Mary's communication skills. Henry, the tutor, was a four year old boy who exhibited a mild loss in his left ear, and a moderately severe to severe loss in the right ear. His functional speech level was Stage Three of Ling's Model. Henry had the skills listed for Stage One and also those of Stage Two. Stage Two includes having the bases of suprasegmental patterns (i. …