Communication Skills in Hearing-Impaired Children

Reviews work in the area of communication and communication skills as they relate to the hearing-impaired child. Topics covered include: the aims of human communication; cognitive mechanisms; and speech intelligibility. Preface

General preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 The nature of human communication

Communication skills as skills

Referential and sociolinguistic approaches to communication

Communication in practical contexts - pragmatics

Biological abilities and learned accomplishments

The interplay of perceptual, cognitive and linguistic processes Oracy and literacy

Communication problems of hearing-impaired children

Chapter 2 Early assessment and intervention

Sensitive periods

Instances of extreme deprivation

Early and late assessment of hearing impairment

Early versus late intervention

Conclusion

Chapter 3 The speech reception of hearing-impaired children

Hearing aids, cochlear implants and vibrotactile aids

Auditory perception of speech by hearing-impaired children Clinical and practical applications

Perception of connected speech

Conclusion: need for clarification of objectives

Enhancement of the intelligibility of perceived speech

Speechreading

Chapter 4 The produced speech of hearing-impaired children

Deaf speech

Speech training

Speech training aids

Intelligibility of the produced speech of hearing-impaired children

Conclusion

Chapter 5 Hearing impairment and manual communication

Manual communication Natural language of the deaf

Manual systems other than sign language Sign language

Total communication

Chapter 6 Hearing impairment and literacy skills

Reading Writing

Concluding remarks: reading and writing

Chapter 7 Hearing impairment and cognition

Cognitive skills Cognition and hearing impairment Some cognitive aspects of sign

General conclusion on hearing impaiment and cognition

Metaprocesses

Central auditory dysfunction

Conclusion

Chapter 8 Individual and social aspects

Psychopathology

Psychological aspects

Social aspects

Pragmatics

Chapter 9 Management of the hearing-impaired child

Some milestones

Practical issues affecting management

Options for parents with deaf children

Chapter 10 Concluding comments

Glossary

References

Index

John Bench is the author of Communication Skills in Hearing-Impaired Children, published by Wiley. Reviews work in the area of communication and communication skills as they relate to the hearing-impaired child. Topics covered include: the aims of human communication; cognitive mechanisms; and speech intelligibility.