Children who communicate by listening and talking can have strong literacy levels, thanks to extensive reading practice during their early-years learning to talk process.
Stacey Lim, assistant professor of audiology at Central Michigan University, explains some literacy findings when infants and young children access cochlear implants with auditory verbal therapy (AVT, or learning to listen and talk):
Read: Literacy and Auditory-Verbal Practice
A vital link Lim makes between a child receiving AVT, and literacy:
[With auditory-verbal therapy], the child with hearing loss has access to spoken language, thus is able to build the sound-to-letter mapping relationships used in decoding printed words.
The child’s access to spoken language translates into literacy:
For an auditory-verbal child, the ability to access spoken language allows them to access a wide range of vocabulary, which is necessary for understanding text-based information [particularly as the world becomes ever-more digital].
Lim also notes that “reading aloud to children is one of the best ways to build language and literacy skills,” particularly when children can hear their caregiver’s voice clearly with hearing-devices and/or a FM system.
More Reading
- Does Lip-Reading Benefit Infant Reading Ability?
- New Study: Babies Learn Language By Lip-Reading
- Listening & Speaking: A Link To Reading/Writing?
- Talk To Your Baby For A Solid Early-Learning Basis
- Early Interaction With Babies For Communication
- Parents’ Essential Role In Language Development
- Children “Are Made Smart From Conversations”
- Childrens’ Chatter: Interactions From 18 to 24 Months
- Hearing Kids Gain In Preschool’s Reverse-Inclusion
- Creche Staff And Parents Build Kids’ Talking Skills
- One Language May Be Best For Children With Implants
- Listening And Speaking – A Refocus For Teachers
- Reading Survey Profiles Verbal Deaf Children In The UK
