Pronunciability in Verbal Learning of the Deaf

Summary

The investigation was concerned with the effect of rated pronunciability on learning of trigrams by three categories of deaf subjects differing in histories of hearing loss. Lists of trigrams of three levels of difficulty were presented through a memory drum to the three groups of 18 Ss each. A total of four free recall trials was given for learning of each list.

By means of the Friedman two-way analysis of variance and Mann Whitney U test, the following were the results: (a) Pronunciability is a predictor of learning for all categories of deafness. (b) With a moderate level of difficulty, the profoundly deaf Ss performed significantly more poorly than those in other categories.