Constructing conditions of participation through play formats: children with hearing impairment and complex needs

ABSTRACT

This article explores the processes that facilitate interaction between children with unequal prerequisites for communication. Empirical examples are gathered from Norwegian schools and kindergartens. Some of the children in the study have hearing impairment in combination with intellectual disability. The examples demonstrate how these children make use of culturally imparted play formats. These formats have a narrative structure; they are repeated and varied throughout the interaction. They consist of interchangeable roles and are dialogically organized. Participation is enabled through intersubjective processes that are situated in these play formats. The article describes how divergent communicative resources can interact in intersubjective processes that facilitate communication. The deep structures in the play formats, imparted through child culture, have a scaffolding function in communicative processes.

KEYWORDS:

• Interaction
• play format
• hearing impairment
• complex needs
• participation
• inclusive pedagogy

Acknowledgements

I owe my gratitude to the participants in this study, and to the reviewers for supportive feedback. I want to thank Stein Erik Ohna and Ona Bø Wie for helpful discussions on this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Lill-Johanne Eilertsen has a Ph.D. in special needs education. She has worked for a long time in intervention for children with hearing impairment in combination with additional difficulties. Her research interest addresses atypical communication.

ORCID

Lill-Johanne Eilertsen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8227-6611