Characteristics of deaf emergent writers who experienced language deprivation

ABSTRACT

This study explores the intertwined phenomena of language deprivation, emergent writing, and translanguaging in deaf students without additional disabilities in grades 3–6. A case study was conducted using deductive and inductive approaches to analyze 42 writing samples. There were four areas of focus: (1) stages of emergent writing development, (2) writing change over time, (3) emerging writing and translanguaging features, and (4) writing features unique to the context of language deprivation. First, pre-writing samples add to evidence that older deaf students undergo similar developmental processes with their emergent writing patterns. Second, an analysis of pre- and post-writing samples indicated that movement between stages occurred for most students. Third, students incorporated emergent writing and translanguaging features that reflected the application of their linguistic resources in writing. Finally, existing theories were extended by uncovering writing characteristics unique to the context of language deprivation. Incomplete ideation and restricted translanguaging practices were identified as attributions of language deprivation impacting cognitive and linguistic resources. This study provides evidence that deaf students as old as thirteen years old are developing emergent writing skills not because of their deafness but likely because they were in environments that produced chronic inadequate language access.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant [R324A170086] to the University of Tennessee. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.

Notes on contributors

Leala Holcomb

Leala Holcomb is a postdoctoral research associate for the research lab on Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Holcomb is White, Deaf, Non-Binary, and uses gender neutral pronouns. Dr. Holcomb graduated from the California School for the Deaf, Fremont (CSDF) in 2005, earned a master’s in special education with specialization in Deaf and Hard of Hearing from National University and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Holcomb taught in the Early Childhood Education department at CSDF and was instrumental in developing American Sign Language (ASL) standards, bilingual resources, and visual nursery rhymes. Ze currently devotes zir energy on a project called Hands Land, whose mission is to expand educational resources through ASL rhyme and rhythm for young children that integrate into family and school activities. Ze is also a co-editor of a special issue in the Languages journal called “Translanguaging in Deaf Communities.” Much of Dr. Holcomb’s work is driven by zir commitment to eliminate systemic inequalities within the education system.

Hannah Dostal

Hannah Dostal’s research focuses on writing instruction for deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students and teacher professional development in literacy. In particular, she examines Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction as an intervention for DHH students with varied language histories. In addition, she investigates the role of genre and literacy instruction in the development of disciplinary knowledge and discipline-specific communication patterns. Her current research is funded by the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), and has previously been funded by IES, State Teacher Quality Grant partnerships, the International Literacy Association, and the Connecticut Department of Education. Dr. Dostal currently serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, as co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies in Literacy, and as co-editor of a special issue in the Languages journal on Translanguaging in Deaf Communities. She is also an active member of several professional societies including the American Educational Research Association, Literacy Research Association, Association of College Educators-Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the International Literacy Association.

Kimberly Wolbers

Kimberly Wolbers is a Professor of the Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at the University of Tennessee. She earned her PhD from Michigan State University in 2007 with a focus in special education and literacy. Her research has focused on the design and implementation of writing and language instruction for deaf and hard of hearing children and adolescents. She has conceptualized an approach called Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI), which aims to be responsive to the varied language needs of deaf learners. SIWI draws upon evidence-based approaches to teaching writing such as strategy instruction in writing and collaborative, interactive writing. SIWI also contains language-specific elements that provide teachers with direction on how to, for example, navigate between ASL and English when teaching developing bilinguals, or facilitate greater expressive language clarity and complexity among children with language delays. There is growing evidence to suggest SIWI has a positive impact on students’ expressive language, word identification, motivation, and writing outcomes at the word-, sentence-, and discourse-levels.