2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference
March 13 - 15, 2022
The Relation Between Spoken Vocabulary Acquisition and Frequency of At-Home Retrieval Practice in Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
The objective of this small-scale study is to investigate whether there is a strong correlation between the frequency of at-home retrieval practice of vocabulary and vocabulary acquisition in children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH), use amplification devices, and are acquiring Listening and Spoken Language. Children who are D/HH struggle to acquire spoken vocabulary at the rate of their same-aged peers with typical hearing (Nott et al., 2009). Research shows that high vocabulary scores are correlated to higher academic achievement (Duncan et al., 2017). Therefore, diminishing the vocabulary gap for children who are D/HH is crucial. "The Effect of Retrieval Practice on Vocabulary Learning for Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" (2019) by Casey Reimer found the cognitive strategy of retrieval practice to be more beneficial in acquiring new words than repeated exposure. No widely distributed studies have yet examined the outcomes of at-home retrieval practice in addition to classroom instruction.
The participants of this study include five D/HH children, aged 3-4 years, who are enrolled in a full-time OPTION school program. Each week, a thematic unit and 10 related vocabulary words are selected. Prior to classroom instruction and at-home practice, participants are tested on their baseline knowledge of the words. Parents were coached on how to facilitate retrieval practice in the home, and self-report the frequency through a shared calendar. At the end of each week, baseline scores, frequency of at-home practice, and expressive scores are analyzed. Preliminary results show a positive correlation between the frequency of at-home practice and expressive vocabulary scores.
This study began in August 2021 and is ongoing through February 2022.The outcomes and implications of this study will help guide Deaf Educators in their collaboration with caregivers in spoken vocabulary development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Demonstrate an understanding of retrieval practice and how it can be implemented in vocabulary development
- Reflect on the study's findings of frequency of at-home retrieval practice as it relates to vocabulary acquisition
- Guide Deaf Educators in coaching and collaborating with caregivers using retrieval practice
Poster:
3353554_15076JenniferTrueblood.pdf
Presenter: Jennifer Trueblood
I earned my bachelors degree in Speech and Hearing Science with a concentration in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Illinois. I went on to complete my graduate degree in Deaf Education at Washington University in St. Louis in 2020. I currently teach preschool aged children at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf, a Listening and Spoken Language program, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.