2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
3/04/2021 | 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Pragmatics in Young Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | Networking
Pragmatics in Young Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
The significant importance of language development for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) has been well established. Yet, developing language (whether signed, spoken, or used in some combination) in and of itself is insufficient. The ability to comprehend or express language is not an "isolated skill"; rather, we draw upon our language understanding to support our social interactions with others. This is the area of pragmatics, sometimes referred to as social communication (ASHA, 2020).
Despite the enormous gains that young DHH children collectively have made in language development, largely as a result of 1-3-6 and improvements in Early Intervention, pragmatics remains an area of vulnerability for far too many children who are DHH.
Pragmatics, often conceptualized as a "part of language," actually begin to develop in infancy, in the early interactions between caregivers and infants. Pragmatics are shaped by one's social experiences and interactions in the world. The implications of having poor pragmatic abilities extend beyond the social experiences themselves; reduced pragmatic skills can have implications for learning, acceptance by peers, and feelings of competence and self-worth (Szarkowski et al., in press).
This presentation will leverage knowledge from a workshop attended by international scholars culminating in a series of articles in the November 2020 Pediatrics Supplement. Intended for caregivers and professionals, this presentation will define pragmatics, highlight relational factors relevant to DHH infants/toddlers and their caregivers. Participants will gain a greater understanding of pragmatic development in children who are DHH as well as learn therapeutic strategies and approaches to support pragmatic development in young children who are DHH.
- Describe “what is pragmatics” in one’s own words, using a minimum of 3 sentences, and in a way that could be conveyed to co-workers or families.
- List a minimum of three "relational factors" between infants/toddlers and their caregivers that contribute to the development of pragmatic skills.
- Select at least two concrete strategies from those presented and make a plan to implement with your own family (if you are a caregiver) or with families that you serve (if you are a professional).
Presentation:
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Handouts:
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Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Amy Szarkowski
(), Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, Amy.Szarkowski@childrens.harvard.edu;
Amy Szarkowski, PhD, is the Director of The Institute and The Clinic at the Children's Center for Communication/ Beverly School for the Deaf (CCCBSD), and faculty for LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities), at Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Szarkowski holds an academic appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is also an adjunct instructor for the Infants, Toddlers and Families (ITF) Interdisciplinary program at Gallaudet University.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School.
• Receives Salary for Employment from CCCBSD.
• Receives Salary for Employment from Gallaudet University.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Deborah Mood
(), Colorado Children's Hospital, DEBORAH.MOOD@childrenscolorado.org;
Deborah Mood, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with Developmental Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She has a Ph.D. in school psychology from University of Northern Colorado and a specialist degree in school psychology from Gallaudet University. Dr. Mood completed a LEND psychology postdoctoral fellowship at JFK Partners, University of Colorado School of Medicine, after completing an APA accredited psychology internship at the University of Minnesota. She specializes in working with children who are deaf and hard of hearing as well as children with a variety of developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorder. Current research projects focus on the complex comorbidity of ASD among children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary,Grants for Employment from University of Colorado Anschutz.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Susan Wiley
(), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, susan.wiley@cchmc.org;
Dr. Susan Wiley is a developmental pediatrician with extensive expertise in children who are deaf/hard of hearing. She has many years of experience serving children with multiple disabilities. Dr Wiley provides leadership and guidance to the National American Academy of Pediatrics, the Ohio Department of Health Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program, the Ohio Center for Deaf-Blind Education, and the Outreach Center for Deafness and Blindness in the Ohio Center for Low Incidence.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Jareen Meinzen-Derr
(), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, jareen.meinzen-derr@cchmc.org;
Dr. Meinzen-Derr is quantitative epidemiologist at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. She has focused her research on outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and specifically those who have additional developmental disabilities.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -