Linguistic pragmatics in children with cochlear implants: A comparative study in the Algerian context
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to assess the pragmatic language competence of deaf children with cochlear implants by comparing their performance with that of their normal-hearing peers in the 4–6 years age group. The significance of this research lies in its focus on the functional aspect of language, namely, pragmatics, which is often overlooked in traditional language assessments that are primarily concerned with the structural components of language, such as phonology and syntax, while disregarding the child’s communicative and contextual competence, despite its central role in social interaction and educational inclusion.
To achieve the study’s objective, we adopted a descriptive comparative methodology and used the “Pragmatic Field” test from the EVALO 2–6 battery, which was adapted to the Algerian context within the framework of doctoral research in speech and language pathology.
The study sample consisted of fifty (50) children, divided into two groups: 25 deaf children with cochlear implants and 25 normal-hearing children, intentionally selected from specialized medical and educational institutions. The evaluation focused on three main pragmatic competencies: understanding and producing speech acts, adapting to conversational situations, and organizing information within discourse.
The results revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups across all pragmatic indicators, in favor of the hearing children. The study showed a lower performance among cochlear-implanted children in the targeted skills, despite their auditory improvement. This indicates that cochlear implantation, as a medical intervention, is not sufficient on its own to ensure adequate development of pragmatic competence unless supported by early and intensive linguistic and educational interventions.
Article Details
References
• Chainet-Terrisse, S., Jonquières, C., Roman, S., & Triglia, J.-M. (2011). [Article dans le numéro spécial Développements (n°7)].
• Landert, Daniela; Dayter, Daria; Messerli, Thomas C.; Locher, Miriam A. (éd.). 2023. Corpus Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Lederberg, A. R., Schick, B., & Spencer, P. E. (2013). Language and literacy development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children: Successes and challenges. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 15–30.
• Marschark, M., & Hauser, P. C. (Eds.). (2017). Language development in children who are deaf: A research synthesis. Oxford University Press.
• Mieres Maldonado, D. V., Cambra, C., Losilla Vidal, J. M., & Pérez Pérez, E. (2023). Pragmatic competence of children with cochlear implants in linguistic activities. American Annals of the Deaf, 168(4), 174-190. https://doi.org/10.1353/aad.2023.a922850
• Nittrouer, S., Caldwell, A., Lowenstein, J. H., Tarr, E., & Holloman, C. (2017). Verbal working memory in children with cochlear implants. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 56(1), 375–387
• Parola A., et al. (2023). Development of communicative-pragmatic abilities in children with early cochlear implants. Journal of Child Language, 51(6), 1316 - 1332
• Reboul, A., & Moeschler, J. (1998). Pragmatique du discours : De l’interprétation de l’énoncé à l’interprétation du discours. Armand Colin.
• Spencer, P. E., & Marschark, M. (2010). Evidence-based practice in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Oxford University Press.
• Socher, M., Lyxell, B., Ellis, D., Gärskog, R., Hedström, E., Wass, M. (2019). Pragmatic Language Skills: A Comparison of Children With Cochlear Implants and Children Without Hearing Loss. Frontiers in Psychology, 10:2243. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02243.
• Toe, D. M., & Paatsch, L. E. (2013). The communication challenges for children with hearing loss in classrooms. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 36(2), 148–157.
• Yoshinaga-Itano, C. (2003). Early intervention after universal neonatal hearing screening : Impact on outcomes. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 9(4), 252–266.
• Yoshinaga-Itano, C. (2020). Principles and guidelines for early intervention after confirmation that a child is deaf or hard of hearing. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 25(1), 1–13.