Deafness, Development and Literacy

Originally published in 1986. Deafness is not just a deprivation of sound, but a barrier to normal social interaction and learning. There are likely to be children with some degree of hearing loss in every primary classroom, so it is important that teachers know how to help them. This book gives a clear summary of the main causes of hearing loss (mild or severe), its identification, diagnosis and treatment, followed by an explanation of the impact it can have on a child’s social and linguistic development. Considering normal development of literacy, the book then is concerned with the hearing-impaired child’s strategies for reading, spelling and writing. It explores how teachers can give the most effective help, what the impact of a teaching programme is likely to be, and how to evaluate what the child has learnt. Specialist teachers of the deaf, advisers and psychologists, as well as class teachers and students of education will find this book very helpful.