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This survey study describes rates of utilization of evidence-informed auditory-verbal strategies among 132 professionals (teachers of the deaf, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, early interventionists, and others) working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing who use listening and spoken language. Relationships between provider characteristics (e.g., years of experience, possession of advanced credentials) and rates of strategy utilization were explored. Providers certified as a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist (LSLS) were found to use all 19 strategies most frequently, followed by those who were in the certification process. Non-LSLS certified professionals were least likely to use the strategies. Statistically significant differences in utilization rates based on certification status were found for asking, "What did you hear?"; motherese; and whispering. Results of the study may inform advocacy for highly qualified professionals to serve children with hearing loss whose parents desire a listening and spoken language outcome.

Purpose: This mixed-methods study aimed to examine the conversation techniques used by parents of young children with hearing loss (HL) during dinnertime at home. Parents' usage rates of open- and closed-ended language elicitation, reformulation, imitation, directives, and explicit vocabulary instruction were examined in relation to children's receptive vocabulary and basic-concepts skills. Method: Twenty-minute dinnertime segments were extracted from naturalistic, daylong recordings of 37 preschoolers with HL who used listening and spoken language. The segments were hand-coded for parents' use of conversation techniques. Children's receptive vocabulary and basic concepts were assessed using standardized measures. Results: Parents' use of conversation techniques varied widely, with closed-ended elicitation and directives used most frequently during dinner. Explicit vocabulary instruction was correlated with general receptive vocabulary and basic-concepts skills. Thematic analysis of the conversations revealed common themes, including concrete topics and sibling speakers. In addition, parents who used many techniques often introduced abstract conversation topics; electronic media was present in all conversations with few techniques. Conclusions: Parents of preschoolers with HL may benefit from specific coaching to elicit language and introduce new vocabulary during home routines. These techniques may help develop their children's receptive language.

This study examined the relationships between adult language input and child language production in regard to the quantity and diversity of spoken language, as well as children's knowledge of basic concepts and vocabulary. The quantity and diversity of language provided by teachers and parents were related to children's language output and knowledge. Language Environment Analysis technology audio-recorded the language environments of 26 preschool children with hearing loss over 2 days. The language samples were analyzed for quantity (adult word count, child vocalization count, and conversational turn count) and diversity (lexical diversity, syntactical complexity, and clausal complexity) of language. Results indicated a relationship between adult language input and child language production, but only in regard to the quantity of language. Significant differences between the teachers and parents were reported in regard to the diversity of adult language input. These results suggest that the language input provided by adults across environments (school versus home) is considerably different and warrants further investigation.

The current study presents the results of a qualitative investigation into the perspectives of mothers who have adopted children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Nine mothers, recruited via convenience and snowball sampling, participated in semi-structured interviews via videoconference technology. The interviews were transcribed and coded for thematic analysis. Parent perspectives on the following topics were analyzed: motivation, reaction to identification, communication and technology decisions, language, services pre- and post-adoption, others' reactions, expectations, race and ethnicity, and attachment and adjustment. Based on thematic analysis of the participants' responses, key themes and implications for professional practice are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the role of parents in the early intervention for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. Topics discussed include basis of the family-centered early intervention (FCEI) model, benefits of parents involvement to DHH children, and the need of professional competencies in facilitating parental involvement.