Home-based literacy experiences of severely to profoundly deaf preschoolers and their hearing parents

The low literacy levels achieved by deaf children are of ongoing concern for educators and researchers alike. This study aims to further enhance understanding of issues that might impact on children's literacy learning by focusing on a description of home-based literacy experiences of severely to profoundly deaf preschoolers as provided by their hearing parents. Parents of 29 preschool deaf children were selected to complete a questionnaire, which was based on four identified literacy contexts: the physical and functional context, the language context, the affective context, and the educational context. Results indicated that the children are exposed to literacy-rich home environments. Limitations in the quantity and quality of text-based interaction between the deaf preschoolers, their hearing parents, and older siblings were identified. Furthermore, parents regarded development of language and communication as more important than early acquisition of literacy skills. Parents assigned the greatest responsibility in teaching literacy skills to teachers.