Academic Outcomes for Deaf Children With Hearing Caregivers

A study published in The Journal of Special Education (2024) by Erin Finton, Wyatte C. Hall, Michele Berke, Ronald Bye, Stuart Ikeda, and Naomi Caselli examines the idea that deaf children with hearing caregivers can’t achieve the same academic success as those with deaf caregivers.

The research focused on students at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, a bilingual ASL-English school. It tracked the ASL fluency and academic progress of 797 students over four years, comparing outcomes between those who started school before age 3 and those who started later. The study also used deaf children with deaf caregivers as a benchmark for typical academic and language development.

The results are clear: Deaf children with hearing caregivers who entered the program before age 3 achieved academic and language skills equal to those of their peers with deaf caregivers. However, children who entered after age 3 generally had lower academic outcomes and ASL proficiency on average.

How the Study Worked

We measured progress using academic tests in subjects like reading, writing, math, and science, alongside ASL comprehension assessments. We compared three groups:

• Early Entry Group: Deaf children with hearing caregivers who started before age 3.

• Late Entry Group: Deaf children with hearing caregivers who started after age 3.

• Reference Group: Deaf children with deaf caregivers.

We analyzed test results over time, looking for connections between age of entry, ASL skills, and academic success.

Why This Matters

This study shows that deaf children with hearing caregivers can thrive in a bilingual environment when they start early. ASL skills played a big role in their success, but the immersive, bilingual education helped bridge the gap, even for families who didn’t use ASL fluently at home.

It also shows how important it is to offer early intervention programs that focus on both ASL and English. Waiting too long to start can make it harder for children to catch up, even with the best resources.

What This Means for Families and Schools

• For Families: Early bilingual education is key. Parents who don’t know ASL well can still help their child succeed by getting them into a strong ASL-English program as soon as possible.

• For Educators: Schools should focus on creating inclusive bilingual environments that support ASL and English learning from an early age.

• For Policymakers: Early access to programs like those at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont appears to play an important role in helping deaf children build strong foundations for success.

  
  

Takeaway

Deaf children who early access to ASL and bilingual education, they can grow and learn just as well as their peers, no matter their caregivers’ background. This study offers hope and evidence for families, schools, and communities to build supportive, language-rich environments for all deaf children.