The Power of Pointing in ASL: How Parents Help Deaf Children Learn Words
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In a study "Pointing in Parent Input During Interactions with Deaf Children in American Sign Language" by Julia Leary, Paris Gappmayr, and Amy M. Lieberman, we delve into how parents' use of pointing gestures enhances word learning for deaf children. This research highlights the critical role of visual cues in helping children connect signed words to objects, which supports early vocabulary development.
Key Findings
Parents often use pointing to direct their child's attention to objects before or after signing the object’s label. Our study showed that the most successful pointing sequences for word learning involve a “label-point-label” structure, where the object’s name is signed both before and after the point. This sequence gives children more opportunities to connect the sign with the object.
Interestingly, while both deaf and hearing parents used pointing gestures, deaf parents had slightly higher success rates in directing their children’s attention, though the difference wasn’t statistically significant. This suggests that while hearing parents can effectively support language learning, experience with visual communication may provide additional advantages.
Language input that occurs during moments of coordinated joint attention is most likely to lead to word learning.
What Does This Mean for Families?
For parents learning ASL, this research emphasizes the importance of incorporating pointing into everyday interactions. Even parents who are still learning the language can help their children develop vocabulary by using clear visual cues and structuring their communication to make both the object and the sign visually accessible.
Implications for Early Intervention
This study offers insights into early intervention strategies for deaf children. Encouraging parents to use techniques like the label-point-label sequence can make ASL input more effective, helping children map words to objects more successfully. These findings highlight the importance of both parental engagement and visual communication in fostering early language development.
Read the full article.
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