|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 12:52 am Post subject: SLA and Hearing Impairments |
 |
|
Does anyone have any experience of second language acquisition in adult students with hearing impairments, or know anyone who does, or of anyone doing research in the area?
I'm particularly interested in any work with students who received cochlear implants at 4+. There is quite a lot of information on raising children with hearing impairments and/or implants bilingually. However, I can't find anything much for adult learners. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thank rtm. I had found some of that research, but I hadn't thought of it as SLA, but of course you are right. Although it's not strictly relevant to these students, but it's certainly a start.
The students I have the greatest concerns about in this cohort were never taught to sign, and so had minimal language exposure prior to receiving an implant. (Education of children with disabilities here leaves a lot to be desired).
I have no idea what realistic expectations are. How does learning a second language work if you were never fluent in a first language?
My gut feeling is that if at say age 20, they are still only A2 level for speaking and listening in Spanish, then it's unrealistic to expect them to ever reach B1 in English. If that is the case, should the target level be A2 in English, or is that equally unrealistic and even A1 will be a challenge? Would learning English impact on their Spanish (positively or negatively)? Is there any reason why, with sufficient practice, their English reading and writing skills couldn't surpass those same skills in Spanish? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| HLJHLJ wrote: |
I have no idea what realistic expectations are. How does learning a second language work if you were never fluent in a first language?
My gut feeling is that if at say age 20, they are still only A2 level for speaking and listening in Spanish, then it's unrealistic to expect them to ever reach B1 in English. If that is the case, should the target level be A2 in English, or is that equally unrealistic and even A1 will be a challenge? Would learning English impact on their Spanish (positively or negatively)? Is there any reason why, with sufficient practice, their English reading and writing skills couldn't surpass those same skills in Spanish? |
If they have lower proficiency in their first language, I would think that the biggest difference is that they don't have a very complete understanding of language structures, functions, and vocabulary, and cannot draw on their L1 knowledge as much. i wouldn't think it would mean that they cannot become more proficient in their L2 than their L1, but that it would take more time. I'd guess that learning English would not, in itself, negatively impact their Spanish (just as with normal-hearing bilinguals), but I don't have any evidence of that.
I wonder if the following are helpful:
Foreign Languages and Hearing Loss Strategies for the Classroom and Beyond
Teaching Children with CIs to Speak More than One Language |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HLJHLJ
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 1218
Location: Ecuador
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks again rtm, the first one in particular is very helpful. Some of the experiences listed there are very encouraging.
My concern over L1 vs L2 level was more about input. If they aren't fluent in Spanish after nearly 15 years of immersion (post implant) I'm doubtful that I can get them to a higher level in English in EFL classes. But perhaps I am (patronisingly) under estimating the potential. I need to find the balance between pushing them to achieve the best they can, without setting them up to fail. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 4:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
| HLJHLJ wrote: |
Thanks again rtm, the first one in particular is very helpful. Some of the experiences listed there are very encouraging.
My concern over L1 vs L2 level was more about input. If they aren't fluent in Spanish after nearly 15 years of immersion (post implant) I'm doubtful that I can get them to a higher level in English in EFL classes. But perhaps I am (patronisingly) under estimating the potential. I need to find the balance between pushing them to achieve the best they can, without setting them up to fail. |
OK, now I see what you mean. If the students do not have an L1 word/form/function to latch onto, it'll be much harder for them to internalize the L2. And if they haven't acquired the L1 word/form/function even after 15 years of L1 input, I can see why you'd be skeptical that they would be able to get it from L2 lessons. However, I wonder how much of their Spanish learning was implicit learning from their surroundings (most, I'd guess?). Explicit instruction in English might allow them to do things they weren't able to pick up implicitly in Spanish. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
santi84
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
Posts: 1317
Location: under da sea
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 12:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I just went through this recently. I had a student in her 30's, who was low-level in her native language (also Spanish). She clearly had some form of hearing impairment, but nobody was able to truly ascertain what it was (I don't think she even knew). She has been in our program for years, but is still unable to understand simple questions - I frequently heard "yes...yes? yes. huh? no".
In such a circumstance, I drew upon my training as a special needs assistant instead - I provided tons of visuals (large and colourful), and made sure I was within arm's length so that she could see my lips. It helped a little, but I think you are spot-on when it is only realistic to expect proficiency which is, at best, near-equal to the low proficiency in the native language. Not to mention, it took a lot of extra work on my part, just for one student.
If you can look up things like autism visual aids, it helped me a lot in class. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
