The Benefit of the “And” for Considerations of Language Modality for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

Abstract

Purpose Language modality choices for deaf children continue to be an area of debate, but we argue that the dichotomy of “either/or” for language modality is outdated in a world that increasingly values bilingualism. Evidence is provided that a bilingual approach to language for deaf children is not contraindicated and that deaf children can learn both spoken and signed language given an adequate amount of exposure to each language. Conclusions We note that exposure to signed language during the early phases of auditory evaluation and rehabilitation can reduce missed opportunities for language acquisition. We further suggest that professionals who work with these children and their families need to consider their own biases in how language modality choices are presented in order to provide the best possible support services.