Early Intervention Key to Improving Literacy Skills for Deaf Children

A Canadian research program is underway to teach hearing parents of deaf children how to read children’s stories in American Sign Language as part of a larger attempt to improve deaf children’s literacy skills. Kristin Snoddon, who is spearheading the program, believes that deaf children’s language skills can be improved through a two-pronged approach to bedtime stories: reading the English words and watching their parents perform the story in ASL. Snoddon also encourages more involvement from deaf professionals in early intervention programs so that children can have access to first-language and cultural models.

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