Playing With Patterns: Innovative Ideas About Memory, Predicting, and Comprehending Illuminated by Texts for Young Deaf Children

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching and Learning With Texts

Abstract

Creative linguistic and semiotic features are a large part of the rich density that characterizes much of early children’s literature and textual experiences. This has important implications in promoting working memory, predicting and comprehension skills. Deaf children’s linguistic experiences are typically different, without many opportunities to benefit from these valuable language apprenticeships. We will explore how visually accessible linguistic structures can help us rethink traditional ideas of textuality, modality, and help tackle some of the persisting issues around the under-achievement of Deaf children. In addition, we will explore how these ideas can contribute to more expansive conceptions of the kinds of texts and tools we can use with all children, especially considering the affordances of current digital media.

Author

• Todd A. Czubek, Boston University