Lecture | Sign Languages & Deaf People
Literacy development for Deaf/Hard-of-hearing children in the early years
- Date
- Wednesday 10 June 2026
- Time
- Serie
- Sign Languages and Deaf People (SL&D) lecture series
- Address
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 0.30
Abstract
Early literacy development is a critical foundation for academic success, social participation, and lifelong learning. For children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), literacy acquisition is profoundly shaped by early access to language, the mode of instruction, and the pedagogical approaches employed in the classroom. In many low- and middle-income contexts, including Zambia, DHH learners enter school with delayed language exposure, limited emergent literacy skills, and restricted access to evidence-based instructional methods. The lecture will examine literacy development for DHH children in the early years through a language-first and visually grounded perspective. It will explore key theoretical foundations, common barriers to early literacy, and effective pedagogical strategies aligned with inclusive education principles. Drawing on empirical evidence from Zambia, particularly the Effectiveness of the Kentalis Reading Method for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Early Grade Learners, the lecture will highlight how structured sign language instruction, visualisation, storytelling, and direct instruction significantly enhance vocabulary acquisition and early decoding skills.