Increasing Word Learning Efficiency in Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing through Retrieval Practice

项目摘要 尽管几十年来一直试图“缩小”聋哑儿童和 对于重听（DHH）和听力正常的同龄人来说，这一目标仍然难以实现。听力降低， 识别和放大阻碍了DHH儿童的口语发展。为了“赶上”， 他们的语言学习速度必须超过典型的发展速度。然而，他们往往表现得较慢，而不是 他们的语言习得速度更快，需要更多的接触来学习单词。因此，在本发明中， 患有DHH的儿童需要有效和高效的干预措施，以实现达到年龄所需的轨迹 预期的语言技能，并提高他们的长期教育和职业成果。 检索实践，这是突出的认知心理学，但较少依赖于应用于教育， 更不用说特殊教育，是一个经验验证的方法，可以提高语言 学习DHH的孩子。检索实践被假设为通过增强学习者的 价值的话介绍和反对需要额外的话曝光相对于听力同龄人。到 推进有前途但未充分利用的检索实践研究，我们完成了下一个合乎逻辑的步骤， 评价两个关键检索实践特征的有效性和效率：反馈（目标1）和间隔 (Aim 2）。反馈被预测会导致更有效的学习，因为它将注意力集中在未掌握的学习上。 材料，防止成功的幻想，并减少重复的错误。间隔试验预计将导致 比集中试验更有效的学习，因为它们需要更多的努力和更少的线索。研究 创新之处包括对保留和使用多期干预背景进行批判性评价。 我们将通过四个单一病例适应性交替治疗设计研究来实现这些目标， 16名5-8岁的DHH儿童。四个孩子完成每个条件的对比，以隔离 反馈和间隔的影响。通过视觉分析和效应量的结果将揭示 检索实践有望支持DHH儿童的单词学习，以及学习是否 通过纳入反馈和间隔教学试验来加强。这些知识可能具有广泛的 在短期内最大限度地提高单词学习干预的有效性和效率的影响， 对DHH儿童进行更全面的长期语言干预。下一步将 解决（a）评估检索实践的效果和可能的机制， 有效的干预特征，以及（B）识别儿童的特征，这些特征介导和调节干预 随机对照试验的效果。未来的研究将把检索实践扩展到其他语言领域， 手语的形式这项工作将推动该领域的发展，该领域缺乏严格的 干预研究，尽管重要的，长期存在的挑战，提高语言技能和 DHH儿童随后的教育和职业成果。

Project Summary Despite decades of attempts to “close the gap” between spoken language skills of children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) and their hearing peers, this goal remains elusive. Reduced audibility and delays in identification and amplification hamper spoken language development of children who are DHH. To “catch up,” their language learning rate must outpace that of typical development. However, they often exhibit slower, not faster, language acquisition rates and require more exposures to learn words than their hearing peers. Thus, children who are DHH need effective and efficient interventions to achieve the trajectory required to reach age expected language skills and improve their long-term educational and vocational outcomes. Retrieval practice, which is prominent in cognitive psychology but less dependably applied to education and even less so to special education, is an empirically validated approach that could improve the language learning of children who are DHH. Retrieval practice is hypothesized to improve learning by enhancing the value of word presentations and countering the need for extra word exposures relative to hearing peers. To advance the promising yet underutilized research on retrieval practice, we complete the next logical step of evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of two key retrieval practice features: feedback (Aim 1) and spacing (Aim 2). Feedback is predicted to result in more efficient learning because it focuses attention on unmastered material, prevents the illusion of success, and reduces repeated errors. Spacing trials are predicted to result in more efficient learning than massed trials because they require more effort with fewer cues provided. Study innovations include the critical evaluation of retention and use of a multi-session intervention context. We will accomplish these aims through four single case adapted alternating treatments design studies with sixteen 5-8 year old children who are DHH. Four children complete each contrast of conditions to isolate the effects of feedback and spacing. Results via visual analysis and effect sizes will reveal the degree to which retrieval practice is expected to support word learning for children who are DHH and whether learning is enhanced by the inclusion of feedback and spaced teaching trials. This knowledge could have broad implications for maximizing the effectiveness and efficiency of word learning interventions in the short-term and more comprehensive language interventions in the long-term for children who are DHH. Next steps will address (a) evaluating the effects and possible mechanisms of retrieval practice that combines the most effective intervention features and (b) identifying child characteristics that mediate and moderate intervention effects in a randomized control trial. Future studies will expand retrieval practice to other language areas and the modality of sign language. This work would advance the field, which exhibits a dearth of rigorous intervention research, despite the important, long-standing challenge of improving language skills and subsequent educational and vocational outcomes of children who are DHH.