These results suggest that musical rhythmic priming can enhance phonological production in HI children via an enhanced perception of the target sentence. Overall, these findings suggest that musical rhythm engages domain-general expectations which can enhance both in perception and production of speech.

24 25 This study investigates temporal adaptation in speech interaction in children with normal hearing 26 and in children with cochlear implants (CIs) and/or hearing aids (HAs). We also address the ques-27 tion of whether musical rhythmic training can improve these skills in children with hearing loss 28 (HL). Children named pictures presented on the screen in alternation with a virtual partner. Alterna-29 tion rate (fast or slow) and the temporal predictability (match vs mismatch of stress occurrences) 30 were manipulated. One group of children with normal hearing (NH) and one with HL were tested. 31The latter group was tested twice: once after 30 minutes of speech therapy and once after 30 32 minutes of musical rhythmic training. Both groups of children (NH and with HL) can adjust their 33 speech production to the rate of alternation of the virtual partner. Moreover, while children with 34 normal hearing benefit from the temporal regularity of stress occurrences, children with HL become 35 sensitive to this manipulation only after rhythmic training. Rhythmic training may help children 36 with HL to structure the temporal flow of their verbal interactions. 37