Learning to Look for Language: Development of Joint Attention in Young Deaf Children

Abstract

Joint attention between hearing children and their caregivers is typically achieved when the adult provides spoken, auditory linguistic input that relates to the child’s current visual focus of attention. Deaf children interacting through sign language must learn to continually switch visual attention between people and objects in order to achieve the classic joint attention characteristic of young hearing children. The current study investigated the mechanisms used by sign language dyads to achieve joint attention within a single modality. Four deaf children, ages 1;9 to 3;7, were observed during naturalistic interactions with their deaf mothers. The children engaged in frequent and meaningful gaze shifts, and were highly sensitive to a range of maternal cues. Children’s control of gaze in this sample was largely developed by age two. The gaze patterns observed in deaf children were not observed in a control group of hearing children, indicating that modality-specific patterns of joint attention behaviors emerge when the language of parent-infant interaction occurs in the visual mode.

Enhanced gaze‐following behavior in Deaf infants of Deaf parents

“…With continued input and support, DoD infants seem to learn to shift their gaze from their own ongoing activity to look at their parent for information. Seminal observational studies of DoD infants and toddlers suggest that they develop distinctive patterns of gaze behavior characterized by more frequently looking back and forth between the parent and an object compared to hearing children of hearing parents (HoH) (Lieberman, Hatrak, & Mayberry, ) and DoH infants (Spencer, ). This pattern of looking back and forth from parent to object potentially enables DoD infants to glean information from their signing parents about objects and events, because both the communicative signal and the referent are visually perceived and typically not co‐located in space.…”

Examining the Need of Attention Strategies for Academic Development in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

“…The process of learning to attend can be difficult, but is necessary for social communication and understanding academic content. During their study, Lieberman, Hatrak and Mayberry (2014) found that deaf children who are born to deaf parents were able to develop the skill of joint attention earlier, which lessened the delays in academic development.…”

“…There is a need for more studies on the development of joint attention among deaf children in preschools. Lieberman, Hatrak and Mayberry (2014) report on the "little understanding of how children adapt to the cognitive requirement of continuously alternating their own visual attention to achieve joint attention with their interlocutors" (p. 22). The process of learning to attend can be difficult, but is necessary for social communication and understanding academic content.…”

“…DeLuzio and Girolametto (2006) discussed a strategy of educators placing themselves in the child's line of sight and establishing eye gaze, and waiting for the child to engage in conversation. While there are several studies of eye gaze and joint attention with the deaf and hard of hearing youth population (Lieberman, Hatrak & Mayberry, 2014;Tasker, Nowakowski, Schmidt, 2010;Guarinello, et. al 2006;Harris & Chasin, 2005;Papparella & Kasari, 2004;Jamieson, 1995), there are few studies of joint attention in deaf schools (Mather, 1987;DeLuzio & Girolametto, 2006;and Singleton & Crume, 2013).…”

“…In this article, I use data from the larger Deaf Kindergartens in Three Countries study to discuss the importance of joint attention and maintenance of eye gaze for direct assimilation of culturally appropriate behavior. When deaf children acquire the skills of eye gaze and understand the use of this medium, they can start making sense of the world around them (Lieberman, Hatrak & Mayberry, 2014;Singleton & Crume, 2013). The Deaf Kindergarten in Three Countries project is a study led by Dr. Joseph Tobin, Dr. Joseph Valente and Dr. Thomas Horejes.…”