Specialized Cognitive Function and Reading Achievement in Hearing-Impaired Adolescents

Abstract

This study evaluated the performance of hearing-impaired adolescents on tests of specialized cognitive functioning and explored the linkage between cognitive profile and reading achievement. Other variables noted were mathematics achievement, speech production, etiology, and age of onset of hearing loss. Subjects were 62 severely-to-profoundly hearing-impaired students between 15 and 20 years of age, 31 "high readers" and 31 "low readers." Results indicated that, for this sample, cognitive function was below average for the verbal and sequential skills associated with the left hemisphere but above average for the "visuospatial" skills associated with the right hemisphere. Reading performance proved to be highly correlated with cognitive profile, as did mathematics performance and, to a lesser extent, speech and age of onset. Ramifications for instruction are discussed--in particular, development of strategies for using the right hemispheric cognitive strengths, as identified in this sample, to help overcome the deficits in "verbosequential" processing and reading achievement traditionally associated with hearing-impaired students.

Sensory functioning and intelligence in old age: A strong connection.

“…Thus, we do not assume that low levels of sensory functioning are always linked to low levels of intellectual functioning. In fact, evidence from earlier periods of the life span suggests that sensory impairments often have rather small and circumscribed effects on cognitive functioning (Braden, 1985; Craig & Gordon, 1988; DeBeni & Cornoldi, 1988; Groenveld & Jan, 1992; Vernon, 1968). However, if changes associated with aging simultaneously reduce the functional efficacy of many brain systems, sensory and cognitive functions that are known to be dissociable in the neuropsychological sense (Shallice, 1988) may evince aging-induced covariation.…”

Cognitive Processing of Students with and without Hearing Loss

“…As mentioned before, Craig and Gordon (1988) constructed visuo-spatial and verbo-temporal tasks. Kaufman and Kaufman (1983) equated simultaneous processing with spatial order and successive processing with temporal order.…”

Specialized Cognitive Function Among Deaf Individuals:

“…Thipaper discusses and synthesizes related findings both from recently reported investigations of cognitive function (Craig & Gordon, 1988;McKee, 1987) and cognitive skill development (Craig, 1987) and prom the first year of an ongoing 3-year study of cognitive function and achievement in deaf persons.…”