[[alternative]]A Study on Hearing-impaired and Normal Preschoolers' Emergent Literacy Ability and Oral Language Development

[[abstract]]A Study on Emergent Literacy Ability and Oral Language Development in Hearing-impaired and Normal Preschoolers Chung-hui Hsuan Abstract The proposes of the study were (1) to investigate the correlation and the difference between the hearing-impaired and normal preschoolers' emergent literacy ability and oral language development, and (2) to explore the effects on the preschoolers' emergent literacy ability. Correlative method was used by dividing the samples into two groups: hearing-impairment and normality, with 30 subjects in each group. Data were obtained from "The Cognitive Development Scale for children ", "The Language Disorders Scale for Preschoolers ", and "The Emergent Literacy Scale for Preschoolers" to assess the preschoolers' cognitive development, oral language development, and emergent literacy ability. The main findings of the study were as follows: 1. The factors of "The Emergent Literacy Scale for preschoolers "were (1) The ability of reading development; (2) The development of bibliography & word knowledge; and (3) The ability of writing development. 2. There was a significant positive correlation between the emergent literacy ability and oral language development in both groups. 3. The hearing-impaired preschoolers' oral language development, including oral comprehension and oral expression development could effectively predict their emergent literacy ability. 4. The hearing-impaired preschoolers' ability of oral language development was significantly lower than that of the normal preschoolers. 5. The normal preschoolers' emergent literacy ability, the ability of reading development, and the development of bibliography & word knowledge were significantly better than those of the hearing-impaired preschoolers, while the normal preschoolers' ability of writing development was not significantly better than that of the hearing-impaired girls. 6. The hearing-impaired girls' emergent literacy ability was better than those of the hearing-impaired boys. 7. There was a significant effect on the hearing-impaired preschoolers' development of bibliography & word knowledge. 8. There was not significant difference between the hearing-impaired boys' and girls' emergent literacy ability. 9. Normal boys' development of bibliography & word knowledge was better than that of normal girls, and normal girls' ability of writing development was better than that of normal boys. 10. The hearing-impaired preschoolers' emergent literacy ability was gradually developed according to the age. The higher the age, the better the subjects from age four and a half to six. After the age of six, however, the emergent literacy ability, including the ability of writing development, the development of bibliography & word knowledge, and the ability of reading development, were gradually downward. 11. The normal preschoolers' emergent literacy ability, including the ability of reading development, the development of bibliography & word knowledge, and the ability of writing development were gradually proceeded. 12. The hearing-impaired and normal preschoolers' emergent literacy ability, was gradually proceeded according to the cognitive development. 13. There was a significant effect of cognitive development on ability of writing development in hearing-impaired preschoolers. 14. The emergent literacy ability was not proceeded according to the in both groups. 15. There was a significant effect of oral language development on emergent literacy ability in hearing-impaired preschoolers. 16. The hearing-impaired preschoolers' emergent literacy ability was not downward according to the degree of hearing loss. 17. The emergent literacy ability was gradually proceeded according to parental social-economic status in both groups. Keywords: preschooler, emergent literacy, hearing-impaired, oral language