Two Languages Together: Simultaneous Bilingualism for Deaf/HH Children
Children can learn two or more languages at the same time. This article describes simultaneous bilingual children’s development: Simultaneous Bilinguals’ Surprising Language Trajectories. The article is about “hearing” children (children who can hear) and how they can learn two spoken languages together. The article doesn’t include data about deaf children’s language development. However, Deaf/HH children can also learn two languages at the same time.
Deaf/HH children can learn both a signed language and a spoken/written language. Help them connect signing to reading. How? Look at ideas on the englishbyeye.org website. For example, click on Vocabulary Feast, Pairing Images with Reading, and other links.
Yes, signed languages are different from spoken languages. However, communication can alternate from one to the other. Some people use systems that code spoken language into visual form. Two examples are Cued Speech and Visual Phonics. Signed languages can also be used to translate reading. For example, Read with ASL YouTube videos bring American Sign Language, English print, and everyday scenes together.