Sign learning of hearing children in inclusive day care centers-does iconicity matter?

ABSTRACT: An increasing number of experimental studies suggest that signs and gestures can scaffold vocabulary learning for children with and without special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, little research has been done on the extent to which iconicity plays a role in sign learning, particularly in inclusive day care centers. This current study investigated the role of iconicity in the sign learning of 145 hearing children (2;1 to 6;3 years) from inclusive day care centers with educators who started using sign-supported speech after a training module. Children's sign use was assessed via a questionnaire completed by their educators. We found that older children were more likely to learn signs with a higher degree of iconicity, whereas the learning of signs by younger children

SUBMITTER: Goppelt-Kunkel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10467423 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature