Why Vocabulary?

The benefits of vocabulary instruction and learning are numerous for all children, but particularly those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). Many DHH children experience slow vocabulary growth which contributes to language and literacy delays. DHH children are often limited in the amount and type of vocabulary they know. For example, many young DHH children’s vocabulary consists of informal names and social words. A large, varied vocabulary contributes to reading comprehension, the development of higher order thinking skills, a deeper understanding of content areas, and the ability to quickly learn new words. It is important that teachers of DHH students purposefully plan instruction to increase students’ vocabulary knowledge at every grade level.