Margaret Harris
Deaf Children's Use of Phonological Coding: Evidence from Reading, Spelling, and Working Memory
Royal Holloway University of London
two groups deaf children aged 8 14 years presented number tasks designed assess reliance phonological coding performance compared hearing children chronological age ca reading age ra performance first task shortterm recall pictures showed deaf childrens spans comparable ra controls lower ca controls older deaf children shortterm memory span predicted reading ability clear evidence deaf children using phonological coding shortterm memory recall dissimilar items compared recall items similarly sounding names second task assessed orthographic awareness performance deaf children similar ra controls although scores predicted reading level deaf children hearing final task picture spelling test marked differences deaf hearing children notably number spelling refusals higher deaf children older group ra controls percentage phonetic errors considerably lower groups deaf children hearing controls overall results provide support view deaf children place little reliance phonological coding