Abstract
Abstract Pragmatic language refers to how language is used socially to achieve some purpose in communication. Pragmatic language impairment can be a disorder by itself, or as a sign of other accompanying disorders. Hearing-impaired children show less clear pragmatic communication functions. Knowledge of pragmatic abilities in children with hearing loss (HL) is lacking relative to that of children with normal hearing (NH). The aim of this study was to examine the pragmatic language ability in Arabic-speaking children with sensorineural hearing loss in order to apply a proper intervention program to guard against the effect of early pragmatic language skill disorders on later academic and social abilities. Twenty-seven children with HL were subjected to pragmatic language assessment using the Arabic version of the Test of Pragmatic Language, 2nd edition and both the Observational Rating Scale and the Pragmatic Profile subtests of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamental, 4th edition. The results obtained were compared with the results of 27 age-matched and sex-matched NH children. The results of this study revealed significantly lower pragmatic abilities in children with HL compared with children with NH. Male children were significantly more impaired compared with female children. There were significant correlations between the pragmatic variables and the degree of HL, speech discrimination ability, and the duration of auditory deprivation. HL children had significantly lower pragmatic skills compared with NH children, with greater affection correlated with increasing severity of HL and the duration of auditory deprivation. The higher susceptibility to pragmatic impairment in this category of children as well as the importance of pragmatic skills for further social communicative and academic careers should be considered in their rehabilitative plan.
Highlights
Pragmatic language refers to how language is used socially to achieve some purpose in communication [1]
All children with hearing loss (HL) used spoken language sufficiently well to qualify for the study; they had no disabilities other than HL, and did not use sign language support
This study is considered the first to be designed to assess the pragmatic skills of Arabic-speaking children with HL using the Arabic version of the TOPL-2 and both the Observational Rating Scale (ORS) and Pragmatic Profile (PP) subtests of the ClEF-4 [13]
Summary
Pragmatic language refers to how language is used socially to achieve some purpose in communication [1] It is considered the social use of language. The important elements of pragmatic language include an awareness of how communication is affected by different contexts and audiences, an understanding of how messages are composed most effectively, and an ability to determine the best use of these different types of messages. Pragmatic language involves what is said and where, why, and to whom a matter is communicated. Pragmatic language refers to how language is used socially to achieve some purpose in communication. Hearing-impaired children show less clear pragmatic communication functions. The results obtained were compared with the results of 27 age-matched and sex-matched NH children
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