Previous research found a beneficial effect of augmentative signs (signs from a sign language used alongside speech) on spoken word learning by signing deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. The present study compared oral DHH children, and hearing children in a condition with babble noise in order to investigate whether prolonged experience with limited auditory access is required for a sign effect to occur. Nine- to 11-year-old children participated in a word learning task in which half of the words were presented with an augmentative sign. Non-signing DHH children (N = 19) were trained in normal sound, whereas a control group of hearing peers (N = 38) were trained in multi-speaker babble noise. The researchers also measured verbal short-term memory (STM). For the DHH children, there was a sign effect on speed of spoken word recognition, but not accuracy, and no interaction between the sign effect in reaction times and verbal STM. The hearing children showed no sign effect for either speed or accuracy. These results suggest that not necessarily sign language knowledge, but rather prolonged experience with limited auditory access is required for children to benefit from signs for spoken word learning regardless of children’s verbal STM.

中文翻译：

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聋哑和听力障碍儿童以及听力儿童的口语单词学习中的符号效应

先前的研究发现，增强性符号（来自与语音配合使用的手语符号）对聋哑和听力困难的儿童（DHH）的签名对口语单词学习具有有益的作用。本研究比较了口腔DHH儿童和有ba哑声的听力儿童，以研究是否需要长时间的听觉受限经验才能使体征产生效果。9至11岁的儿童参加了单词学习任务，其中一半的单词带有增强符号。未签名的DHH儿童（N = 19）接受了正常声音的训练，而对照组的听力同龄人（N = 38）接受了多扬声器的bble啪声训练。研究人员还测量了言语短期记忆（STM）。对于DHH儿童而言，语音识别速度有明显的影响，但准确性不高，反应时间中的符号效应与口头STM之间没有相互作用。听力正常的儿童无论速度还是准确性都没有表现出任何信号作用。这些结果表明，不一定要具备手语知识，而是需要长期的听觉受限经验，才能使儿童受益于口语单词学习的符号，而不论儿童的口头STM情况如何。