The Research Project GeSeTom
For a pdf-file poster giving an overview of the research project GeSeToM, please click here.
Narrative competences of deaf children – the interdependency of sign language acquisition and Theory of Mind (GeSeToM)
(2014-2017)
The development of narrative competences of children requires not only the acquisition of language but also social and cognitive competences, e.g. the development of a theory of mind. Evidence for this is based on deficits in signed narratives by deaf children, who have only limited access to vocal language as well as sign language. We presume that deficits in interaction do not only cause linguistic problems but also cognitive difficulties which impede the processing of the events to be told, and an adequate orientation towards the addressee in interaction.
The study wants to investigate several issues: which domains of competence of these children are affected in comparison to children of Deaf parents, who thus have native access to German Sign Language, and which problems in narrating belong to the linguistic domain and which problems belong to the cognitive domain. Furthermore, we want to explore if the limited access to verbal interaction causes only a delay in the acquisition of these competences or if exist different acquisition patterns, and we want to explore possible interdependencies between the linguistic and the cognitive domain.
The results will render possible didactic developments for bilingual education programs for deaf children and the general promotion of children with limited experiences in linguistic interaction.
Funded by:
