Immigrant deaf and hard of hearing students (ZuSprachE)

Description: The language acquisition of refugee deaf and hearing-impaired students has been insufficiently researched so far. The aim of this explorative mixed-methods pilot study is to document language acquisition in German spoken language (DSL) and German Sign Language (DGS) among deaf and hearing-impaired students with refugee experience and to use the findings to design diagnostic procedures.

Therefore, we investigate language acquisition under special conditions in people with only little/scarcely any language stimulation in the first years of life (sign language(s) and/or spoken language(s)). We systematically consider heterogeneous language biographical starting points (diverse languages, impairment of language acquisition, diverse input situations, flight biography) and use multilingualism-sensitive survey procedures (LITMUS) and procedures for DGS, so that we can establish references to monomodal-bilingual findings and studies.

Duration: since 2020

Project leadership: Prof. Dr. Solveig Chilla (European University Flensburg) and Barbara Hänel-Faulhaber (University of Hamburg)

Cooperation partner(s): State Center for Hearing and Communication, Schleswig and Elbschule Hamburg.