This paper presents the results of a longitudinal study of 12 severely and
profoundly deaf children aged between 3;6 and 5. Interactions between the
children and their teacher in one-to-one 'conversation' sessions 'were filmed
at 3-monthly intervals over a period of approximately 18 months. Analyses
of these recordings led to the identification of five stages that children pass
through in making the transition from pre-verbal communication to the
beginnings of conversational competence. The nature of these stages and
the implications both for the education of young deaf children and for
theories of early language development are explored.
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