Some observations on the use of conjunctions when using the CELF-R with hearing-impaired children

Abstract

Some results when using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamen tals-Revised (CELF-R) with 17 children with severe to profound hearing losses are reported. Of particular interest was the pattern of responses when using conjunctions, especially before and after. A preference was observed for postponing the subordinate clause when using before and after, but not with other conjunctions. Although the children could use before and after, meaningfully, they were restricted in the range of contexts where they would be successful in so doing. It is suggested that a lack of syntactic versatility prevented these children from using some conjunctions fully. This lack of versatility is discussed in the context of the communicative difficulties which hearing-impaired children are likely to experience.

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