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Navigating sign language learning: insights from hearing parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

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Title: Navigating sign language learning: insights from hearing parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Authors: Ritmeester, Jos1 (AUTHOR), Sümer, Beyza2 (AUTHOR), Boonstra, Marije3 (AUTHOR), Meulder, Maartje de4 (AUTHOR), Aa, Belinda van der3 (AUTHOR), Roelofsen, Floris1 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Deaf Studies & Deaf Education. Jan2026, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p85-103. 19p.
Subject Terms: *Deafness in children, *Qualitative research, *Parent attitudes, *Research methodology, *Sign language, Research funding, Interviewing, Hearing disorders in children, Descriptive statistics, Data analysis software
Geographic Terms: Netherlands
Abstract: The importance of hearing parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children learning sign language is well documented. However, parents face many challenges in this learning process. This study investigates the experiences of Dutch hearing parents learning Dutch Sign Language (NGT) or Sign-supported Dutch through semi-structured interviews with 21 parents and 6 NGT teachers. The interviews explored parents' and teachers' perspectives on parental sign language courses, additional learning materials, and the challenges parents face in learning sign language. The findings highlight the value of DHH teachers and home-based initial courses, as well as the importance of courses aligning with the child's developmental stage and extending beyond vocabulary level. Both parents and teachers appreciated learning materials that could be used together by parent and child but expressed a need for additional and more elaborate resources. Common challenges included language-specific difficulties, such as mastering sign order and adapting to a visual language, and external barriers, such as difficulties accessing courses and conflicting expert advice regarding the use of sign language. These findings underscore the need for more accessible courses, longer-duration support, and greater consistency among professionals in their advice. This would better support hearing parents in effectively learning sign language and ensuring their DHH children have full access to language from an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Deaf Studies & Deaf Education is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Navigating sign language learning: insights from hearing parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Deaf+Studies+%26+Deaf+Education%22">Journal of Deaf Studies & Deaf Education</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p85-103. 19p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deafness+in+children%22">Deafness in children</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+attitudes%22">Parent attitudes</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sign+language%22">Sign language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing+disorders+in+children%22">Hearing disorders in children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Netherlands%22">Netherlands</searchLink>
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  Data: The importance of hearing parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children learning sign language is well documented. However, parents face many challenges in this learning process. This study investigates the experiences of Dutch hearing parents learning Dutch Sign Language (NGT) or Sign-supported Dutch through semi-structured interviews with 21 parents and 6 NGT teachers. The interviews explored parents' and teachers' perspectives on parental sign language courses, additional learning materials, and the challenges parents face in learning sign language. The findings highlight the value of DHH teachers and home-based initial courses, as well as the importance of courses aligning with the child's developmental stage and extending beyond vocabulary level. Both parents and teachers appreciated learning materials that could be used together by parent and child but expressed a need for additional and more elaborate resources. Common challenges included language-specific difficulties, such as mastering sign order and adapting to a visual language, and external barriers, such as difficulties accessing courses and conflicting expert advice regarding the use of sign language. These findings underscore the need for more accessible courses, longer-duration support, and greater consistency among professionals in their advice. This would better support hearing parents in effectively learning sign language and ensuring their DHH children have full access to language from an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Deaf Studies & Deaf Education is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=190722418
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        Value: 10.1093/jdsade/enaf059
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        Text: English
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        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 85
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Deafness in children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
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      – SubjectFull: Parent attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
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      – SubjectFull: Sign language
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      – SubjectFull: Research funding
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      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing disorders in children
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      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Netherlands
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              Text: Jan2026
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              Y: 2026
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