Short answer

Focus parent training on a few key, actionable communication strategies that have a demonstrable impact, such as open-ended questioning, rather than attempting to teach multiple complex techniques simultaneously.

Field: Human Factors
Source: Digital Archive @ GSU (2022)
Method: Multiple-baseline across content design
Evidence: Moderate effect

Explicitly teaching parents specific communication strategies like open-ended questioning can effectively enhance their engagement during shared reading with children who have hearing loss. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Digital Archive @ GSU. Using Multiple-baseline across content design, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Focus parent training on a few key, actionable communication strategies that have a demonstrable impact, such as open-ended questioning, rather than attempting to teach multiple complex techniques simultaneously.

Study

Human FactorsHigh ImpactModerate effect

Targeted parent training significantly boosts open-ended questioning during shared reading for children with hearing loss.

Explicitly teaching parents specific communication strategies like open-ended questioning can effectively enhance their engagement during shared reading with children who have hearing loss.

Digital Archive @ GSU · 2022

Key Findings

01The parent training intervention was effective in increasing the frequency of open-ended questioning by parents.
02The intervention did not show a functional relationship with increased use of language expansions or scaffolding by parents.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When developing resources or programs for parents of children with hearing impairments, prioritize training on clear, observable communication behaviors like asking open-ended questions.

Project actions

01When designing a project involving user training, break down complex skills into smaller, manageable steps.
02Consider how to measure the effectiveness of training beyond simple observation, perhaps through user performance or feedback.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the effectiveness of parent training in improving shared reading practices, specifically focusing on the implementation of open-ended questions, language expansions, and scaffolding techniques, for families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

MethodMultiple-baseline across content design

ProcedureParents were explicitly taught three shared reading strategies: open-ended questions, language expansions, and scaffolding. The study then assessed the impact of this training on their use of these strategies during shared reading sessions with their children.

ContextEarly childhood literacy intervention for families with children experiencing hearing loss.

Variables

IVParent training intervention (presence/absence, specific strategies taught)

DVFrequency of parent use of open-ended questions, language expansions, and scaffolding during shared reading.

CVChild's age, degree of hearing loss, existing school literacy program, community-based format.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilized a rigorous multiple-baseline design to establish a functional relationship between the intervention and behavior change.
+Focused on specific, observable parent behaviors within a relevant developmental context.

Limitations

The effectiveness of training might vary depending on the parents' prior experience, the child's age, and the specific nature of the hearing loss.

Reliability & validity

The multiple-baseline design enhances internal validity by demonstrating that behavior change occurs only after the intervention is introduced for specific behaviors. Reliability would depend on consistent coding of parent behaviors during reading sessions.

Think critically

Why might the training be effective for open-ended questions but not for language expansions or scaffolding? What does this suggest about the nature of these different communication strategies and how they are learned?

Design Principles

"Effective communication support for children with hearing loss can be achieved through targeted, strategy-based parent training."

Understanding how to best support early literacy development in children with hearing impairments is crucial for their cognitive and linguistic growth. This research highlights a practical, training-based approach that can be integrated into existing support programs.

What This Means for Your Design

Teaching parents specific ways to talk to their kids while reading, like asking 'what do you think?' questions, can help them read better together, especially if the child has trouble hearing.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of targeted skill development in user training or the impact of communication strategies on learning outcomes.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research by Bergeron (2022) demonstrates that targeted parent training can significantly enhance specific shared reading practices, such as increasing the use of open-ended questions in families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This highlights the potential for structured educational interventions to positively influence caregiver-child interactions and support developmental outcomes.

Source

Digital Archive @ GSU

Effectiveness of Parent Training on Shared Reading Practices in Families with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

journal · 2022

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about targeted parent training significantly boosts open-ended questioning during shared reading for children with hearing loss?: Focus parent training on a few key, actionable communication strategies that have a demonstrable impact, such as open-ended questioning, rather than attempting to teach multiple complex techniques simultaneously. Evidence: Digital Archive @ GSU (2022).
Why does "Targeted parent training significantly boosts open-ended questioning during shared reading for children with hearing loss." matter for design?: Understanding how to best support early literacy development in children with hearing impairments is crucial for their cognitive and linguistic growth. This research highlights a practical, training-based approach that can be integrated into existing support programs.
How can designers apply this research?: Focus parent training on a few key, actionable communication strategies that have a demonstrable impact, such as open-ended questioning, rather than attempting to teach multiple complex techniques simultaneously.
What were the main findings?: The parent training intervention was effective in increasing the frequency of open-ended questioning by parents.. The intervention did not show a functional relationship with increased use of language expansions or scaffolding by parents.
What research method was used?: Multiple-baseline across content design.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2022 journal from Digital Archive @ GSU.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When developing resources or programs for parents of children with hearing impairments, prioritize training on clear, observable communication behaviors like asking open-ended questions.
What are the limitations?: The study did not find a significant effect for language expansions and scaffolding, suggesting that these strategies may require different training approaches or more intensive intervention.