How do children with hearing loss typically perform in reading and writing compared to their hearing peers?

Children with hearing loss often perform lower in reading and writing compared to their hearing peers, which is why selecting the option stating that they perform 1-4 grade levels lower is correct. The key reason behind this trend is the critical role that auditory processing plays in language acquisition. Hearing impairments can hinder the exposure to and understanding of spoken language, which in turn affects literacy skills.

Many children with hearing loss may have limited access to rich linguistic environments, which are crucial for developing phonological awareness and vocabulary. These skills are foundational for reading and writing. As a result, children with hearing loss frequently encounter challenges in grasping complex sentence structures and nuances in language, leading to academic performance that is typically behind their hearing peers.

Research in this area consistently highlights the disparities in literacy outcomes, reflecting the necessity for tailored educational strategies that focus on enhancing language development for children with hearing loss. This research supports the idea that specialized instruction and interventions can help bridge the gap, but without these, the likelihood of lower performance is significant.