We are a team of researchers based at City University London and the University of Bedfordshire who are looking at reading and dyslexia in Year 6 deaf children. We have recently collected data on oral deaf children and now the next phase of the research is focusing on signing deaf children.
Many deaf children have reading difficulties however there are no reading tests designed specifically for deaf children. Our research will produce scores for deaf children in Year 6 on a number of deaf-friendly reading tests. This will hopefully be the first step in developing standardised reading tests for deaf children which teachers may use in the future to check the reading progress of deaf children in their class.As part of the same project, we are investigating dyslexia in deaf children which is difficult for teachers to identify. This means that it is possible that some deaf children with dyslexia are missing out on a diagnosis and targeted support.
We are currently recruiting signing deaf children to participate in the study from Years 5 and 6. Professionals or parents who would like more information or who know families/schools that may like to be involved are invited to contact Catherine Barnett at City University London on catherine.barnett.1@city.ac.uk or telephone 020 7040 8466.
The project is being run by Dr Ros Herman, Dr Penny Roy, Dr Fiona Kyle and Catherine Barnett with funding from the Nuffield Foundation.