A study on the communicative functions used in various contexts by a child with hearing loss

The aim of this study, designed as a case study, is to examine the communicative functions used in various contexts by a child with hearing loss. The participants of the study are a child with hearing loss, whose chronological age is 28 months, his mother and his two siblings. The data was collected through video recording of the natural interactions in various contexts, the interviews with the mother, researcher logs, products and documentation reviews. The gathered data was descriptively and inductively analyzed in a way to answer the study questions during and after the process. The observations recorded via video camera were descriptively analyzed according to the operational communicative function descriptions formed based on the communicative function classifications made in advance by the researchers. The findings of the study show that the child with hearing loss uses various communicative functions in various natural contexts. It was shown that the child exhibits these communicative functions through verbal and/or nonverbal behavior. It is expected that this study examining the communicative functions used in various contexts by a child with hearing loss will contribute to the national body of literature. It is thought that it can be used as a guide for the families and teachers of the children with hearing loss to communicative function use in children. Keywords: Children with hearing loss, Communicative function, Mother-child interaction