Abstract
Researchers state that communication skills, which are developed before language acquisition and have very important place in language development, are 1) directing attention, 2) turn-taking, 3) imitation, 4) communicative purposes, and 5) conversation. As in all children, communication skills in children with hearing loss are very important. It is very important to identify children who have problems with their communication skills and to provide appropriate education. Standardized tests are generally used to assess children's language and communication skills in Turkey, but there are no informal tools that allow the assessment of early communication skills. Therefore, in this chapter, firstly, communication skills will be briefly defined and the disadvantages and advantages of formal and informal assessment and evaluation approaches will be discussed. Afterwards, the scope and development process of the informal communication skills inventory (ICSI) based on natural data collection in various contexts will be presented with sample items from the inventory.
TopCommunication And Language
Communication is everywhere in our lives and is an integral part of dail living. In its general meaning, it can be explained as the process of information exchange, in which various messages are sent and received between living things. Interpersonal communication, on the other hand, is the transfer of individuals' feelings, thoughts, wishes to other people. Language is the tool used in interpersonal communication. Language is used as a tool in interpersonal communication in almost all known societies (Sanders, 1982). Thanks to the language that symbolizes thoughts, people can perform many tasks required by social life, such as giving and receiving information and establishing social interaction.
It is known that children acquire their communication skills and language through various interaction experiences with the individuals around them in their culture, even though there is no systematic teaching (McLean & Snyder-McLean, 1999). The development of communication skills predates the acquisition of oral language. Communication skills are very important in the acquisition and development of oral language. Language and communication are concepts that complement each other. Because of this, it is known that their development is influenced by each other, and that the development of one affects the development of the other.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Informal Communication Skills Inventory: It is a measurement tool that examines communication skills in children with comprehensive and accurate examples based on natural routine interactions, and aims to reveal children's strengths and weaknesses.
Communication Skills: It is the skills of directing attention, imitation, turn-taking, communicative purposes and conversation that individuals display in order to express their wishes and needs.
Imitation: Imitation is an attempt by children to exhibit the behavior or expressions of others as similarly as possible, either immediately after them or after a certain period of time.
Language: Language is a system of various codes and symbols used as a tool in interpersonal communication for different and various purposes such as exchanging information and interacting.
Standardized Test: Standardized test are measurement tools whose implementation, scoring and interpretation processes are carried out by experts according to predetermined standards, and the results are compared according to certain norms.
Communicative Purposes: It is the intention and expression of a request by individuals with looks, smiles, gestures, facial expressions, vocalizations and/or verbal expressions.
Conversation: It is a communication skill that includes initiating communication, giving appropriate responses in ongoing interaction, maintaining communication and ending communication appropriately.
Hearing Loss: Hearing loss is damage to the senses that occurs for various reasons and to varying degrees.
Turn-Taking: Turn-taking is mutual interaction, verbal and/or non-verbal expressions are displayed in a certain order or at the same time while in communication.
Directing Attention Skills: It is the fact that people consciously and consciously directing glance the entities and events around them with the intention of communication, mutual gaze, topical gaze, and gaze shifting between people and objects.