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Generating inferences from written and spoken language: A comparison of children with visual impairment and children with sight
Author(s) -
Edmonds Caroline J.,
Pring Linda
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
british journal of developmental psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 2044-835X
pISSN - 0261-510X
DOI - 10.1348/026151005x35994
Subject(s) - psychology , comprehension , reading (process) , reading comprehension , visual impairment , spoken language , learning to read , active listening , cognitive psychology , sight , literal (mathematical logic) , braille , developmental psychology , linguistics , communication , philosophy , physics , astronomy , psychiatry
The two experiments reported here investigated the ability of sighted children and children with visual impairment to comprehend text and, in particular, to draw inferences both while reading and while listening. Children were assigned into ‘comprehension skill’ groups, depending on the degree to which their reading comprehension skill was in line with that predicted by their decoding skill. They then read (either print or Braille) and listened to a series of novel short stories. These were followed by a series of questions, which required either the generation of inferences, or an answer that could be taken literally from the text. The results suggest that children with and without sight are comparable in their ability to draw inferences, and that children with visual impairment show an advantage for literal questions under auditory presentation.