Home Language Activities and Language Ability Between Chinese Preschool Children with Cochlear Implants and Children with Normal Hearing

This study explored the relationship between different home language activities and language ability in Chinese preschoolers with cochlear implants (CIs) (mean age = 4.50, range = 3-5), comparing them with normally hearing (NH) peers (mean age = 4.66, range = 3-5). Correlation and regression analyses revealed distinct predictive patterns between the two groups. In the CI group, although family literacy activities such as shared reading were associated with language skills, daily communication activities (e.g., conversational interactions) had a more significant predictive effect on language outcomes, even after controlling for key demographic variables. Conversely, for NH preschool children, family literacy activities showed a clearer independent association with language development. This study offers clearer insights for home-based rehabilitation practices among CI preschool children, suggesting that interventions should prioritize high-quality daily communication (e.g., open-ended questioning, extended dialog, contextualized interactions) rather than over-reliance on structured literacy activities. It also indicates that intervention models designed for NH preschool children cannot be simply applied.