Improvements in the English Syntax of Deaf College Students

The present study was designed to determine whether prelingually deaf students continue to improve in their knowledge of English syntax once they reach the college level. Students were assessed on their knowledge of nine English structures at the beginning and the end of the academic year. The results revealed significant improvement on all structures; however, students with lower general English proficiency improved to a significantly greater extent than students with higher general English proficiency. This suggests that deaf students with low proficiency might benefit from an increase in explicit grammar instruction. The results of this study are promising in that improved English syntax provides deaf students with more degree options and greater access to college-level reading materials.