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Understanding Language Deprivation

26 Mar 2025

Language Deprivation is a significant issue facing our deaf ākonga, so an action in the 2024 Implementation Plan was created under Goal 2:
Create and socialise the definitions of Language Deprivation and Language Delay.

What is language deprivation

“Language deprivation is the lack of access to a full language during the critical period of language development, usually within the first 5 years of life. This lack of access to a full language causes significant delays in language development” - Dr K. Rowley, November 2022.

  • Language deprivation has been identified as a significant issue facing our deaf ākonga. Approximately 95% of our ākonga are born to hearing parents, which can pose challenges for language acquisition and creating a comprehensive, language-rich environment from birth. Many parents are unaware of this issue or how to address it for their deaf child.

  • Language Deprivation can lead to severe and irreversible effects, including:

    • Significant delays in language acquisition
    • Reduced cognitive abilities
    • Permanent brain changes
    • Socialisation challenges
    • Academic difficulties

  • A full language is one that is always 100% accessible to deaf children. For most of our students, this is signed language – New Zealand Sign Language. First language learning should be natural and effortless - the expectation should be on the adults to adapt to ensure language learning is effortless, not on the child to work hard to learn.

  • Full access to language for deaf children means that they have regular and frequent exposure to a language from birth and can pick it up naturally without explicit training. This is critical for all children and is essential to ensure that they are not deprived of language.

  • Risk factors for language deprivation in deaf children may include

    • Lack of or minimal exposure to language early in life
    • Lack of access to other fluent language users
    • Society’s lack of knowledge about the Deaf community and NZSL
    • Poor parent-child interaction
    • Parents’ education level
    • Socio-economic status

    An important note – according to the New Zealand Deafness Notification Database (2021), 19% of deaf children live in areas of highest socio-economic deprivation, nearly double the national average. Many of these children are of Māori or Pacific descent and face barriers to healthcare and education.

  • Language Delay: A child experiences slower progress in reaching language milestones but still has access to language input. With proper support, these children can often catch up to age-appropriate language skills.

    Language Deprivation: This occurs when a child has inadequate language exposure during the critical developmental period (ages 0–5). Unlike language delay, the consequences are more severe and long-lasting, as the natural language-learning process is disrupted. Their language becomes disordered (atypical). This applies to both spoken and signed languages.

  • Early identification of hearing levels, a supportive educational environment with consistent and accessible language exposure at home and in the community can help address language deprivation. Education and support for whānau on the importance of early language input is also vital.

    • Prioritise the acquisition of a fully accessible first language to support cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional growth.
    • Provide a language-rich environment,
    • Monitor language milestones.
    • Share information with families about language acquisition and sign language resources.
    • Connect with the Deaf community and ensure there are opportunities for your ākonga to meet and interact with other deaf peers and adults.
    • Research how best to work with those with language deprivation and modify teaching strategies.
    • Identify ākonga with possible language deprivation and use different teaching strategies.

    Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand is committed to developing teaching strategies to minimize the impacts of language deprivation. Further resources will be shared in the future.

  • Language deprivation poses significant challenges to the development of deaf ākonga. Early identification, accessible environments, and consistent support can mitigate its impact, paving the way for better cognitive, social, and academic outcomes.

    “We are committed to providing a rich and accessible environment for our deaf ākonga, for brain and language development”

  • Calderon, R. (2000). Parental Involvement in Deaf Children's Education Programs as a Predictor of Child's Language, Early Reading, and Social-Emotional Development. The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 5(2), 140-155. https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed...

    Cheng, Q. (2022) ‘Early language wires the brain regardless of modality,’ Language First webinair

    Hall, W. C., Levin, L. L., & Anderson, M. L. (2017). Language deprivation syndrome: A possible neurodevelopmental disorder with sociocultural origins. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 52, 761-776 Hall, W. C. (2017). What you don’t know can hurt you: The risk of language deprivation by impairing sign language development in deaf children. Maternal and child health journal, 21(5), 961. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995...

    Hall, W.C (2023) ‘Language Deprivation https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    https://www.nad.org/implicatio...

    Kushalnagar, P., Ryan, C., Paludneviciene, R., Spellun, A., & Gulati, S. Adverse Childhood Communication Experiences Associated With an Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases in Adults Who Are Deaf, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 59, Issue 4, 2020, Pages 548-554,

    New Zealand Audiological Society (2022, December 1). New Zealand Deafness Notification Database. New Zealand Deafness Notification Database Reports. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from https://audiology.org.nz/for-t... Rowley, K (2022) ‘Language Deprivation – Seminar at Ko Taku Reo’ 22 November 2022