Editorial

The communication approach used with and by deaf children and pupils continues to be a topic that merits discussion. Whilst many studies have considered communication approach use in educational settings, far fewer studies have investigated use in homes. The paper by Hadikakou and Nikolaraizi provides an interesting insight into deaf adults' memories of their communication within the family when they were growing up in Cyprus. Whereas for some deaf adults the memory is negative, with feelings of frustration, this was not true for all participants. This paper makes a valuable contribution to the research findings that suggest that ease and fluency of communication are more important than communication approach.

Staying with the topic of language and communication, the paper by Mollink, Hermans and Knoors, reporting a study carried out in The Netherlands, considers whether the use of signs alongside the spoken version supports the learning of new vocabulary. The findings may resonate with the experience of those teachers of the deaf who advocate the use of signs to support vocabulary learning.

The final paper, by Burman, Evans, Nunes and Bell, concerns the assessment of deaf children's writing in primary school. This is another topic that recurs in discussions between professionals working with deaf pupils. For some deaf pupils, writing development poses a particular challenge and it can be difficult to demonstrate progress. This paper is based on practical work to which some of our readership contributed and provides support for professionals who wish to chart progress in deaf children's writing.