Filling the Gaps: The Role of Cloze Skills in Adaptive Information Processing for Deaf Individuals

By Joy Plote, Coda Counselor | The Space Between

Introduction

Cloze skills, the ability to infer and complete missing information using context, are foundational to literacy and cognitive integration. These skills involve drawing on vocabulary, syntax, and world knowledge to fill in blanks within a text or situation. For many Deaf individuals, particularly those who have experienced language deprivation, cloze skills may be underdeveloped due to limited access to incidental learning and early language exposure (Hall et al., 2017). These gaps not only affect literacy but also extend to broader cognitive and emotional processing.

The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, a cornerstone of trauma therapy such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), highlights how unprocessed memories become fragmented, leading to maladaptive symptoms (Shapiro, 2018). For Deaf individuals with language deprivation, these fragmented networks may align with gaps in cloze skills, further complicating trauma processing. This article explores the relationship between cloze skills and the AIP model, emphasizing the need for adapted therapeutic practices that address the unique challenges faced by Deaf clients.

Deafness, Language Deprivation, and Cloze Skills

What Are Cloze Skills?

Cloze skills involve the ability to predict and fill in missing information based on context. For example, in the sentence, “The cat sat on the ______,” a person might infer the missing word is “mat” based on prior knowledge of typical contexts involving cats. This process relies on:

1. Vocabulary Knowledge: A rich lexicon to identify likely words.

2. Grammar Awareness: Understanding syntax to determine word type.

3. Contextual Understanding: The ability to integrate prior knowledge and clues from the surrounding text or situation.

For Deaf individuals, especially those who have experienced language deprivation, these foundational components are often disrupted. Language deprivation arises when Deaf children lack access to a fully accessible language during critical developmental periods, leading to delays in vocabulary acquisition, grammar development, and contextual understanding (Humphries et al., 2012).

Impact of Language Deprivation on Cloze Skills

1. Limited Vocabulary and Syntax: Deaf individuals with delayed language acquisition may have smaller vocabularies and less familiarity with grammatical structures, both of which are essential for cloze tasks.

   
   

2. Restricted World Knowledge: Incidental learning (80%-90% of learning is incidental)—gaining knowledge through overheard conversations or environmental exposure—is often inaccessible to Deaf individuals, further limiting their ability to infer meaning.

   
   

3. Fragmented Cognitive Networks: Language deprivation can disrupt the development of interconnected memory and knowledge networks, mirroring the fragmented memories described in the AIP model.

The AIP Model and Trauma in Deaf Individuals

Overview of the AIP Model

The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model posits that the brain is inherently designed to process and integrate experiences adaptively. However, trauma can block this process, leading to the storage of memories in fragmented and maladaptive forms. These unprocessed memories are often isolated from broader memory networks, resulting in distressing symptoms such as intrusive thoughts and emotional dysregulation (Shapiro, 2018).

Trauma and Language Deprivation

For Deaf individuals with language deprivation, the ability to process trauma is further complicated by:

1. Gaps in Language Frameworks: Limited language skills can hinder the articulation and understanding of traumatic events, leaving them unprocessed and fragmented.

2. Isolation of Memory Networks: Just as trauma isolates memories from adaptive networks, language deprivation creates gaps in the cognitive and emotional frameworks needed to contextualize experiences.

Cloze Skills and the AIP Model: Bridging the Gap

The interaction between cloze skills and the AIP model can be conceptualized as a parallel process:

• Cloze Tasks: Require filling in gaps in language and context to create a coherent narrative.

• Trauma Processing: Involves reconnecting fragmented memory networks to reduce distress and restore adaptive functioning.

For Deaf individuals, deficits of information may exacerbate the challenges of trauma processing. Without the ability to infer or articulate missing elements, traumatic memories may remain unresolved, perpetuating maladaptive patterns.

Strategies for Adapting Trauma Therapy for Deaf Clients

1. Bilingual Approaches

Use ASL alongside written English to bridge linguistic gaps. Visual aids, diagrams, and storytelling can enhance comprehension and support memory integration.

2. Enhancing Contextual Understanding

Teach clients to use environmental details, body sensations, and emotions as context clues for understanding and reprocessing memories.

3. Cognitive interweaves to Add Information

Use cognitive interweaves to add adaptive information to promote healthy integration of trauma. 

4. Adapting EMDR Protocols

• Phase 3 (Assessment): Allow additional time for identifying negative beliefs and sensations, using ASL to clarify concepts.

• Phase 5 (Installation): Focus on developing positive cognitions in ASL first, then translating them into written or spoken English as needed.

5. Addressing Language Deprivation as Trauma

Recognize language deprivation itself as a form of trauma, incorporating it into the broader therapeutic narrative. Helping clients process the emotional impact of this deprivation can facilitate healing.

Conclusion

Deaf individuals with language deprivation often face compounded challenges in language comprehension and trauma processing. By understanding the interaction between cloze skills and the AIP model, clinicians can develop adapted strategies to bridge these gaps. Through bilingual approaches, contextual education, and trauma-informed care, therapy can empower Deaf clients with adaptive information, fostering resilience and growth.

References

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(6), 761–776. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-017-1351-7

Humphries, T., Kushalnagar, P., Mathur, G., Napoli, D. J., Padden, C., Rathmann, C., & Smith, S. R. (2012). Language acquisition for deaf children: Reducing the harms of zero tolerance to the use of alternative approaches. Harm Reduction Journal, 9(16). https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7517-9-16Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.