Invited Commentary: The Use of Philosophy for Children (P4C) in Language Instruction for d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: A Systematic Review

Abstract: This review reveals the potential application of the Philosophy for Children (P4C) approach, which holds a significant place in the development of language and higher-order thinking skills, for the education of d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh) children. The review was conducted with a two-phase approach. In the first phase, 11 research articles encompassing 4,499 participants were systematically reviewed to evaluate studies that determined the effect of P4C on the language and thinking skills of hearing primary school students. The findings established that P4C is an evidence-based practice for developing discourse and language, as well as inquiry skills, and a potentially evidence-based approach for literacy. Moving from the findings of the first phase, a conceptual and pedagogical approach related to the education of d/Dhh children was put forward in the second phase. It was argued that there is a strong theoretical alignment between P4C and frameworks such as the qualitative similarity hypothesis and literate thought. It was concluded that P4C can be a crucial approach for the advanced language use and higher-order thinking skills that d/Dhh children need for academic success. Revealing a significant research gap, the present article outlines an important framework for the integration of P4C into the educational systems of d/Dhh children.