Computerized Sign Language-Based Literacy Training for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

Abstract

Strengthening the connections between sign language and written language may improve reading skills in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) signing children. The main aim of the present study was to investigate whether computerized sign language-based literacy training improves reading skills in DHH signing children who are learning to read. Further, longitudinal associations between sign language skills and developing reading skills were investigated. Participants were recruited from Swedish state special schools for DHH children, where pupils are taught in both sign language and spoken language. Reading skills were assessed at five occasions and the intervention was implemented in a cross-over design. Results indicated that reading skills improved over time and that development of word reading was predicted by the ability to imitate unfamiliar lexical signs, but there was only weak evidence that it was supported by the intervention. These results demonstrate for the first time a longitudinal link between sign-based abilities and word reading in DHH signing children who are learning to read. We suggest that the active construction of novel lexical forms may be a supramodal mechanism underlying word reading development.

Reading skills of D/deaf students – native signers

“…e.g. computer-based trainings 31 or learning programmes 32 , which could be inspiration for development of proper conditions to enhance reading skills of D/deaf students using PJM.…”

Desarrollo de la competencia lectora en alumnado con discapacidad auditiva: una revisión bibliográfica

“…Mejoras en la construcción de la conciencia fonológica, la velocidad y fluidez lectora, la comprensión y el nivel de vocabulario (Andrews et al, 2016;Berchin-Weiss et al, 2016;Cihon, 2008;Schirmer et al, 2012;Trezek y Mayer, 2015;Trussell y Easterbrooks, 2013;Trussell y Easterbrooks, 2015;Trussell et al, 2017;Van Staden, 2013;Nakeva Von Mentzer, 2014;Wang et al, 2014;Webb et al, 2015). Sin embargo, 3 de los estudios no favorecieron la mejora de las habilidades lectoras del alumnado (Andrews, 2012;Holmer et al, 2017;Urbani, 2011), además, de1 de ellos (Rudner et al, 2015), se derivó que las mejoras no podían ser solamente atribuidas al programa de intervención empleado. Por otro lado, en Schirmer y Schaffer (2010), se apreciaron mejoras significativas, pero tras las vacaciones estivales se ocasionó un declive abrupto de las puntuaciones.…”

“…Estos métodos permiten incrementar las habilidades de alfabetización de los alumnos. Únicamente3de los artículos están centrados en el desarrollo de la conciencia fonológica (Cihon, 2008;Schirmer y Schaffer, 2010;Webb et al, 2015), otros 3 están dirigidos a la adquisición de vocabulario (Trussell y Easterbrooks, 2013;Trussell et al, 2017;Van Staden, 2013) y 5 de ellos al aprendizaje de la lengua de signos con el fin de hacer un uso funcional de la misma, elemento que facilita el desarrollo de las habilidades de alfabetización (Andrews et al, 2016;Cihon, 2008;Holmer et al, 2017;Rudner et al, 2015;Wang et al, 2014). En 2 de los estudios se emplearon lecturas dialógicas para la intervención (Trussell, 2017;Urbani, 2011).…”

Working Memory for Linguistic and Non-linguistic Manual Gestures: Evidence, Theory, and Application

“…Further, there is a link between reading ability and precision in imitating signs in deaf children ( Holmer et al, 2016b ). Recently, it has been shown that training the link between sign language and the written word may have a positive effect on word reading ( Holmer et al, 2017 ). Thus, both spoken language skill and reading skill in deaf children are associated with firmly established first language skills.…”