There is a pressing need for effective pedagogical methods of manual languages, as evident in the decline of manual languages, such as New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). Despite being recognized as one of New Zealand's official languages, recent censuses have shown that fluent NZSL signers have been steadily decreasing. There is a cultural…

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) literature, including the reading behaviour of Deaf adults, suggests that Teachers of the deaf (TODs) read different amounts of text during read alouds to DHH prereaders based on the spoken and visual communication modes DHH prereaders use, such as: American Sign Language (ASL), only spoken English (speech),…

Background: Children who are learning English as an Additional Language (EAL) may start school with smaller vocabularies than their monolingual peers. Given the links between vocabulary and academic achievement, it is important to evaluate interventions that are designed to support vocabulary learning in this group of children. Aims: To evaluate…

Introduction: Children with CHARGE syndrome often experience significantly delayed motor development, which affects their performance in many motor skills and physical activities. The purpose of this study was to determine the status of physical education provided to children with CHARGE syndrome. There were five main areas of focus: (1) physical…

The paper presents a critical review of studies dealing with manual communication training for severely reading disabled students plus the case report of two severely reading disabled adolescents given reading instruction with the aid of fingerspelling and sign language. (Author/CL)

The results indicated that overcorrection plus positive reinforcement was effective in teaching one sign (milk); however, an added contingent exercise (having to stand up and sit down 10 times for an incorrect response) was required to teach the second sign (cookie). (Author/SW)

Recent research concerning learning via a single mode or particular combination of modes prompted an experiment which used a dual stimuli methodology. Manual sign, graphic, and oral stimuli were presented, in pure and in combination, to normal adults without previous signing experience. An efficiency rating of method of presentation was obtained.…

The purposes of the study involving four severely handicapped students (11 to 16 years old) were to examine whether the acquisition of instruction- following behavior is facilitated by the presentation of manual signs with verbal instructions and whether manual and verbal expressive abilities are acquired as an indirect result of receptive…

A program was implemented to increase the manual signing of five profoundly retarded (mean age, 19 years) and four autistic (mean age, 9 years) youth within their daily environment. (Author)

The study compared scores of 2 groups of hearing-impaired students ages 5 to 12 years on a literacy battery. Subjects (n=73) were receiving instruction which either completely encoded spoken English or incompletely encoded spoken English. Those receiving completely encoded English instruction tended to score higher on achievement tests especially…

Examined the effect over time of the use of sign language in a two-year period, including preschool and ending with kindergarten, on hearing children's language development. Found vocabulary gains, no evidence of memory decay over time, and positive evidence for inclusion of sign language instruction in early childhood education. (SD)

Hearing-impaired students (32) and staff (25) of a 4-week summer program were interviewed. Among the conclusions are that teachers of hearing-impaired students should expect heterogeneity in terms of their preferred mode of communication, reading ability, lip reading ability, interest in science, etc. Effective instructional techniques include…