Eight French dictionaries and encyclopedic reference books are reviewed, focusing on their formats, characteristics, and intended uses. They include references for language, geopolitics and economics, economic history, signs and symbols, and an almanac. (MSE)

Although American Sign Language (ASL) currently lacks an accepted writing system, one of the common reasons why it is not accepted for credit in foreign language programs, ASL does have a rich literary tradition. Several curricular remedies to improve those sign language courses are proposed. (CB)

Teachers of American Sign Language (ASL) can no longer qualify just by being able to sign well or by being deaf. ASL teachers must respect the language and its history, feel comfortable interacting with the deaf community, have completed formal study of language and pedagogy, be familiar with second-language teaching, and engage in personal and…

Describes the considerable amount of work and lengthy process of passing legislation to give foreign-language credit for American sign language in California high schools. (CB)

The learning of a list of 20 Blissymbols and comparable American Sign Language signs by 121 nonhandicapped undergraduate psychology students was compared. Blissymbols were learned significantly faster than manual signs, particularly in early learning trials. Results are discussed in terms of the memory requirements of the two systems. (Author/JDD)

Classroom use of roadside signs and billboards is recommended both for understanding cultural and geographic context and for learning French. Exercises for decoding and comprehension are suggested. (MSE)

Activities designed to increase deaf students' self-esteem and positive attitudes toward their deafness included a bulletin board displaying the different things deaf children and adults could do; and a trip to see actors from the National Theater of the Deaf. (CB)

The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) has been tracking and analyzing state policies on assessment participation and accommodations since 1992. The purpose of the current analysis is to update information on these policies that was last reported by NCEO in 2002 (based on 2001 data). The current analysis of states' 2003 participation…

This text provides future and practicing teachers of deaf children with basic theoretical and research knowledge as well as specific principles and practices for fostering the development of language and reading. In this third edition of "Language Learning Practices with Deaf Children," the authors have added a section on language assessment in…

This digest uses a question-and-answer format to address some issues in the possible choice of a residential school for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The importance of the residential school experience in the context of Deaf culture is addressed, as are other issues such as characteristics of students attending residential schools and…

This document is an eleven-page supplemental subject guide listing reference material that focuses on Native American languages that is not available in the Labriola National American Indian Data Center in the Arizona State University, Tempe (ASU) libraries. The guide is not comprehensive but offers a selective list of resources useful for…

Describes an exercise involving the use of kinematics to decide if one should stop or try and get through an intersection when the traffic light turns yellow. Gives students' experience in recording data, doing simple calculations and connecting classroom studies to real world experiences. (Author/SK)

A survey of 429 schools serving children classified as ESN(S)--educationally subnormal (severe)--or otherwise handicapped was conducted to find out which sign and symbol systems were used for nonvocal children. (SBH)

Based on experimental research, examines the relationship between American Sign Language and French Sign Language, and sociolinguistic variation in both sign languages. (AM)

Traces the history of the advances and setbacks experienced by proponents of sign language in France and in the United States from the 18th century to the present. (AM)