<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I've thought about that... trying to
develop science materials (I have a strong science background) but looking
at the size of even elementary science textbooks... the project becomes
just too daunting. Even Cat in the Hat seems a lot longer now that
I am translating it! ::smile::</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">cherie</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
---------------------------------<br>
Cherie Wren<br>
GSD Staff Interpreter<br>
232 Perry Farm Rd<br>
Cave Spring, GA 30124<br>
706-777-2328<br>
706-766-0766 Cell<br>
<br>
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<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Stuart Thiessen"
<sw@passitonservices.org></b> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: owner-sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">01/18/2007 12:48 AM</font>
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<div align=center><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Please respond to<br>
sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</font></div></table>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu</font>
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<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
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<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Re: [sw-l] Deaf Residential Schools
in the US...</font></table>
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<br>
<br><tt><font size=2>:) That's great!<br>
<br>
I do think that there is a tangental approach that could be equally <br>
beneficial and worth considering. I think back to when I was in high <br>
school, I had a deaf friend who was in my 11th-12th grade history <br>
class. Because English is my first language, I had the regular <br>
textbook. But she had the 7th grade history book instead. Naturally, <br>
she did not get the same things out of the class that I could even with
<br>
an interpreter. I don't think it was her fault.<br>
<br>
If curriculum for a specific course (history, math, etc.) can be <br>
developed in ASL at appropriate grade levels and Deaf children can be <br>
shown to learn equal or superior to their hearing peers using that <br>
curriculum, that might be equally helpful. Of course, we may have to <br>
settle for a comparison of traditional Deaf Ed approach versus using SW
<br>
curriculum to show improved learning between the two Deaf test groups.
<br>
I suppose it would depend on the project and how it is set up and the <br>
willingness of the school or parents.<br>
<br>
That process may also help us understand presentation issues as well. <br>
Fact of the matter probably is that presentation will be equally <br>
important as content, and that will be something new that will need to
<br>
be considered since we will have to consider how the presentation of <br>
written material will intersect with the way sign languages naturally <br>
use directionality. For example, in English, we say, "See Figure 3
for <br>
a chart of English Kings." If I write it in ASL, should my Signwriting
<br>
point to the physical location of Figure 3 or what? There may be other
<br>
related issues that could come up. So, even those factors could impact
<br>
the effectiveness of written materials.<br>
<br>
Just some thoughts to throw out. :-)<br>
<br>
Stuart<br>
<br>
On Jan 17, 2007, at 22:57, K.J. Boal wrote:<br>
<br>
> Actually, I'm hoping to do a Ph.D. research project in the near future
<br>
> on exactly that, Cherie! But it will be a while before any results
<br>
> are in . . . if the project even gets off the ground . . . I'm hoping
<br>
> to get started on the program either this year or next but I don't
<br>
> know when or where I'll be doing it . . . I'll keep you posted on
my <br>
> progress!<br>
><br>
> KJ<br>
><br>
><br>
>> From: "Cherie Wren" <cwterp@YAHOO.COM><br>
>> Reply-To: sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu<br>
>> To: sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu<br>
>> Subject: Re: [sw-l] Deaf Residential Schools in the US...<br>
>> Date: Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:47:47 -0800 (PST)<br>
>><br>
>> But in order to get the schools to accept SW, you have to hit
them on <br>
>> what THEY think is important: and that is English. Period.
End of <br>
>> story. so although SW will have benefits far beyond its
limited use <br>
>> in promoting English literacy, that HAS to be the sell point.
<br>
>> Because that is all Deaf education is about right now. English
<br>
>> Literacy. Oh, those other things get done, but English Literacy
is <br>
>> THE goal of Deaf education in the United States, sad to say. And
<br>
>> although there is no proof, there is research that supports it.
Read <br>
>> Cummins on bilingual education. He proposes a theory that
In <br>
>> bilingual education (he is talking about Spanish/English) there
are <br>
>> two ways to get to English Literacy for Spanish speaking students.
<br>
>> One is via spoken English, the other is via Written Spanish. Apply
<br>
>> that to Deaf kids. Teh 'via spoken English ' route is not
<br>
>> applicable. So the route to English Literacy will only come
via <br>
>> written ASL. There is also research that proves that ASL<br>
>> proficiency (Not only in Deaf of Deaf, but in Deaf
of hearing with <br>
>> strong ASL skills)has a very high correlation with English Literacy.
<br>
>> That is to say, if the kid has a strong first language, he will
be <br>
>> able to get the second language easier. So SW wins again,
because <br>
>> while you teach written signing, you can teach ASL at the same
time. <br>
>> Here at GSD, we hope to get some of that proof that everyone wants
to <br>
>> see... but you can't get proof till someone does the research
, and <br>
>> you can't do the research till you have proof, at least in our
<br>
>> case...<br>
>><br>
>> cherie<br>
>><br>
>> ----- Original Message ----<br>
>> From: "James Shepard-Kegl, Esq." <kegl@MAINE.RR.COM><br>
>> To: sw-l@majordomo.valenciacc.edu<br>
>> Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 5:50:14 PM<br>
>> Subject: Re: [sw-l] Deaf Residential Schools in the US...<br>
>><br>
>> Re: [sw-l] Deaf Residential Schools in the US...<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> I respectfully submit that when you propose SW as a bridge to
English <br>
>> literacy in the school system, you are missing the point.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> SW is a valuable tool for giving a Deaf signer metalinguistic
skills <br>
>> in his or her native language (i.e., understanding labels like
nouns, <br>
>> verbs, classifiers, role shifting, shared references, and so forth.)
<br>
>> Having metalinguistic skills in your own language is critical
to <br>
>> learning the grammar and syntax of a foreign (that is, non-native)
<br>
>> language.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> But, if you are expecting miracle English literacy achievement
<br>
>> through SW, think again. SW helps, to be sure, and a greater
<br>
>> proponent than I you will not find, but do not oversell the concept,
<br>
>> as proof is scarce.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Where SW is really, really beneficial is: MATH, SCIENCE,
HISTORY.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> Math, to be of any real value in life, is all about applied math,
<br>
>> which we learn through practicing those dreaded verbal problems.
Use <br>
>> SW to teach them, so that the Deaf child knows what you are talking
<br>
>> about. Otherwise, the math problem just becomes an English
problem, <br>
>> and if you do not read English, you appear to be moronic. Try
TWO <br>
>> PLUS TWO in Chinese and see how far you get.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> My daughter's teachers in Portland, Maine High School are encouraging
<br>
>> her to answer her science tests in SW -- because the goal is <br>
>> achievement in the material taught in that particular class, not
rote <br>
>> memorization of English without any real comprehension.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> -- James<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
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