The Contribution of Sign Language Comprehension to the Narrative Understanding and Print-Reading Abilities of Bilingual Deaf Children

• In Event: Language and Literacy Learning of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

Abstract

Objectives
1. To examine the relationship between children’s understanding of narratives told in American Sign language with narratives told in English (signed and spoken)
2. To examine the role of language comprehension in reading comprehension

Theoretical perspective
A growing number of sign language based programs in deaf education have shifted toward an ASL/English bilingual model. These programs are based on the premise that ASL provides deaf children with the ability to transfer over similar language proficiencies to develop English literacy, even though the languages are vastly different (Mahsie, 1995). Several studies have found that sign language and reading abilities correlate (Chamberlain & Mayberry, 2000; Hoffmeister, 2000; Padden & Ramsey, 2000; Strong & Prinz, 1997, 2000). However, the precise mechanism is not clear. Some researchers (e.g. Knoors & Marschark, 2012; Mayer & Leigh, 2010) suggest that such transfer will only occur when there are shared language structures and conceptual understanding. Based on the Simple View of Reading (Hoover & Gough, 1990), we posited one such transfer may be through linguistic comprehension ---that is, understanding ideas expressed in complex language such as narratives and short paragraphs. This transfer may occur in both “through the air” communication and directly through the process of reading comprehension.

Method
The study included 32 deaf children from 3rd to 6th grade that attended two bilingual education programs for deaf children. To assess narrative language comprehension, children viewed a video of the story in two wordless picture books (one in ASL and SimCom), and then answered 8 comprehension questions. The language of a specific story was counterbalanced across children. Children were also administered: Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test, ASL Receptive Test (ASL classifier and syntax), Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language English (signed in SimCom) – English syntax, Comprehensive Assessment of Spoken Language (translated into ASL) - paragraph comprehension, a fingerspelling task, WJ letter word identification, and PIAT - reading comprehension.


Results
Language scores were highly correlated, both within and between languages (see Table 1), indicating individual differences in language abilities were reflected in both languages. Such high correlations also mean that it is impossible to determine the differential influence of one aspect of language or languages on an outcome measure.

There were no significant differences between children’s understanding of stories told in ASL (M= 5.59; SD =1.98) and their understanding of the stories told in English (M=5.97; SD=2.01), t =-1.196, p>.241.

Two multiple regressions were conducted to examine factors that predict student’s reading abilities. Regression analysis on word reading (see Table 2) found that Word reading ability was strongly predicted by Fingerspelling. Vocabulary did not account for any unique variance above fingerspelling (F(1,30)=106.172,p<.001). Sentence reading comprehension (see Table 3) was predicted by word reading ability (F(1,30)=75.417,p<.001) and listening comprehension (F(1,29)=6.37,p<.05).

Significance
Students with stronger sign language comprehension abilities performed better on sign language narrative tasks (regardless of signed form) and seemed able to transfer their language abilities to reading English, especially when paired with fingerspelling.

Authors

• Peter Crume, Fresno State

• Amy R. Lederberg, Georgia State University

• Brenda Schick, University of Colorado - Boulder