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From:
"Angus B. Grieve-Smith" Date: Sun Mar 5, 2000 4:11 pm Subject: Re: SignWriting as a gateway? | |
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On Sat, 4 Mar 2000, Trevor Jenkins wrote: > On Saturday, 4 March, 2000 07:40:13, INGRID FOGGITT > wrote: > > In South Africa, the average Deaf school leaver has the general > > knowledge of what is thought to be 'normal' at 8 years old and > > writing skills of what is thought to be `normal' at 10 years old. > That's appaling! Do these ages vary depending upon ethnic origin? I don't know figures, but I seem to remember that the situation is similar for the US, even among Deaf people from relatively priviledged populations. My experience with Cecelia Flood's students has showed me that even though they're very bright kids, very few of them can figure out English writing by age 10. Without some kind of sign writing system, I can imagine them being stymied at the school levels described by Ingrid, but with it I could imagine them equaling or surpassing their peers. I'm very excited about Cecelia's project. -- -Angus B. Grieve-Smith Linguistics Department University of New Mexico |
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