SignWriting List Forum| Message 991 | Previous | Next [ Up Thread ] | Message Index |
|
SignWriting List Forum |
|||
|
|
From:
Valerie Sutton Date: Fri Feb 5, 1999 4:41 am Subject: Re: Children Learning SignWriting | |
|
February 4, 1999 Talking about children learning SignWriting.... I have lots of questions through private email. Here is one of them: QUESTION: Some of my deaf students learned how to read English and then later, they began studying SignWriting, and it was difficult for them. When they write in SignWriting the sequence of their sentences are like written English. Some of them are unable to write their thoughts correctly in SignWriting. I'd like to know how your students learn? ANSWER: This answer could go for pages and pages! So to summarize... 1. Reading and writing are two different experiences. Reading seems to be more intuitive, but writing has to be taught. Writing correct grammar and structure seems to be harder for students. 2. If a student signs in ASL, but reads and writes in English, then the student has "connected" reading and writing with English grammar and structure. And they were given no choice, since before, there was no way to write ASL. 3. When people sign, they cannot see themselves. For example, they may not realize the facial expressions they make. They most likely have never analyzed their own grammar. 4. Then.... we give them SignWriting. They can read SignWriting quickly. But when they try to write, they place the signs in English word order. Why? Because they are still connecting writing to English structure, since they know nothing else. Writing the grammar and structure of ASL needs to be taught. 5. How do my students do this (grin)? Well...my students are the teachers and researchers who then have the courage to try it in the classroom. They are the ones that have to tell us how to teach it! We do not have enough data or experience yet to truly give the teachers the techniques they need. However...I am slowly publishing the "Writing Grammar Lessons" in SignWriting... Writing ASL Grammar Lesson 1: Topic Markers https://www.SignWriting.org/sw149.html Writing ASL Grammar Lesson 2: Writing Spatial Comparisons https://www.SignWriting.org/vert000.html ...and I hope that will help a little. We plan to post more grammar lessons in the future. So give us a year or two...the answer may be much better understood by then! Valerie ':-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valerie Sutton at the DAC Deaf Action Committee for SW SignWriting https://www.SignWriting.org Center For Sutton Movement Writing an educational nonprofit organization Box 517, La Jolla, CA, 92038-0517, USA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|