Deaf lecturers’ translanguaging in a higher education setting. A multimodal multilingual perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingela Holmström ◽  
Krister Schönström
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Primary Language ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
University Level

AbstractIn a few universities around the world courses are offered where the primary language of instruction is a national sign language. Many of these courses are given by bilingual/multilingual deaf lecturers, skilled in both national sign language(s) and spoken/written language(s). Research on such deaf-led practices in higher education are lacking, and this study will contribute to a greater understanding of these practices. Drawing on ethnographically created data from a higher education setting in Sweden, this case study examines the use of different languages and modalities by three deaf lecturers when teaching deaf and hearing (signing) students in theoretic subjects. The analysis is based on video-recordings of the deaf lecturers during classroom activities at a basic university level in which Swedish Sign Language (SSL) is used as the primary language. The results illustrate how these deaf lecturers creatively use diverse semiotic resources in several modes when teaching deaf and hearing (signing) students, which creates practices of translanguaging. This is illustrated by classroom activities in which the deaf lecturers use different language and modal varieties, including sign languages SSL and ASL as well as Swedish, and English, along with PowerPoint and whiteboard notes. The characteristics of these multimodal-multilingual resources and the usage of them will be closely presented in this article.

Reconceptualizing Learning Designs in Higher Education

2015 ◽  
pp. 220-237
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Ostashewski ◽  
Sonia Dickinson-Delaporte ◽  
Romana Martin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Implementation Project ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Over Time

This goal of this chapter is to provide a design and development roadmap for the adaptation of traditional classroom activities into engaging iPad-based digital learning activities. Reporting on an ongoing longitudinal case study, the chapter provides an overview of rationale and design considerations of the authentic iPad learning design implementation project, and the outcomes and improvements made over time. The iPad activities described provide further details of the approach taken and adaptations made. Since implementing iPad activities into this higher education environment several terms ago, the lecturer reports significantly higher levels of student engagement. Additionally, students report that the classroom activities in the post-graduate marketing course are authentic, transferrable, and are more engaging due the use of the iPad-based activities.

Reconceptualizing Learning Designs in Higher Education

2018 ◽  
pp. 319-337
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Ostashewski ◽  
Sonia Dickinson-Delaporte ◽  
Romana Martin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Implementation Project ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Design Considerations ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Over Time

This goal of this chapter is to provide a design and development roadmap for the adaptation of traditional classroom activities into engaging iPad-based digital learning activities. Reporting on an ongoing longitudinal case study, the chapter provides an overview of rationale and design considerations of the authentic iPad learning design implementation project, and the outcomes and improvements made over time. The iPad activities described provide further details of the approach taken and adaptations made. Since implementing iPad activities into this higher education environment several terms ago, the lecturer reports significantly higher levels of student engagement. Additionally, students report that the classroom activities in the post-graduate marketing course are authentic, transferrable, and are more engaging due the use of the iPad-based activities.

Multimedia Dictionary and Synthesis of Sign Language

2011 ◽  
pp. 268-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franc Solina ◽  
Slavko Krapez ◽  
Ales Jaklic ◽  
Vito Komac
Keyword(s):  
American Sign Language ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
The United States ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Deaf Children ◽  
Deaf People ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Proper Nouns ◽  
Basic Meaning ◽  
The World

Deaf people, as a marginal community, may have severe problems in communicating with hearing people. Usually, they have a lot of problems even with such—for hearing people—simple tasks as understanding the written language. However, deaf people are very skilled in using a sign language, which is their native language. A sign language is a set of signs or hand gestures. A gesture in a sign language equals a word in a written language. Similarly, a sentence in a written language equals a sequence of gestures in a sign language. In the distant past deaf people were discriminated and believed to be incapable of learning and thinking independently. Only after the year 1500 were the first attempts made to educate deaf children. An important breakthrough was the realization that hearing is not a prerequisite for understanding ideas. One of the most important early educators of the deaf and the first promoter of sign language was Charles Michel De L’Epée (1712-1789) in France. He founded the fist public school for deaf people. His teachings about sign language quickly spread all over the world. Like spoken languages, different sign languages and dialects evolved around the world. According to the National Association of the Deaf, the American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most frequently used language in the United States, after English and Spanish. ASL has more than 4,400 distinct signs. The Slovenian sign language (SSL), which is used in Slovenia and also serves as a case study sign language in this chapter, contains approximately 4,000 different gestures for common words. Signs require one or both hands for signing. Facial expressions which accompany signing are also important since they can modify the basic meaning of a hand gesture. To communicate proper nouns and obscure words, sign languages employ finger spelling. Since the majority of signing is with full words, signed conversation can proceed with the same pace as spoken conversation.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Teaching-Learning Process of Brazilian Sign Language as a Second Language in Higher Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Roberto Cesar Reis da Costa
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Brazilian Sign Language ◽  
Teaching Learning

The focus of this paper is to propose an evaluation tool to assess the teaching-learning process of Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) to hearing students in Higher Education. The current Brazilian laws dealing with the accessibility of the deaf and the teaching of Libras will be concisely posited and argued, and after that an overview on linguistic aspects of Libras will be highlighted prior to discussing the teaching of this language as a Second Language (L2). Also, it will be discussed briefly the relevance of using strategies to Libras teaching as L2 and then the proposal to evaluate teaching and learning processes of the language at stake will be finally described. As a conclusion, developing tools as well as presenting proposals for the teaching of sign languages might be ways to highlight and discuss pedagogical issues about the teaching of the sign languages. The paper outcomes are useful for scholars and learners who are researching and implementing tools for Libras teaching as L2.

scholarly journals Blended interaction: Implementing a bring-your-own-device approach versus provided tablet computers

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jako Olivier
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Effective Interaction ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Bring Your Own Device ◽  
Tablet Computers ◽  
Specific Context ◽  
Case Study Design ◽  
University Level

Effective interaction in classes and real-time feedback are challenges that may occur in any classroom. In this regard, mobile technologies may act as a supplement in a so-called blended context. This article investigates the role a bring-your-own-device approach in comparison with an approach where similar tablet computers are provided, plays in terms of interaction and feedback in a linguistics class at third-year university level. In this way the gap in the literature regarding the implementation of blended learning in higher education in South Africa and especially in terms of the bring-your-own-device approach could be augmented. In this research a case study design was used and the data of two groups of third-years were gathered by means of qualitative methods. User statistics from a learning management system was collected, but the main data consisted of the observations and reflections of the lecturer, as well as feedback from students by means of short questionnaires. This data was analysed in an inductive manner in order to identify relevant themes and codes. Both a bring-your-own-device approach and the use of provided tablet computers could facilitate effective interaction and real-time feedback. Apart from the benefits, some limitations were identified in terms of access and skills among students. In this specific context, the bring-your-own-device approach seems to be the better option, but for other contexts solutions will have to be customised.

Generating Window of Sign Languages on ITU J.200-Based Middlewares

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-40
Author(s):  
Felipe Lacet Silva Ferreira ◽  
Tiago Maritan Ugulino de Araújo ◽  
Felipe Hermínio Lemos ◽  
Gutenberg Pessoa Botelho Neto ◽  
José Ivan Bezerra Vilarouca Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Original Video ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Natural Languages ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Operational Costs ◽  
Language Content ◽  
Video Program

Sign languages are natural languages used by the deaf to communicate. Currently, the use of sign language on TV is still limited to a window with a sign language interpreter showed into the original video program. This approach has some problems, such as high operational costs, need for a full-time interpreter. Some works in the scientific literature propose solutions for this problem, but there are some gaps to be addressed. In this paper, the authors propose a solution to provide support for sign language in middlewares compatible with ITU J.200 specification. The solution allows sign language content to be signed by 3D-Avatars when human interpreters are not available. To provide a case study for the proposed solution, they implemented a prototype of it using Ginga, the Brazilian DTV middleware, compliant with ITU J.200. Some tests with Brazilian deaf were also performed to evaluate the proposal.

scholarly journals Translanguaging pathways to higher education: a transition program for highly educated refugees

Multilingua ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joana Duarte ◽  
Mirjam Günther-van der Meij
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Transition Program ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Language Awareness ◽  
Language Of Instruction ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
University Level ◽  
One Year

Abstract The paper focuses on translanguaging practices of highly skilled refugees in a transition program in Dutch higher education. The pathways for refugees to enter higher education are full of obstacles. Acquiring the new language at a university level is one of the biggest challenges. Many institutions offer ‘transition programs’ to prepare refugees for their studies. These are mostly focused on acquiring language skills and general basic skills in subjects such as Mathematics and Cultural Diversity. The Dutch transition program described in this paper was specifically developed to make use of students’ multilingual repertoires. The resource-oriented pedagogy of translanguaging is used to give space to all languages, leverage students’ resources and contribute to their academic and language development. In this research, data from one year of the Dutch transition program was collected to study a) how teachers engage in official translanguaging practices during instruction and b) to what extent teachers develop other practices to engage with their students’ multilingual repertoires. Results from interaction analysis show that the teachers, although mainly using the language of instruction (Dutch), did use a variety of translanguaging practices, and created other ways to encourage students’ multilingualism, such as engaging in language comparisons and raising language awareness.

scholarly journals “I Teach Character in My Class”: Integrating Character Education in EFL Reading Classroom at Islamic Higher Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-102
Author(s):  
Siti Nuraeni Muhtar ◽  
Dahlya Indra Nurwanti ◽  
R. Nadia R. P. Dalimunthe
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Character Education ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Values Education ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

This article explores teacher's experiences and students' perceptions of character and values education at the university level. This is a case study of how teacher integrates character education in EFL Reading Comprehension subject at Islamic higher education context. The data from ten students and a teacher are collected through an online interview and questionnaires. The result showed the characters implied in EFL Reading Comprehension Subject are eleven characters include learning method, critical thinking, independence, creativity, courage/self-confidence, communicativeness, responsibility, honesty, religiousness, cooperation, tolerance. Those characters are positively responded by the students in their learning process in the classroom. Besides, the teacher also integrated those values in the teaching and learning process to instill students' character education.

scholarly journals Sentential negation in South African Sign Language: A case study

Literator ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney De Barros ◽  
Ian Siebörger
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
South African ◽  
Binding Theory ◽  
Negative Particle ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Secondary Role ◽  
Sentential Negation ◽  
Government And Binding Theory ◽  
Native Signers

As with other sign languages, South African Sign Language (SASL) expresses negation using both manual and non-manual features. In this case study, naturalistic data provided by two native signers of SASL are analysed to show the syntactic relationship between these two sets of features. Using a Principles and Parameters approach and Government and Binding Theory, we investigate the syntactic scope of negation in our SASL data. We observe that side-to-side headshake, as a non-manual feature, appears to be the chief clausal negator in SASL, with a clause-final manual negative particle, NOT, playing a secondary role. We describe the negative headshake as a featural affix which is base-generated in the head of NegP and triggers V-to-Neg raising. The negative particle NOT appears to be base-generated in the Specifier of NegP. Suggestions for further syntactic research on SASL are provided.

scholarly journals Digital Lifelong Learning and Higher Education: multicultural strengths and challenges in pandemic times

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (111) ◽  
pp. 360-377
Author(s):  
Ana Ivenicki
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Lifelong Learning ◽  
Public University ◽  
Educational Policies ◽  
Open University ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University

Abstract The paper aims to discuss digital learning for lifelong learning at the university level in Brazil, taken as a case study. It is structured in the following way. It presents concepts of digital learning in multicultural approaches within lifelong paradigms. It then presents a cursory look at Brazilian educational policies in that area, particularly focusing on the role of the Universidade Aberta (Open University) in Brazil. Lastly, it discusses digital learning in the context of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemics in Brazil. It tries to gauge the impediments and the challenges that may jeopardise a multicultural potential in educational policies, particularly focusing on government political directives as well as responses from university associations and from a public university. It concludes, by presenting possible ways ahead for reflections and contributions in the area.

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