Function of sign language expression in the development of language in deaf and hard of hearing children

Abstract

Sign language is a natural and primary linguistic expression of the deaf, while the spoken language is their secondary language. Sign language has its own structure and vocabulary, and it can perform all the functions just like any other natural human language. Sign languages have evolved in different biological media from that of vocal languages. In spite of evident differences in modality, they are structured like spoken languages at the phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic levels. The main aims and objectives of this research are directed at the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression in hard of hearing and deaf children. The effect of different variables (such as the degree of hearing loss, age, sex, school success in their native language) on the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression was examined; quantitative and qualitative analysis of words was performed and the use of sign language in the classroom was examined. The survey was conducted in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing children in Serbia. There were 102 subjects in the sample group (11 subjects were of pre-school age and 91 were of elementary school age). In this study, we used the following instruments: Vocabulary test (V.Lukić); test for examining the ability to describe images (S.Vasić); stimulus images - 6 images; stimulus paintings "Autumn in the village" and "Autumn in the town"; a list of stimulus words (five lexical fields) for pre-school children: family, food and drink, professions, home, travels; a list of stimulus words (ten lexical fields) for primary school pupils: family, weather, professions, home, travel, mental activities, communication, education, emotions , religion; Questionnaire for Teachers (N.Dimić; T.Kovačević). The results of this research indicate that the degree of hearing loss partially affects the sign and spoken language expression in deaf and hard of hearing children of pre-school age, but it has no influence on children of primary school age. Age influences the acquisition of sign and spoken language expression. School success in mother tongue affects the sign and spoken language expression partially. The sex of the child has no effect on the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression.Hard of hearing and deaf children do not use all kinds of words with equal success rate. In teaching, sign language is used in conjunction with spoken language. The results point to the importance of the function of sign language expression in the language development in deaf and hard of hearing children. Deaf and hard of hearing children have a more developed sign language expression, in comparison with vocal language expression. For normal cognitive, emotional and social development of deaf children it is necessary for them to adopt sign language early. Certain specific characteristics were observed in sign language expression and spoken expression of deaf and hard of hearing children. Deaf and hard of hearing children showed little understanding of concepts,difficulty in reading and understanding the read text and difficulty in knowing the meanings of words. Deaf children's vocabulary is quantitatively reduced. Deaf and hard of hearing children do not know and do not understand the right meaning and the basic meaning of a large number of words. To be able to speak a language means to have a rich lexical vocabulary and to be able to use it in communication.

Znakovni jezik je prirodan i primaran jezički izraz gluvih, dok je govorni jezik njihov sekundarni jezik. Znakovni jezik ima svoju strukturu i vokabular i može obavljati sve funkcije kao i bilo koji drugi prirodan ljudski jezik. Znakovni jezici su se razvili u drugačijem biološkom medijumu od govornih jezika.Uprkos evidentnim razlikama u modalitetu,oni su struktuirani kao govorni jezici na fonološkom nivou, morfološkom, leksičkom i sintaksičkom nivou. Osnovni cilj i zadaci istraživanja, usmereni su na stepen usvojenosti znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza kod gluve i nagluve dece. Ispitivan je uticaj različitih varijabli, kao što su stepen oštećenja sluha, uzrast, pol, uspeh iz maternjeg jezika na stepen usvojenosti znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza; izvršena je kvantitativna i kvalitativna analiza reči i ispitana upotreba znakovnog jezika u nastavi. Istraživanje je sprovedeno u školama za gluvu i nagluvu decu u Srbiji. Uzorak je činilo 102 ispitanika (11 ispitanika predškolskog i 91 ispitanik osnovnoškolskog uzrasta). U ovom istraživanju koristili smo sledeće instrumente: Rečnički test(V.Lukić); Test za ispitivanje sposobnosti opisivanja slike(S.Vasić); Stimulans slike – 6 slika; Stimulans slike Jesen u gradu i Jesen u selu; Lista stimulans reči (5 leksičkih oblasti) za decu predškolskog uzrasta: porodica, hrana i piće, zanimanja, kuća, putovanja; Lista stimulans reči (10 leksičkih oblasti) za učenike osnovnoškolskog uzrasta: porodica, vreme, zanimanja, kuća, putovanja, mentalne aktivnosti, komunikacija, obrazovanje, emocije, religija; Upitnik za nastavnike (N.Dimić; T.Kovačević). Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju da stepen oštećenja sluha delimično utiče na znakovni i govorni jezički izraz kod gluve i nagluve dece predškolskog uzrasta, ali nema uticaja kod dece osnovnoškolskog uzrasta. Uzrast, utiče na usvojenost znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza.Uspeh iz maternjeg jezika delimično utiče na znakovni i govorni izraz.Pol nema uticaja na stepen usvojenosti znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza.Gluva i nagluva deca ne koriste sa podjednakom uspešnošću sve vrste reči. U nastavi znakovni jezik se koristi u kombinaciji sa govornim jezikom. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na važnost funkcije znakovnog jezičkog izraza u razvoju jezika gluve i nagluve dece. Gluva i nagluva deca imaju razvijeniji znakovni jezički izraz u odnosu na govorni. Za uredan kognitivni, emocionalni i socijalni razvoj gluve dece neophodno je rano usvajanje znakovnog jezika. Uočene su izvesne specifičnosti u znakovnom i govornom izražavanju gluve i nagluve dece. Gluva i nagluva deca su pokazala slabo razumevanje pojmova, teškoće u razumevanju pročitanog i poznavanju značenja reči. Rečnik gluve i nagluve dece je kvantitativno smanjen. Gluva i nagluva deca ne poznaju i ne razumeju, pravo i osnovno značenje velikog broja reči. Znati jedan jezik, znači imati bogat leksički fond i umeti ga koristiti u komunikaciji.