ERIC Number: EJ1387240
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0302-1475
EISSN: EISSN-1533-6263
Effects of Early ASL Exposure on Fingerspelling Accuracy in Deaf Adults
Kulsar, Steven T.; Seal, Brenda C.
Sign Language Studies, v23 n1 p70-97 Fall 2022
D/deaf children of Deaf parents reportedly begin learning finger-spelling as young as thirteen months old, but deaf children born to hearing, nonsigning parents lack natural access to the native (spoken) language of their families, often exhibiting later language development. Forty-four deaf adults participated in a fingerspelling test of decoding-encoding pseudowords. The participants offered self-reported demographic information, including age at initial American Sign Language (ASL) exposure and parent hearing status. Analysis of variance using post hoc grouping of participants revealed significantly higher scores on the fingerspelling test among participants with early ASL exposure (p = 0.000; [eta]p2 = 0.45), and those with two D/deaf parents (p = 0.002; [eta]p2 = 0.23). Development and refinement of a fingerspelling test to be used with both D/deaf and hearing, native, and developing signers should benefit professionals working with D/deaf and hearing children and their D/deaf or hearing parents.
Descriptors: Finger Spelling, Accuracy, Adults, American Sign Language, Deafness, Parent Child Relationship, Hearing (Physiology), Native Language, Second Language Learning, Speech Communication, Language Acquisition, Age Differences, Scores, Language Tests, Video Technology, Higher Education, Educational Attainment, College Students
Gallaudet University Press. 800 Florida Avenue NE, Denison House, Washington, DC 20002-3695. Tel: 202-651-5488; Fax: 202-651-5489; Web site: http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/SLS.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A