Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject American Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3, University of Bonn, language: English, abstract: Giving a first impression of how the system of sign language works, this term paper starts off with the formal and grammatical structure of American Sign Language. Subsequently, a comparison with the structure of British Sign Language gives insights into similarities and differences between those two sign languages. In its main part, the term paper focuses on the acquisition of sign language in the deaf child. The development of “speech” is presented chronologically and compared to the linguistic development of hearing children. The vocabulary of hearing and deaf children is compared and different scientific opinions on the issue are being discussed. The last chapter tries to answer the central questions of this term paper: How does the acquisition of sign language differ from language acquisition of hearing children? Are deaf children therefore handicapped? And if yes, to what extent?

This digital textbook offers an accessible introduction to first, second, and bilingual language acquisition, focusing on sign languages as the primary frame of reference. Signed entirely in American Sign Language with accompanying slides and an optional English voice-over, this digital text provides an innovative approach to conveying the visual, moving elements intrinsic to sign language, maintaining accessibility to both ASL-dominant and English-dominant readers. Unlike most texts that rely on spoken language examples to illustrate the process of language development, Sign Language Acquisition by Deaf and Hearing Children draws from a rich body of sign language research to guide the user through the major developmental milestones for language acquisition. The textbook examines universal properties of first language acquisition, the wide variation in language input experienced by deaf children, and the impact of such variation on language development. Sign language development in other contexts, focusing on late-exposed signers, child and adult bilingual signers, hearing L2 signers, and atypical signers with cognitive disorders or Specific Language Impairments, is addressed, as well. Critical terms and concepts are highlighted on slides that accompany each video chapter, indicating their inclusion in a 200+ item bilingual glossary, which is accessible from any point in the video text. Conveniently packaged on a USB flash drive, the text also includes printable PDF versions of the chapter slides and a complete reference list. Sign Language Acquisition by Deaf and Hearing Children is an excellent resource for language acquisition courses and early intervention training, as well as for parents of deaf and hearing signing children. A Brazilian edition of the text in Libras with spoken Brazilian Portuguese voice-over will be available from Editora da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.

This is the second volume in the series 'Trends in language acquisition research'. The unusual combination in one volume of reports on various different sign languages in acquisition makes this book quite unique.

The use of sign language has a long history. Indeed, humans' first languages may have been expressed through sign. Sign languages have been found around the world, even in communities without access to formal education. In addition to serving as a primary means of communication for Deaf communities, sign languages have become one of hearing students' most popular choices for second-language study. Sign languages are now accepted as complex and complete languages that are the linguistic equals of spoken languages. Sign-language research is a relatively young field, having begun fewer than 50 years ago. Since then, interest in the field has blossomed and research has become much more rigorous as demand for empirically verifiable results have increased. In the same way that cross-linguistic research has led to a better understanding of how language affects development, cross-modal research has led to a better understanding of how language is acquired. It has also provided valuable evidence on the cognitive and social development of both deaf and hearing children, excellent theoretical insights into how the human brain acquires and structures sign and spoken languages, and important information on how to promote the development of deaf children. This volume brings together the leading scholars on the acquisition and development of sign languages to present the latest theory and research on these topics. They address theoretical as well as applied questions and provide cogent summaries of what is known about early gestural development, interactive processes adapted to visual communication, linguisic structures, modality effects, and semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic development in sign. Along with its companion volume, Advances in the Spoken Language Development of Deaf and Hard-of Hearing Children, this book will provide a deep and broad picture about what is known about deaf children's language development in a variety of situations and contexts. From this base of information, progress in research and its application will accelerate, and barriers to deaf children's full participation in the world around them will continue to be overcome.

The authors provide cogent summaries of what is known about early gestural development, interactive processes adapted to visual communication, & the processes of semantic, syntactic, & pragmatic development in sign.

Seminar paper from the year 2011 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Other, grade: 1,7, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), language: English, abstract: Language is the most important device in means of communication between human beings all over the world. We use it to ask something, to complain or explain and to tell what we think about things that come into our mind. But what if everything around you is silent? If you are deaf. You need to take advantage of one of your other organs, the eyes. Take advantage of facial expressions and gesticulation performed by others. In this term paper we have a look on language acquisition by deaf children in comparison with the acquisition by hearing children. First of all I will give information about deafness in general followed by an introduction to sign language. I will concentrate on American Sign Language (ASL) because of the small amount of information available about the other kinds of sign language. Within the comparison we need to differentiate between children growing up with hearing or deaf parents because of the impact the social environment has on language acquisition. This is also relevant to state because only 10% of the deaf children actually have deaf parents. Further I would like to introduce bilingualism in connection with deafness. In my conclusion I will state why studies on the subject of language acquisition by deaf children are important to understand language in his whole complexity.

Virginia Volterra and Carol Erting have made an important contribu tion to knowledge with this selection of studies on language acquisi tion. Collections of studies clustered more or less closely around a topic are plentiful, but this one is 1 nique. Volterra and Erting had a clear plan in mind when making their selection. Taken together, the studies make the case that language is inseparable from human inter action and communication and, especially in infancy, as much a matter of gestural as of vocal behavior. The editors have arranged the papers in five coherent sections and written an introduction to each section in addition to the expected general introduction and conclu sion. No introductory course in child and language development will be complete without this book. Presenting successively studies of hearing children acquiring speech languages, of deaf children acquiring sign languages, of hear ing children of deaf parents, of deaf children of hearing parents, and of hearing children compared with deaf children, Volterra and Erting give one a wider than usual view oflanguage acquisition. It is a view that would have been impossible not many years ago - when the primary languages of deaf adults had received neither recognition nor respect.