Completed Projects

Promotion of Deaf Communication through Hong Kong Sign Language

Date: 01/01/2003 - 01/01/2005

General summary:

“Promotion of Deaf communication through Hong Kong Sign Language” is a Deaf awareness project conducted jointly with a local deaf school and the audiological services section of the Hong Kong Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB).
Aims:

• To explore the effect of adopting HKSL as a language of communication in a deaf school setting
• To help hearing teachers of deaf students and hearing students to appreciate the nature of sign language in Deaf communication

Activities:

• The project consists of sign-supported reading programmes, seminars, workshops, and sign language classes for parents, school teachers, hearing students, and an experimental programme adopting Hong Kong Sign Language as the medium of instruction in Chinese lessons.
• Through classroom observations, researchers investigate the processes involved in the students’ learning activities and the teachers’ readiness to accept natural sign language as a language of communication in various classroom learning situations.

Significance:

• It is the first project in the history of deaf education in Hong Kong that explores the effectiveness of adopting Hong Kong Sign Language as a medium of communication in classroom learning situations.
• The findings have enhanced parents’ and teachers’ understanding of deaf students’ development in spoken and sign language, and have helped them to re-assess the role played by Hong Kong Sign Language in developing Chinese literacy among deaf students.

Research Team:

Principal investigator:
Professor Gladys Tang

Advisory board:
Representatives from the Centre for Sign Linguistics and Deaf Studies
Representatives from the audiological services section of the Hong Kong Education and Manpower Bureau

Project co-ordinators:
Ms Denise Chan (2004-2005)
Mr Jafi Lee (2003-2004)

Deaf research assistants:
Ms Anita Yu (2004-2005)
Ms Brenda Yu (2003-2005)
Mr Bruce Au (2003-2004)
Mr Chan Chi Wai (2003-2005)
Ms Wai-man Fok (2003-2004)
Ms Jenny Lam (2003-2005)
Mr Kenny Chu (2003-2005)
Mr Pippen Wong (2004-2005)
Mr Michael Choi (2003-2005)
Ms Ching Ng(2003-2005)

Output:

Publications:

• Tang, G., Lam, S. Lee, J., & Chan, D. (2004, December). Effective Learning: A Deaf Sign Language Perspective? Paper presented at the 2004 International Conference on Language in Education, Hong Kong Institute of Education.
• Tang, G. (2005, January). Theoretical Issues in Sign Bilingualism. Paper presented at the UNICEF Seminar on Bilingual Education for Deaf Students, Tianjin, China.
• Tang, G. (2005, January). From Sign Language to Literacy Development of Spoken Language: A Sign Bilingualism Perspective. Paper presented at the 4th International Conference on Bilingualism, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.

Pedagogical modifications:

• Extending the use of HKSL as a medium of instruction for English, mathematics, and general knowledge, in addition to Chinese
• Experimenting on developing deaf students’ capability for independent learning