Research over the past two decades has reported a robust relationship between relative social status and first-person singular (FPS) pronoun use in English. For my dissertation study, I wanted to test the replicability of those findings using American Sign Language (ASL) data that I collected for this purpose. In alignment with previous work, I…

The goal of this dissertation is to describe and analyze the interaction of pluractionality, a kind of event plurality, and the progressive aspect. Based on original fieldwork, I present novel data showing that, in Balinese, when pluractional VPs combine with progressive aspect, we get some kinds of pluractional interpretations but not others. In…

This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) focused on the experiences and beliefs of teachers of the deaf about bilingual American Sign Language (ASL) and English education and their teacher preparation programs. It was grounded on situated learning theory, specifically on the principles of legitimate peripheral learning theory (Lave…

Deficits in the systems inherent to the field of ASL-English interpreting have resulted in gaps and barriers that impact novice interpreter practitioners. As a potential mitigating factor, research has shown the importance of developing confidence and self-efficacy in novice interpreters. Due to time and curricular restraints, the current system…

Self-assessment skills are emphasized in signed language Interpreter Education Programs (IEPs), and it is well-established that self-assessment is an essential element of a sign language interpreter's professional development, yet anecdotal evidence suggests that practicing interpreters frequently do not engage in self-assessment. This study aimed…

Skilled hearing readers activate phonological, orthographic, and semantic representations in order to recognize and comprehend words. However, deaf readers may achieve reading comprehension by different means. More specifically, enhanced visual attention, reduced access to phonology, and bimodal bilingualism may influence how deaf readers…

The present study describes how deaf and hard-of-hearing (d/hh) children who primarily use listening/spoken English (oral d/hh) solve one-step arithmetic story problems. Past research examined the story problem-solving of hearing children (Carpenter et al., 2015) and d/hh children who used age-appropriate American Sign Language (signing d/hh;…

Self-assessment is an emerging topic in ASL/English interpreter education that is being recognized as critical for students completing the degree-to-certification process and needs to be thoroughly explored. Using Scaffolding Theory and self-assessment drawn from Self-Directed Learning Theory, this exploratory, qualitative interview study…

The nature of this research study examines the relationship between text-talking and writing skills used by American Sign Language (ASL) and English speakers. When given ample opportunity to text-talk in academic settings, it is likely that students will improve their expressive communication and writing skills. The main research question asks:…

The aim of this study was to identify and implement research-based practices in reading comprehension that would enable deaf and hard-of hearing adolescents to monitor their comprehension actively to increase the reading level beyond fourth grade. Making meaning out of teachers' and students' reading comprehension experiences through their…

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the development and importance of fingerspelling among young Deaf children of Deaf parents for communication, learning about language, and pre-literacy in their natural home environment. The rationale was to examine how Deaf parents use fingerspelling with their young Deaf children during…

Students who are deaf and use sign language frequently have language delays that affect their literacy skills. Students who use American Sign Language (ASL) often lack fluent language models in both the home and school settings, delaying both the development of a first language and the development of literacy in printed English. Mediated and…

The focus of this mixed method study was to investigate the play behaviors, play interactions, and language use--within a bilingual AS L/English classroom--of a Deaf child who is a native user of American Sign Language (ASL). Play is an essential element in all children's development. Previous research suggests that there is a strong relationship…

This dissertation contains three studies that investigate whether attested patterns of constituent order distribution and change in the world's languages can be attributed, in part, to cognitive preferences for some constituent orders over others. To assess these preferences, seven experiments employed an "elicited pantomime" task.…

This study examines Deaf parents with children who have cochlear implants on their beliefs and perspectives of bilingualism in American Sign Language and English using complementary mixed methods through surveys and follow-up interviews. Seventeen families participated in the survey and eight families continued their participation in semi-formal…