The use of semiotic resources in the teaching and learning of mathematics has a rich history in mathematics education. This paper explores how Key Word Signs can be used as a communication strategy, providing opportunities for children and teachers to communicate their mathematical ideas. We report on the initial phase of research, which involves…

This paper presents a new approach to automated identification of human emotions based on analysis of body movements, a recognition of gestures and poses. Methodology, models and automated system for emotion identification are considered. To characterize the person emotions in the model, body movements are described with linguistic variables and a…

A 4 1/2 year old autistic-like child participated in a sign language training program using nine words, each with a corresponding toy and play activity. For each word the teacher held up the appropriate toy and said, or under the sign condition said and signed, the corresponding word. The S learned to sign, but the introduction of sign training…

Sociolinguistic data regarding code selection and nonverbal modes of learning are examined in the gesture communication system of the (Oglala and Brule) Sioux. Sign language is viewed as an extra-linguistic mode of communication currently in use in Indian classrooms. It is one alternative to literacy as a means of communication; however, this is…

"Verbal" and "nonverbal" are confused and confusing terms. Gestural phenomena in semiotic use--gSigns--are called nonverbal but work in three major ways, only the first of which is unrelated to the highly encoded (verbal) activity called language. A gSign may: (1) have a general meaning: "yes,""no,""who…

People take their folk gestures seriously, which is illustrated in the fact that several folk gestures, such as raising the right hand and kissing the Bible, are used in religious and legal ceremonies. These and other gestures, such as making the sign of the cross and knocking on wood, are folk gestures used today which have their roots in early…

Recent research in sociolinguistics has demonstrated the need for looking at language in a dynamic framework, that is, for not imposing the traditional synchronic-diachronic dichotomy on linguistic studies. Support for the dynamic framework has been given from various oral languages. This paper attempts to test variation theory with historically…

The study assessed parent-child interactions of five normal hearing children and five hearing-impaired children, aged 3-5. The mothers and fathers were administered the Mother-Child Relationship Evaluation (MCRE) to evaluate parental attitudes. Each parent and child participated in a 10-minute interactive play activity. The child's language level…

There have been increasing incidents of innocent people who use American Sign Language (ASL) or another form of sign language being victimized by gang violence due to misinterpretation of ASL hand formations. ASL is familiar to learners with a variety of disabilities, particularly those in the deaf community. The problem is that gang members have…

Linguistics retains from its antecedents, philology and the study of sacred writings, some of their apologetic and theological bias. Thus it has not been able to face squarely the question how linguistic function may have evolved from animal communication. Chimpanzees' use of signs from American Sign Language forces re-examination of language…

Investigated was the relative effectiveness of sign language and verbal language training in teaching 12 nonverbal hearing retarded children (4-9 years old) to communicate. Ss were randomly assigned to one of three groups: speech training (based on the Bricker, Dennison, Watson, and Vincent-Smith program), sign language training (adapted from the…

This study examined the prelinguistic communicative behaviors of 48 young Israeli children with hearing impairments (ages 8 months to 49 months). Most subjects were severely hearing impaired. Ninety percent were born to hearing parents. A parent questionnaire utilizing a direct observation methodology in six situational contexts was selected,…

Few sex education materials especially designed for the deaf population are available, and modification of existing materials and media is necessary. The average deaf person cannot easily gain information from books, magazines, or newspapers, for the majority of deaf students read at a level below others of comparable ages. This communication and…

This paper summarizes most of what Sign linguists know about the function of the eyes in American Sign Language discourse. Here, "eyes" is taken to cover both opening and closing of the eyes and looking in a particular direction, referred to as the signer's "gaze-direction." Evidence is presented demonstrating that a signer's gaze can be lexically…

Two pilot studies probed effectiveness of linguistically controlled, highly visual computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for English grammar instruction with hearing-impaired high school students (N=29 in the first study and N=71 in the second). Results from the first study suggested that state-of-the-art CAI designed specifically for use with this…