The Relation Between Japanese Sign Language and Acquisition of Japanese Literacy

聋儿双语教育的理念越来越受到聋校教师的关注。随着手语越来越多地被融入到教学过程中，人们对手语教学方法在聋人教育中的适宜性提出了质疑，特别是在早期阶段。本研究涉及的问题是手语技能是否与聋童的日语识字能力的获得有关，特别是接触手语的聋童如何发展日语部分知识。本研究回顾了聋童阅读技能的发展，并再次证实了他们的阅读水平在义务教育结束时相当于4年级水平。在此基础上，我们编制了聋儿理解和表达日语助词能力水平的测验，并跟踪调查了聋儿日语助词能力的发展。虽然听力正常儿童在学龄前就获得了日语助词能力，但聋儿日语助词的习得延迟到了初中阶段。通过对日语手语中相当于日语助词的非人工符号(一年级日语教材的录像带)和课堂交际模式的分析，认为掌握日语助词需要成为交际过程中的积极参与者。课堂语言的选择将取决于孩子们的能力，课堂上的交流情况必须定期监测。

The ideal of bilingual education for the deaf children is receiving increased attention among teachers in the school for the deaf. As Sign Language is incorporated more and more into the instructional process, questions are raised regarding the appropriateness of sign language approaches for deaf education especially in the early stage.The problems addressed in this research are whether sign language skills are related to acquisition of Japanese literacy in deaf children and especially how deaf children with exposure to sign language develop knowledge of Japanese particles.In the present study we reviewed the development of reading skills in deaf children and reconfirmed that their reading level is equivalent to 4th grade level at the end of their compulsory education period. Then we developed a test to assess the competence level to comprehend and express Japanese particles in deaf children, and followed their developments.Although the hearing children acquired Japanese particles competence under the preschool age, in the deaf children the acquisition of Japanese particles are delayed to the junior high school age level. From the analysis of non-manual signals in Japanese sign language equivalents to Japanese particles (a video tape of signed 1st grade Japanese language text book) and communication patterns in the class room, it is considered that to be an active participants in the communicative process is needed to master the Japanese particles. The choice of language which should be used in the class room will depend on the competence of the children, and the communicative condition in the class room must be monitored at regular intervals.