7 July 2010
The Centre for Deaf Studies has received a research grant from the British Academy for the proposed project: 'British Sign Language Learner Corpus'.
More information from Dr Maria Mertzani, University of Bristol Centre for Deaf Studies:
Abstract
The research is a preliminary study of British Sign Language learner corpus. The aim is to examine beginner learners' interlanguage of BSL and build a small scale database using the SignShared video streaming technology, which has been developed exclusively in the Centre for Deaf Studies, University of Bristol. Data will comprise learners' online video recordings on productive communicative tasks on the Centre’s online environment MOODLE. The corpus will be compiled by these videos, which will be analysed for learners' errors. Tutors' feedback videos will be used for paralleling learners' interlanguage to native signers' BSL use. A smallscale online database will be the outcome of this study, which will include a set of tools for the analysis of future learner corpora. The study is anticipated to lie within the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research, where a new resource will be available for research and teaching in Applied Sign Linguistics. The study will influence curriculum design and pedagogy for BSL as a second language, and will inform SLA.
The Study
Very little corresponding research has shown that sign language learning has clear parallels to Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research in terms of teaching methods and curriculum development. What is noticeably absent is knowledge of actual sign language learner output which will illuminate the above areas. Currently, there are seven corpora projects (more information see: http://sign.let.ru.nl/groups/slcwikigroup/) which aim at studying and describing sign language linguistically only, and thus showing how Deaf people use sign language (e.g. regional variation; change in the vocabulary and grammar). Sign Language learner corpora will provide new type of data which will inform SLA and improve the learning and teaching of sign languages.
The research will examine for the first time the development of sign language learner corpus of British Sign Language (BSL) in a preliminary study. The University of Bristol is unique in having the longest established European Centre of research and training in Deaf Studies - the Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS). One of the cornerstones of CDS teaching is the use of sign language. Typically students arrive with an incomplete grasp of sign language, and the level of their signing production varies a lot, depending on their academic and personal backgrounds. The first year of BSL is one of the most decisive courses for the learners' interlanguage and, in order to accurately lay the foundations for the improvement of learners' signing production, and unify their level, educators need to be aware of the main problems learners struggle throughout this first level. Beginners' level corresponds to levels A1/A2 from CEFR (www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/source/Framework_EN.pdf).
The research will examine the interlanguage of first-year BSL learners through electronic collections of video recordings using SignShared. SignShared is an online learning environment where educator/learner content is synchronous or/and asynchronous streams of signed content. Learners access, record and store signing sequences and receive feedback, all in BSL. SignShared enables temporal feedback positioned at specific points along the timeline of the submitted video to identify specific points in the signing sequence for feedback. Existing data from 2009-2010 will be used. Additionally, data will be collected through three stages: a. initial online assessment of baseline sign language skills – based on video reception and production communicative tasks (developed, piloted and evaluated from my Ph.D. study); b. directed course of instruction and practice based on (a) derived from existing course materials in BSL; and, c. interactive and productive sign language tuition and assessment – for those who have made demonstrable progress in (a) and (b). The corpus will be compiled by (a) & (c), and error-tags will be used to ensure comparability with SLA research.
The research is a one-year project, starting in September 2010 and finish in August 2011.
Part of the study is the organisation of the Research Workshop entitled: 'Learner Corpus in Sign Language Learning and Teaching' in June 2011 - the aim will be to train BSL educators on the use of learner corpora in sign language classes, with an emphasis on authentic materials and on task-based language teaching through online visual streaming technology.
You may want to express your interest on participating in the workshop by contacting Dr Maria Mertzani: M.Mertzani@bristol.ac.uk
More info will be available soon!
Dr. Maria Mertzani
