Educational effects of Spread The Sign (STS) Ongoing evaluation PÄIVI FREDÄNG ÖREBRO UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN

Aim of evaluation How can Spread The Sign (STS) be used as an ICT-tool in group studies of Sign language(s)? o How accessible is STS for teaching/learning? o What kind of conditions are needed for successful use of STS? o What kind of cultural differences can be seen in use of STS?

Methods Observations of classroom situations Interviews of students and teachers by team members in participating countries

Participating countries Autumn 2013 Lithuania, Poland, Estonia and Turkey Spring Sweden, Spain, Austria (2 groups), Portugal, Latvia, Germany (2 groups), Czech (2 groups) and United Kingdom

Observations and interviews Who/what has been observed; Groups with support of STS Course subjects where teaching with support of STS is used ICT- resources in teaching/learning Results; What kind of working methods are used? How STS is used in teaching/learning?

Groups with support of STS 10 out of 15 groups have deaf/hard of hearing participants 5 groups have hearing participants Deaf and hard of hearing ◦On an average 4-10 participants in age years (School students) ◦Spain and Portugal; children in age years old in integrated classes ◦Sweden; refugees or immigrants from six countries in age years where one is illiterate Hearing ◦Students in college or university or some special courses for social (?) workers in the age group of years

Course subjects where teaching with support of STS is used Target group includes; Mostly national Sign language students: hearing university students, parents for deaf children, teachers and social workers Natural and Social Science in integrated education for the deaf children Information technology (IT) studies and national spoken language in vocational school English in vocational school; with aim to learn and use German and English sign language

ICT- resources in teaching/learning Diverse conditions; Only one computer and tablet for the teacher Classroom has 11 pc; in addition to teacher’s computer, each student has its own Each student has it’s own computer in addition to an Ipad which they can use at home as well Students have technical support. Technical equipment can be booked to the class room. The students can use ICT in library In most cases students also can use their own cell phones

What kind of work methods are used? Work method is depending on course subject 1. Dialogical learning: Dialog between teacher and student about new concepts often need explanations in addition to introduction of a new sign. To develop knowledge about new signs in different topics/contexts dialog is used between students. 2. Exploitation of Internet resources is generally very varying in teaching STS is often used at home in order to fulfil homework “For example they should prepare a narration in the sign language on a given topic. If they do not know a sign they can look it up. Task: Look up in the dictionary five verbs beginning with the same letter. Each student has one letter (e.g. “P”). Each student shows the verbs and then they can think up sentences using these verbs”. The point of departure is the word “When students meet a new word, they learn to write that, then to read with teacher (lipreading) and then they learn the sign with support of STS or dictionary book”.

How STS is used in teaching/ learning? STS as information source New signs mostly through the teacher. However, the teacher encourages use of STS STS as channel to develop the use of Internet STS as base for analysis of the signs through comparisons STS as vocabulary in learning other spoken languages ”The students are reading the English text and mark unknown words. Then they enter the English vocabulary in STS and then they switch to the German Signs. In this way, students learn not only the English Signs, they also immediately opens up the meaning of the German word by the corresponding German gesture”

Advantages with STS Visualizes new concepts Reads the signs by body movements Quick to find the right sign Easy accessible and no cost Easy to use –no help needed and available as an app. Enables understanding of a given word by observing the corresponding gesture in different sign languages Possible to set-up online courses with STS- vocabulary

As a student –what you need to make the most out of STS You need to know the words You need access to Internet (ICT- equipments as phone, computer, tablet) You need to know how to use ICT You have an enthusiastic teacher with good skills in SL guidning you in contexts of the signs and words

Answers to evaluation questions How accessible is STS for teaching/learning? What kind of conditions are needed for successful use of STS? What kind of cultural differences can be seen in use of STS?

STS works like Wikipedia (!) an ongoing-process expanding vocabulary and improving quality of signs in near collaboration with users gives a good picture of the signs used here and now fulfills the need to learn Sign Language in many groups

Thank you Very grateful for all participating teams for your co-operation