The use of ASL as a tool for teaching sight words to A1 learners

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to incorporate American Sign Language as a technique for teaching sight words to A1 English hearing learners according to the Common European Framework of References (CEFR). This study provides bibliographical information regarding sign language and sight words and how both of them combined may help to improve language learning. First of all, vocabulary is discussed as an essential subskill in English, as well as the different methods and strategies to teach this subskill. Secondly, the study discusses about ASL, and how it has helped not only hearing impaired people, but also hearing learners to acquire the language easily. Furthermore, in the U.S. context, when learners are just starting to develop the reading skill, teachers use sight words, which help learners to become fluent readers. There have been diverse studies that successfully demonstrate the importance of incorporating sign language and sight words in English learning. Therefore, the aim of this research is to support the theory that these two elements may be used together as a powerful source in education. After the bibliographical research was done, in the findings obtained from the different applied instruments, students are willing to use ASL and sight words as techniques that might help them to improve their reading, spelling, writing, and vocabulary acquisition. Indeed, teachers consider that ASL is a useful technique that creates a meaningful context for the students. Finally, from all the data collected, a booklet of activities incorporating ASL to teach sight words was elaborated.