Goodnight Gorilla: How Do Second Language Learners’ American Sign Language Narrative Renditions Change after Viewing an ASL Model?

Authors

• Jennifer Beal Dr., Valdosta State UniversityFollow
• Jessica Scott, Georgia State UniversityFollow
• Terynce Butts, Georgia State UniversityFollow

Abstract

We investigated the effects of a single viewing of an American Sign Language (ASL) model on university second language learners’ ASL narrative renditions. Spoken English was the first language of all participants and they had varied lengths of signing experience, ranging from 1 to 26 years. Participants completed a receptive measure of ASL. Then they rendered a wordless picture book in ASL. Afterwards, they watched a native-signing adult model of the story in ASL, and then told the story again. We investigated their inclusion of specific details and how they expressed them, including their use of constructed action (CA), depicting constructions (DCs), blended CA+DC, and lexical signs. After one viewing of the model, participants significantly increased their inclusion of details and use of all constructs except lexical signs, although not to the level of the model. Their receptive ASL scores correlated with their use of CA within their narrative renditions at both time points. We present an analysis of their strengths and areas of need, as well as future research implications.

Suggested Citation

Beal, Jennifer Dr.; Scott, Jessica; and Butts, Terynce (2022) "Goodnight Gorilla: How Do Second Language Learners’ American Sign Language Narrative Renditions Change after Viewing an ASL Model?," Journal of Interpretation: Vol. 30: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/joi/vol30/iss1/4