Storytelling with Sign Language Interpretation as a Multimodal Literacy Event: Implications for Deaf and Hearing Children

Abstract

This article examines storytelling events íor children in a library and a children's bookstore in which storytellers are accompanied by sign language interpreters. The result is that both hearing and Deaf children participate in a literacy event in which storyteller and interpreter produce a multilingual, multimodal and multimedial narrative. Using tools derived from the ethnography of communication, social semiotics and multimodal interactional analysis we build a model to examine that this discursive interrelationship between storyteller and interpreter has for hearing and Deaf children's literary experience in the event. We postulate a continuum of six confígurations (three for hearing children and three for Deaf children) in which the interpreter-stoiyteller relationship may add little to enhance or even disturb children's narrative experience. In the conclusions we discuss possible alternative designs that would reduce Deaf children's asymmetrical standing in the event.

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“…Both suggestions are a win-win! Poveda et al (2008) found that the literary experience improves as more layers of meaning are added, and it can be an exciting, novel opportunity for participants.…”

“…The different ways that narrators and interpreters interact create a variety of possible outcomes for hearing children and for deaf children (Poveda et al, 2008). In general, when stories are told in both English and sign language, there are more elements that create meaning for both deaf and hearing children because they find meaning from the interpreter, the storyteller, and the interaction between the two (Poveda et al, 2008).…”

“…The different ways that narrators and interpreters interact create a variety of possible outcomes for hearing children and for deaf children (Poveda et al, 2008). In general, when stories are told in both English and sign language, there are more elements that create meaning for both deaf and hearing children because they find meaning from the interpreter, the storyteller, and the interaction between the two (Poveda et al, 2008). Poveda et al (2008) concluded that there are more positive outcomes for hearing children than deaf children because hearing children receive the whole story from the narrator and can then enrich their experience by attending to the interpreter.…”

“…In general, when stories are told in both English and sign language, there are more elements that create meaning for both deaf and hearing children because they find meaning from the interpreter, the storyteller, and the interaction between the two (Poveda et al, 2008). Poveda et al (2008) concluded that there are more positive outcomes for hearing children than deaf children because hearing children receive the whole story from the narrator and can then enrich their experience by attending to the interpreter. In contrast, deaf children often lose cues or elements of the story through interpretation.…”

“…In contrast, deaf children often lose cues or elements of the story through interpretation. Poveda et al (2008) suggested that interpreters could be considered literary mediators, and with this departure from traditional definition of interpreting, could develop their own styles or even collaborate with the traditional storytellers to create a joint experience. Another suggestion to rebalance the storytelling scene is to have the principal storytelling in sign language, with interpretation to the oral language.…”