Research Subjects Needed: "Do Native Signers
Have Higher Scores on Tests of Mathematical Achievement?"
Gallaudet University
Category:
Other
Title:
Research Subjects
Needed: "Do Native Signers Have Higher Scores
on Tests of Mathematical Achievement?" Gallaudet
University
Date:
No date given
Location:
Washington,
DC |
 |
| So……What
is this Research about Anyway?? |
| |
| Basic Hypothesis: |
People who do better
on standardized math tests tend to approach math
problems spatially. One way to test visual-spatial
ability is with Mental Rotation Tasks. Research
has shown that people with good visual-spatial thinking
ability do better on Mental Rotation tasks and also
better on standardized Math tests. Traditionally,
men tend to use more visual spatial thinking than
women. This seems to be the reason men do better
on standardized math tests.
People who are fluent in Sign Language from a very
young age (Deaf signers and CODA's) tend to be better
at Mental Rotation tasks compared to people who
do not know Sign language. This is due to the use
of "Signers Perspective". From this it
follows that women who grow up Signing have more
practice using spatial thinking than women who don't
grow up Signing. Therefore they may be more inclined
to use a spatial approach when solving math problems.
IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN FEMALE SIGNERS SHOULD DO BETTER
ON STANDERDIZED MATH TESTS THAN FEMALE NON-SIGNERS.
Though there is a lot of research about the link
between gender, visual-spatial thinking, and math,
and a lot of research on Sign Language and Mental
Rotation ability, nobody has researched the possible
link between Sign Language and Mathematic ability.
This is what I am investigating.
Ok…. Ummm Why is this important? |
| |
| This research
is important in several ways: |
First, if Sign Language encourages
more spatial thinking in women, it could be used
as a means to narrow the gender gap seen between
men and women in the area of mathematics.
If this is true, then parents interested in bi-lingual
education as a way to give their child an educational
edge may be more inclined to pick Sign Language
as their child's second language - regardless of
hearing status of either the parent or the child.
Finally, if this happens Sign Language may become
more accepted by the mainstream as a viable educational
choice. This would both drastically increase access
for the deaf community and decrease the lingering
stigma many hearing people have regarding Sign Language
and/or manual modes of communication.
Your Participation has been the MOST IMPORTANT part
of this study and is truly Appreciated!! |
| |
| Please
pass the word to other eligible participants:
|
- Female age 18-40
- CODA's or bi-lingual in Sign
Language and English.
|
| Want to participate? |
| Please direct any
questions or comments to Elizabeth Halper: |
|
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