The DVD Video Dictionary enables deaf children to see an immediate relationship between Sign Language and English. No other teaching aid does this. With the DVD Video Dictionary in the classroom, teachers will help accelerate a deaf student’s acquisition of English skills.

THE ILLUSTRATED SIGN LANGUAGE--ENGLISH LANGUAGE DVD VIDEO DICTIONARY FOR DEAF CHILDREN.

A new teaching aid which enables deaf children to see an immediate relationship between sign language and English language statements. No other extant teaching aid does this.

The DVD Video Dictionary is an English language learning tool for deaf children for use by teachers in the classroom as well as at home by parents with their children. The DVD Video Dictionary can also be used for a sign language instruction and an oral instruction. It’s like having an instructor at home. The DVD Video Dictionary is anticipated as significantly accelerating the acquisition of both English Language and Sign Language skills for deaf children. DVD Video Dictionary editions will appear in English with ASL; English with Signed Exact English; and in foreign sign languages with corresponding foreign national languages. The complete DVD Video Dictionary will consist of a number of DVDs comprising vocabularies for First through 12th Grades.

HOW THE DVD VIDEO DICTIONARY WORKS

A DVD player activates each disc to produce screened images of DVD Video Dictionary listings and stories from the Video Storybook. The press of a button on the hand-held remote control delivers SLOW MOTION to facilitate easy learning of Sign Language statements and oral instruction in moving lips. The signing person speaks aloud the English text as she signs. The ZOOM FEATURE enlarges moving lips and hands for continued oral and sign language instruction. A printed numbered CONTENTS LIST accompanies each disc. Buttons on the remote are pressed for a desired specific listing or video story which appears on the monitor screen. Oral, sign language and English instruction are achieved with the DVD Video Dictionary. This composite instruction is unknown in deaf education.

1. The line art illustration in the upper right portion of the screen visually describes the content of both the signed statement and the printed English statement which appear on screen. The printed English text appears in the lower right portion of the screen.
2. A motion picture video in the left half portion of the screen shows a living person making a Sign Language statement which interprets
the English text. Signing hands, facial expressions and body language are clearly revealed. The signed statement interprets the printed English words, phrase or sentence which appears on screen. What students see enables them to immediately identify and understand the relationship between Sign Language and English Language statements. 3.The DVD Video Dictionary should be used in conjunction with the Writing Communication¬ Method of English Instruction. A number of discs reflecting increasing vocabulary for each grade level will help teachers produce deaf children who are communicatively fluent in English at an early age.
4. Each disc will feature around 500 illustrations and motion picture videos of signed statements. An estimated 1500-2000 new words will appear on each disc. With the DVD Video Dictionary being used in a Writing Communication English Instruction, the learning deaf child will acquire a large usable vocabulary fast. The DVD Video Dictionary is expected to help deaf students achieve 25,000-35,000 word vocabularies by the time they complete their high school education.

VIDEO STORYBOOKS

The DVD Video Dictionary format enables the presentation of Illustrated Sign Language English Language Video Storybooks. The same English instruction and the same Sign Language instruction inherent in the Video Dictionary are found in Video Storybook material. Video Storybooks will further accelerate a deaf child’s acquisition of English skills. Popular and current published stories for hearing children can now be enjoyed by deaf children with DVD Video Storybooks.

Use of the Video Dictionary in a Writing Communication English instruction promises to be the breakthrough instruction teachers will use to give deaf children productive and strong communicative literacy which will help wipe out deaf illiteracy altogether.
The Illustrated Sign Language–English Language DVD Video Dictionary and Storybooks are not yet manufactured. Inquiries are invited.

By its very nature, use of the DVD Video Dictionary will generate the inclusion of new words and phrases in the student’s growing vocabulary which will not be found in the dictionary. The DVD Video Dictionary provides a strong jumping off point. It rapidly gives the deaf child a solid English vocabulary base upon which to expand and strengthen the child’s skills and vocabulary, but it will be through Conversational Sessions and basic communications in English with others that will see the greatest increase in vocabulary and communicative command of the English language.

By the time deaf students graduate from high school, I expect students who benefitted from use of the DVD Video Dictionary to have achieved large, comprehensive usable vocabularies of English words and phrases which could only happen by having had the DVD Video Dictionary available to assist them in the acquisition of strong English skills and vocabulary. Together with the Writing-Communication Method of English Instruction, the DVD Video Dictionary will help establish deaf society as an English-using society.