Teachers’ Beliefs About the Use of Fingerspelling in Deaf Education Classrooms in Saudi Arabia:

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" Teachers’ Beliefs About the Use of Fingerspelling in Deaf Education Classrooms in Saudi Arabia: "
Alawad, Hadeel Musyoka, Millicent M.

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	1107541
Doc. No	:	TLpq2448300696
Main Entry	:	Alawad, Hadeel
	:	Musyoka, Millicent M.
Title & Author	:	Teachers’ Beliefs About the Use of Fingerspelling in Deaf Education Classrooms in Saudi Arabia:\ Alawad, HadeelMusyoka, Millicent M.
College	:	Lamar University - Beaumont
Date	:	2020
student score	:	2020
Degree	:	Ed.D.
Page No	:	233
Abstract	:	The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine Saudi Arabian teachers’ beliefs and practices about the use of fingerspelling in Deaf classrooms to develop literacy skills for Deaf students. The findings indicated that most of the participating teachers—eight Deaf educators currently teaching in Saudi Arabia—revealed substantial knowledge about the definition and purpose of fingerspelling as a visual linguistic connection between SASL and Arabic. The findings also showed that the teachers were unaware of the terminology used to label bilingual fingerspelling strategies. The findings indicated that as a result of inadequate training and limited or nonexistent in-service professional development, the teachers lacked sign language and fingerspelling skills. The results indicated numerous factors that have influenced teachers’ use of fingerspelling: these included that fingerspelling can be time-consuming, that its use may vary based on the subject being studied, and that its use is complicated when a teacher transitions from a residential school or self-contained classroom for the Deaf to a self-contained classroom for the hard of hearing. The results revealed that the teaching practices of other experienced teachers, accumulated years of teaching experience, and teaching in the residential school or self-contained classroom for the Deaf have positively influenced and developed their use of fingerspelling. All the teachers reported a critical need to raise the awareness of teachers concerning the significance of fingerspelling in the development of literacy skills of Deaf students. They also acknowledged a need for intensive teachers’ training programs in sign language and fingerspelling to improve teachers’ fingerspelling skills.
Subject	:	Disability studies
	:	Educational evaluation
	:	Middle Eastern studies
	:	Special education