A study on assessment of reading comprehension in Japanese as a second language for Japanese Sign Language and Written Japanese bilingual Deaf children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop “ARJAD; Assessment of Reading comprehension in JApanese as a second language for Deaf children”. For this purpose, ARJAD was developed using DLA’‍s concept. ARJAD is an assessment that takes procedures according to the suitability of deaf children using the language of Visual-Gestural mode. We examined the validity of ARJAD by trying it on deaf children in an elementary school for the Deaf that practice Japanese Sign Language and Written Japanese bilingual education. As a result, it was found that the ARJAD assessment tool <Reading> can clarify the actual situation and issues of reading the answer and text in Japanese by performing retailing using JSL and “summary check”. It was also suggested that the rewritten reading books that considered the number of vocabulary and sentence patterns are effective for Deaf children to learn to read and enjoy Japanese text.