Survey Results IT
Number of respondents
25 respondents.
Hearing Status
60% of the Italian respondents (yellow) are deaf, 4% hard of hearing, 36% hearing.
Native signers?
72% of the Italian respondents (yellow) learned to sign before the fourth birthday. The hearing sign language teachers probably learned to sign at home, from deaf parents and can still be considered ‘native signers’.
Have you had any special training for teaching sign language? ?
Compared to their European colleagues, fewer sign language teachers have had special training for teaching sign language. 67% of the Italian respondents say yes (blue, on the right), 33% say ‘no’ (orange, on the left).
Open question: good examples, advice?
“I am convinced that teachers of sign language must graduate in Linguistics and they must have specific training in the teaching of sign language. Many teachers of sign language here in Italy do not have a good educational training.”
“To be bilingual of course, to know the linguistics and grammar of the two languages L1 and L2, let's stop allowing people to teach sign language just because they are deaf. For teaching a language you need to study for years the L1 and L2.”
Open question: Barriers?
“In Italy, sign language is not recognised as a language yet. “
“LIS is not recognised by the state. Some organisations have sign language teachers, who have had no training at all.”
More results can be found elsewhere on the SignTeach website.