Bilingualism
Sign language has a very different syntax to written English, so its users may be learning two languages at the same time during their school years.
English is the second language in this case, which means literacy levels in deaf children and adults need extra work and sustained practice to develop.
Bilingualism (simultaneous teaching of sign language AND written English) is used to solve this issue at some schools in the Nordic countries.
Ireland had its own Model School for the Deaf in Dublin. This school taught children mainly in ISL with English as a second language, but is now closed.
Gallaudet University in the US also promotes bilingualism: a recent research project is Bilingualism in International Deaf Education.
In the US, educational software is widely used to teach bilingualism.
This gives Irish (and British) software companies an untapped opportunity to publish sign language teaching materials and school curriculum support.
Interactive software and animated, web-based avatars (characters) are also emerging in the US to support real-world and virtual teaching.
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Please send feedback to info@irishdeafkids.ie as this section is still growing.