Exploring the sign language proficiency of university undergraduate students in a preservices preparation program for teachers of deaf students

Figures & data

Table 1. Percentage and frequency response of preservice teachers who responded to the research questionnaire.

Variable			Participants (N = 36)
			F	%
Age		20–21 years old	12	33.3
		22 years old	13	36.1
		23 years old	4	11.1
		24 years or older	7	19.4
Gender		Female	36	100
Academic Level*		Sixth	8	22.2
		Seventh	26	72.2
		Eighth	2	5.6
GPA	4.50–5.00	Excellent	16	44.4
	3.75–4.49	Very good	14	38.9
	2.75–3.74	Good	5	13.9
	2.00–2.74	Acceptable	1	2.8
N of sign language training**		Three or more	2	5.6
		1–2	14	38.9
		0	20	55.6

*The academic level presented the semester in the degree work of students (e.g. students in the sixth level are in Year 3 whereas the seventh and eighth levels are in Year 4). Each level represents a semester.

** This presented training courses completed independently outside the university.

Table 2. Cronbach’s alpha on the questionnaire parts.

The domain of sign language	N of statements	Cronbach’s Alpha
Lexical signs	10	.702
Iconic lexical signs	8	.595
Arbitrary lexical signs	8	.677
Total scores	26	.809

Table 3. Means and standard deviations of preservice special education teachers’ sign language scores.

Rank	Domains of sign language	Mean	SD	Level
1	Lexical signs	7.11	1.87	High
2	Iconic lexical signs	4.14	1.81	Average
3	Arbitrary lexical signs	2.47	1.81	Low
	Total scores	13.76	4.36	Average

Table 4. Descriptive statistics for the overall sign language proficiency score.

Descriptive Statistics
DV	IV	Groups	Mean	SD
Overall sign language score	Age (years old)	20–21	15.75	4.33
		22	13.30	3.19
		23	15.00	2.82
		24 or older	12.00	4.97
	GPA	Excellent	16.06	3.73
		Very good	13.08	2.99
		Good	8.50	2.51
		Acceptable	16.00	-
	Academic Level	Sixth	10.85	3.62
		Seventh	14.87	3.81
		Eighth	15.50	4.94
	N of sign training	Three or more	17.50	2.12
		1–2	14.23	3.78
		0	13.55	4.36

Table 5. A one-way ANOVA to compare the effect of age, academic level, and the number of completed sign language courses on overall sign language proficiency score.

ONE-WAY ANOVA
DV	IV	ANOVA	Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
Overall sign language scores	Age	Between Groups	68.86	3	22.95	1.444	.250
		Within Groups	461.01	29	15.89
		Total	529.87	32
	Academic Level	Between Groups	91.89	2	45.94	3.147	.057
		Within Groups	437.98	30	14.59
		Total	529.87	32
	GPA	Between Groups	203.02	3	67.67	6.004	.003
		Within Groups	326.85	29	11.27
		Total	529.87	32
	N of sign training	Between Groups	28.62	2	14.31	.857	.435
		Within Groups	501.25	30	16.70
		Total	529.87	32

Table 6. Means, standard deviations, and the Kruskal-Wallis H coefficient for the preservice special education teachers’ proficiency (lexical signs) based on age, GPA, academic level, and the number of completed courses.

			Descriptive stata		Kruskal Wallis Test
DV	IV	Groups	M.	SD	Mean Rank	Kruskal-Wallis H	df	Asymp. Sig.
Lexical signs	Age (years old)	20–21	8.00	1.27	21.88	3.886	3	.274
		22	6.92	1.44	14.69
		23	7.33	1.52	17.00
		24 or older	6.66	2.16	15.08
		Total	7.29	1.56
	GPA	Excellent	7.87	1.25	20.81	6.574	3	.087
		Very good	7.15	1.40	16.23
		Good	5.25	1.89	7.38
		Acceptable	8.00	-	21.50
		Total	7.29	1.56
	Academic Level	Sixth	6.42	1.81	12.79	2.163	2	.339
		Seventh	7.48	1.38	18.56
		Eighth	8.00	2.82	20.75
		Total	7.29	1.56
	N of sign training	3 or more	9.00	1.41	27.75	2.895	2	.235
		1–2	7.53	1.12	18.38
		0	6.94	1.74	15.82
		Total	7.29	1.56

Table 7. Descriptive statistics for iconic lexical sign scores.

Descriptive Statistics
DV	IV	Groups	M	SD
Iconic lexical signs	Age (years old)	20–21	4.66	2.05
		22	4.07	1.44
		23	4.50	.70
		24 or older	3.50	2.25
	GPA	Excellent	4.81	1.86
		Very good	3.91	1.16
		Good	2.00	.81
		Acceptable	7.00	-
	Academic Level	Sixth	3.00	1.63
		Seventh	4.54	1.79
		Eighth	4.50	.70
	N of sign training	Three or more	4.00	.00
		1–2	4.46	2.02
		0	4.05	1.76

Table 8. A one-way ANOVA to compare the effect of age, academic level, and the number of completed sign language courses on iconic lexical sign scores.

ONE-WAY ANOVA
DV	IV	ANOVA	Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
Iconic lexical signs	Age	Between Groups	5.92	3	1.975	.587	.628
		Within Groups	97.59	29	3.36
		Total	103.51	32
	Academic Level	Between Groups	13.05	2	6.528	2.165	.132
		Within Groups	90.45	30	3.01
		Total	103.51	32
	GPA	Between Groups	34.16	3	11.387	4.761	.008
		Within Groups	69.35	29	2.39
		Total	103.51	32
	N of sign training	Between Groups	1.34	2	.670	.197	.822
		Within Groups	102.17	30	3.40
		Total	103.51	32

Table 9. Means, standard deviations, and the Kruskal-Wallis H coefficient for preservice special education teachers’ proficiency on arbitrary lexical signs based on age, GPA, academic level, and number of completed courses.

Kruskal-Wallis Test
DV	IV	Groups	M.	SD	Mean Rank	Kruskal-Wallis H	df	Asymp. Sig.
Arbitrary lexical signs	Age (years old)	20–21	3.08	2.10	19.58	2.187	3	.535
		22	2.30	1.65	16.12
		23	2.50	.70	19.00
		24 or older	1.83	1.83	13.08
		Total	2.51	1.82
	GPA	Excellent	3.37	1.92	21.19	7.082	3	.069
		Very good	1.91	1.37	14.38
		Good	1.25	1.25	10.13
		Acceptable	1.00	-	9.00
		Total	2.51	1.82
	Academic Level	Sixth	1.42	1.61	10.79	3.945	2	.139
		Seventh	2.79	1.76	18.65
		Eighth	3.00	2.82	19.00
		Total	2.51	1.82
	N of sign training	3 or more	4.50	.70	27.00	2.652	2	.266
		1–2	2.23	1.83	15.46
		0	2.50	1.82	17.00
		Total	2.51	1.82