Kulbida S. The Theoretical and Methodology Principles of Using the Sign Language in the Process of Teaching the Deaf

This monographic research focuses on the issue of the formation and development of sign language as a phenomenon in the context of a social and cultural approach. The research offers the results of the implemented theoretical, methodology, historical, and empirical analysis of the past and contemporary approaches and theoretic models concerning the stated issue within comparative aspects. The phenomenon of deafness is explained under the technocratic and humanistic approaches. A theoretical model of the formation and development of a deaf child personality has been elaborated, for which the main categories were defined, taking into consideration their interconnection and mutual influence. An original system of organizational and content-based models was developed, which aims at creating sign language communicative competence and developing a deaf child personality. It has been proved that the Ukrainian Sign Language is an open language system of interconnected elements (kinetic, lexical, grammar, etc.) of various nature. The theoretical principles of learning a sign language as a curriculum subject have been substantiated, as well as the principles of its use as a tool of teaching the deaf within bilingual environment. The functioning of the term "Sign Language" was traced, as it testifies to the nature of changes in the society regarding the revision of the terms and concepts of contemporary science.