Inducement of imagery in the service of learning sign language vocabulary

Abstract

The focus of this study was the inducement of imagery in order to retain sign language vocabulary items. Thirty-eight beginning sign language students were selected as subjects. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group received instructions in the use of imagery mnemonics in order to better retain sign language vocabulary. Subjects in the control group were left to learn the vocabulary items by methods of their own choosing. Results of the statistical analyses indicated no significant difference between groups on posttest measures. However, there was a tendency toward an interaction between subjects' grade point averages and the treatments. The inducement of imagery in the treatment group was somewhat of an "equalizer" between subjects with high and low grade point averages. Additional analyses indicated that the inducement of imagery mnemonics in the treatment group was more successful for the poorer students and hindered the better students.