Los determinantes de la IED en la economía uruguaya

Matt says that it is not part of Deaf culture to write letters. Deaf people sign to each other. They also relate to each other (face to face). He believes that Deaf people tend to draw up directions when asked for them. They do not

write directions. When he has a story, he signs to his friend. The friend then writes for him. Eventually, Matt gets the written story. Matt sees SASL as part of his daily communication.

6.3.2 Papi

Papi is placed in Block 2 of Low Competence, High Confidence

6.3.2.1 Family

Papi mentioned very little about his family. He only communicates with them in isiXhosa when he goes home to the Eastern Cape for a holiday. His wife and children are all Deaf and use SASL all the time.

6.3.2.2 Schooling History

Papi learned articulation/mouthing from teachers’ use of Total Communication. When he perceived spoken words, he wrote them on paper. Also, he learned written isiXhosa grammar from a chalkboard. He just copied the writing and wrote on paper. He also looked up at pictures on the walls and ‘stole’ isiXhosa words from them by copying them on paper. He then arranged words to make sentences. His work was then checked and corrected. In spite of few writing activities in classrooms, Papi says he was fairly good at writing in isiXhosa. When he wrote essays, they were short.

6.3.2.3 Languages

Papi used Total Communication as a medium of communication at school. Both spoken and written IsiXhosa was used as a medium of instruction. In addition, when he came to Johannesburg and interacted with Deaf adults, he learned English via articulation. In other words, the Deaf adults mouthed English words while they signed. Papi picked them up and figured out their meaning, using contextual clues. From there, he learned to write in English. Also, he compared the English Bible with the isiXhosa Bible and worked hard figuring out and understanding the written languages. He states that using Total Communication helps with his writing.

Papi is confident with writing because he can always ask his friend who excels at English to write for him. Before they get started, he and his friend discuss what he wants to say in detail. He signs and his friend writes. It is very clear that Papi almost never writes himself. Whereas Papi is confident signing to people with higher status, he is too insecure to write. Papi is aware that his language is not equal to people with a higher status. At home and work, Papi hardly writes. Papi asks what writing is for.

6.3.2.5 Writing Ability

Even though he says he is confident with his writing, Papi asks his Deaf friend to help write for him. Papi finds filling in forms and writing difficult. Thus, he asks his friend to help out. He would ask for help when filling in forms, writing his CV, letters for a job promotion and travel as well as reports and proposals for his work.

6.3.2.6 Work and Literacy Needs

Papi, who hardly writes at home and work, says if his employer were hearing, he would have to write in order to communicate. Papi uses e-mail very little because he has no computer at home. It is expensive and complicated to connect with a phone line and a service provider. There is one at work but he hardly uses it. Most of his Black Deaf friends do not have e-mail. Because he finds it easy and sufficient, Papi relies more on text messages. Without it, he would be lost. During weekends, he and his friends send SMSes to each other to organise a gathering. For him, sending out/receiving SMSes is as if he is virtually present around his receivers. SMSes also guarantee privacy as other people can not see what is being said. Because of this emerging technology, Papi does not write letters and postcards anymore.

6.3.2.7 Relation to the Deaf Culture

Since Deaf people use SASL, a visual language, to communicate, Papi meets with his friends during weekends for socialising.

6.3.3 Nani

6.3.3.1 Family

At home, Nani and her family use English as a medium of communication. She did not mention if her family could also sign. Nani is comfortable with asking her mother, granny and nuclear family to help with her writing. She would not do that with her extended family.

6.3.3.2 Schooling History

Nani explains that when she was in Grade 1, she used speech while reading. Her speech was corrected by both the teacher aide and the speech therapist. She emphasises that she did learn South African Sign Language before speech. She signed in full only with her peers and older children. When she worked on her writing, Nani sometimes used mouthing to check if her English ‘sounds’ right. In Grades 2 and 3, Nani focused more on writing. She was taught how to write the alphabet.

With regard to reading, Nani hates reading books. She asked what reading was for and her teacher explained that reading would help improve her English. Eventually, Nani noticed that reading also helps her to identify her English errors such as tenses and word order. However, she would prefer to read books of her choice and in her own time. Nani knows reading is essential for preparation in class and for writing. If she does not read, Nani would be lost and does not know how much she has covered in class. If she were asked questions, she would be stuck. Therefore, Nani prepares by reading and feels good when questioned in class. She does not want to be perceived as stupid. Because of this, she has to read and write in class when necessary. In addition, Nani mentions that if she neglects writing for a long while, she would struggle to get started. Nani expressed that during her writing, she tended to feel unsure whether she is on the right track. Thus, she approached her teacher for assistance. Sometimes Nani’s writing did not match her intention. She understood that writing is different from signing. She has to remember how to structure word order. Thus, she has to first read and then write. Once she is into reading, she would feel confident in writing.

6.3.3.3 Languages

At school, Nani used Total Communication as a medium of communication. She emphasised that it was used only in classrooms. It appears that she also uses it with her family. With other people, Nani uses SASL.

6.3.3.4 Attitude to Writing

Generally, Nani is not confident with her writing and only feels confident when writing to her friends and her mother. They know what Nani is talking about.

Nani writes diaries daily in private. She does not care that her English word order is not correct. She feels that expressing herself in writing makes her feel good and helps familiarise herself with written English.

She feels uncomfortable when handing her writing to someone for editing. In addition, she feels insecure when writing to people with higher status and who she does not know. Nani prefers to use SASL instead of writing. She asks what writing is for.

6.3.3.5 Writing Ability

Despite the fact that Nani has no confidence in her writing, her competence tells otherwise. As part of her writing strategy, Nani asks her mother or SASL interpreter for assistance with her university assignments. In addition, Nani is not able to check her writing on her own. She does not ask for assistance if she writes to her friends since they understand her and her English language.

6.3.3.6 Work and Literacy Needs

Even though she asks what writing is for, Nani, who goes to university, does write. Nani almost never uses e-mail because she dislikes and fears technology. She is awkward and feels stupid when working with technology. Regardless of her fear of technology, Nani is aware that sending out long text messages on her cellphone is not a good idea. Therefore, Nani has been using e-mail in order to contact people and receive jokes and news. Thus, she is still trying to overcome her dislike / fear of technology. Because Nani is afraid of using technology, she uses a cellphone to send out and receive

SMSs. It is easy and fast this way. It is ironic that she does not regard her cellphone as ‘technology’.

6.3.3.7 Relation to the Deaf Culture

It appears that she has ties to the Deaf culture in terms of orality. She prefers signing to writing. This way, she communicates faster and more efficiently.

6.3.4 Baasima

Baasima is placed in Quadrant 4 of High Competence, High Confidence

6.3.4.1 Family

Baasima has a close relationship with her family, especially her mother. When she was small, her mother taught her reading and writing. As for reading, her mother signed from looking at the pictures. There were no words next to the pictures when she signed. When her mother signed and she read at the same time, she noticed that her mother narrated differently from the book. These sentences did not match what her mother signed and Baasima got confused. Therefore, she brought the book to the teacher and asked her to sign the story from that book. The teacher signed exactly what was said in the book. She noticed that it was different from what her mother signed and wanted to know why. She asked her mother if she could read. Her mother explained that she could only read very basic words. She could read pictures well. Baasima understood but still could not grasp the concept that her mother could not read. When she got older and had a better reading skill, she got a clear picture of why her mother could not read words.

Baasima noticed that other parents read to their hearing children orally. She looked at them and realised that her mother was different. She wanted to know what the parents and children said. That kind of activity tended to take place at a library. She wondered what that was all about, as she did not understand what the parents and children said. She asked the teacher to do the activity like the one of the hearing children. The teacher agreed and read to her and others in horseshoe style.

Her mother bought a small book for her leisure writing. In there, she scribbled and only drew something if she did not remember a word such as ‘ball’. If she did not understand what a word meant, she would ask someone to explain so she could understand. Sometimes she taught her mother about what she had learnt. Her mother listened and said: ‘Good girl. You must continue learning.’

6.3.4.2 Schooling History

Even though she loved going to school, she hated the hostel. To be specific, she disliked one nun, as she was too strict. At the hostel, there were many books in the playroom. Since reading was allowed, she took books and read them. She asked the nun for help but she did not know the content of the books. Therefore, she asked a student teacher from university who volunteered to assist with children. The teacher sat next to her and explained to her about reading.

During her speech therapy at school, Baasima learned that written English is connected to speech. She also learned some signs. For example, when she signed CONVINCE, she also articulated ‘convince’. This way she picked up English vocabulary accurately. She also lip-read her teachers. She instructed her SASL interpreters that when they signed, they should try to articulate English words. Hence, she learned reading and writing through Total Communication. Baasima was encouraged to read more when teachers noticed that she had determination and motivation. This was how she got into writing. She built up words by writing in her leisure notebook. Baasima learned more English at the hearing school than at the school for Deaf children. She also learned how to understand and write poems and idioms.

6.3.4.3 Languages

Baasima used Total Communication in classrooms. She explains that her older sister, who is also deaf, instructed her to only use speech. Baasima refused since she had already noticed other children signing. She also hated speech therapy and could not stand learning how to speak. As an adult, Baasima signs nearly all the time.

6.3.4.4 Attitude to Writing

Baasima feels honoured to have writing skills. However, it is ironic that Baasima said she is only confident and comfortable writing to her friends, both hearing and Deaf, that she knows well. In addition, Baasima is sometimes not confident with writing university essays. Baasima is unsure whether the information for her university assignments is correct. Baasima is also sometimes insecure when writing to her friends and boys. She is worried about writing to her friends because some misunderstanding may arise. As for writing to boys, she does not know what to say because she feels shy of boys. Regardless of her reasons, Baasima would ask someone to help with her writing when necessary. Despite her insecurity, she maintains that writing and reading play an important role in her life.

6.3.4.5 Writing Ability

Even though Baasima is confident and comfortable with her writing, she asks someone for assistance. She only asks those who understand her English grammatical structure and what she actually means. Up to now, she has asked her former English teacher to assist. At university, she asks her SASL interpreter for assistance. As for other writing, she does not bother to ask for assistance. Baasima explains that even though she is confident with her writing, she feels insecure with her English grammar and punctuation. Thus, she asks for help. Baasima only asks for help with her English language and university assignments.

6.3.4.6 Work and Literacy Needs

Baasima uses e-mail a lot at university. In order to talk with her friends, Baasima would have to write long text messages on her cellphone. Therefore, she resorts to using e-mail. Even though Baasmia sends out SMSes daily, she is aware that SMSes involve many abbreviations and shorthands. They affect her written English spelling. In spite of this, she does not write letters anymore and also sees no reason to write postcards.

Baasima did not say much about her relationship to the Deaf culture; however she chose SASL as a medium of communication.

6.4 Comparison of the Different Themes among the Four Research