Research Article

“Down the Language Rabbit Hole with Alice”: A Case Study of a Deaf Girl with a Cochlear Implant

Box 1

Story no.1 Excerpt: Todd Signs Story in ASL
Todd makes the sign for fly with his hands and flies toward the kids and makes them laugh. He provides background
knowledge of his experiences with a fly, slapping his cheek, brushing the fly away, brushing off his knew, shooing
out of his food. Signs, MY FOOD RIGHT? Todd points to picture of woman in book and signs WOMAN OLD…
continues pointing to picture then sign the story in ASL. Repeats sentences…and ideas… WOMAN CRAZY, he
signs for swallowing the fly. He comments…ITS ONLY BUG…ITS NOTHING…… comments on text…signs
FLY then fingerspells F-L-Y.
Repeats I DON’T KNOW WHY.
Todd points to pictures and explains… play-acts what happens when lady swallows a spider…spider crawling around
in woman’s stomach….. explains spider catching the fly in the woman’s stomach.
Todd: Points to picture and signs, WHAT?
ALICE: SPIDER/spider CRAWLS (SC + SIGN)
ALICE: CATCH/catch (SC: to emphasize a point)
BAILEY: catch (copying ALICE)
Todd: OLD WOMAN EAT SPIDER?
Todd: BUGS YOU EAT?
BAILEY and ALICE: shake head no. (using speech to express emotion of disgust)
BAILEY and ALICE: say no (shaking head).
Todd: turns page and points to picture of spider in woman’s stomach.
Todd: continues signing story….CRAZY CAT
ALICE and BAILEY: no
Todd: continues story…BIRD FLIES AROUND…WOMAN EATS BIRD…WHY? WHY BIRD GO IN
STOMACH? DOES WOMAN WANT BIRD?
Girls say at the same time…no and shake heads
Todd: CAT COMES BY TAIL WAVING WAVING
BAILEY: copies Todd’s sign of CAT TAIL WAVING WAVING
Todd: emphasizes and signs CAT ANGRY SCOWLIN
BAILEY: copies Todd’s sign for ANGRY SCOWLING
BAILEY: meow, meow, meow