Krister Schönström is deaf and an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at Stockholm University, Sweden. His research focuses on sign linguistics and language acquisition among different groups of signers, specifically the learning of sign language and written languages.
In this course we examine sign language acquisition from a linguistic perspective. Students will explore key topics in first and second language acquisition of sign languages, including developmental trajectories, cross-linguistic variation, and sociocultural influences. The course emphasizes methodology for studying sign language acquisition, with special attention to mixed-methods approaches that integrate quantitative and qualitative analyses of language samples. Assessment techniques for sign language development and ethical issues in conducting research on sign language acquisition are also covered.