Challenges and Difficulties in Chinese Sign Language Learning Among Pre-service Special Education Teachers Through Deaf Peer-Assisted Learning

Abstract

With the development of inclusive education, pre-service special education teachers need adequate Chinese Sign Language (CSL) communication skills. However, limited research has examined the difficulties faced by pre-service teachers in learning CSL, particularly in real teaching contexts involving deaf peer-assisted learning. This qualitative study involved 10 pre-service special education teachers and 5 deaf university students. Data were collected through 20 pre-service teachers’ interviews, 5 deaf peer interviews, and 8 classroom observations across two cycles of action research and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings identified nine persistent difficulties: insufficient vocabulary and contextual expression, difficulties in converting Chinese-style expressions into sign language grammar, limited ability to organize long and continuous expressions, unstable spatial orientation, unfamiliarity with classifiers, insufficient use of non-manual features, limited natural sign language interaction skills, inadequate communication repair strategies and reliance on text, and expression anxiety and low confidence. The findings suggest that the major challenge in CSL learning is not simply a lack of vocabulary or grammar, but a significant transfer gap between classroom learning and authentic communication. This study contributes to research on CSL learning among pre-service special education teachers and provides practical implications for optimizing deaf peer-assisted learning.